Growth
Top 10 Angel Investors in Europe
Written by
Lineke Kruisinga
Published on
July 23, 2024
Written by
Published on
Are you ready to discover the top 10 best angel investors in Europe that every startup entrepreneur should know? Fundraising isn't about casting a wide net—it's about targeting the right investors with a compelling pitch. Think of these angel investors as the key players in the startup ecosystem, turning innovative ideas into successful ventures. In this article, we’ll introduce you to Europe's most influential angel investors, the ones who can help turn your startup dreams into reality. So, grab your pitch deck and get ready to meet the top 10 angel investors you should be pitching to right now!
Xavier Niel, the tech whiz behind telecoms giant Iliad, boasts a net worth of €9.38 billion as of July 10, 2024, making him #215 in the world. He owns Free, one of France's top internet providers, plus Monaco Telecom and Salt (formerly Orange Switzerland, acquired for €2.64 billion in 2014). His diverse portfolio also includes stakes in LeMonde, Vodafone, and the commercial real estate titan Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. Niel's journey began with WorldNet, France's first internet provider, which he launched at 25 in 1993 and sold seven years later for €45.54 million.
Jitse Groen, founder and CEO of Takeaway, has a net worth of €1.37 billion in 2024. Though he joined the angel investing scene a bit late, he’s already making waves. He’s invested in VC funds like Keen Venture Partners, despite admitting that investing can be a time-consuming and sometimes maddening process. But occasionally, an opportunity comes along that's just too good to pass up. In early 2021, Jitse took a bite out of Mosa Meat, a lab-grown meat startup that raised €10 million in a Series B round. While he admits he can’t add much to meat tech, he believes in its potential to revolutionize global meat consumption.
Alex Chesterman, the British internet whiz, co-founded ScreenSelect, which morphed into the hit online film distributor LoveFilm. He didn't stop there; he went on to create Cazoo, the online used car platform, and steered it as CEO until December 2023. With a net worth of €514.6 million in 2024, he’s #26 on the rich list, despite a 3.9% dip this year. But Alex isn't just about cars and films. He’s also the genius behind Zoopla, proving his Midas touch in the tech and business world. From revolutionizing how we rent movies to how we buy cars, Alex’s ventures have cemented his reputation as a major player in the industry.
Taavet Hinrikus, with a net worth of €136.63 million in 2024, is the co-founder and CEO of TransferWise. Before launching TransferWise, he was Skype’s first employee and later its director of strategy until 2008. Taavet’s knack for tech innovation earned him a spot as one of the World Economic Forum's Tech Pioneers. He's also an advisor to the Estonian Prime Minister on digital matters and an active mentor and angel investor. His impressive investment portfolio includes Tweetdeck, Mendeley, OMGPOP, Property Partner, Sunrise, Improbable, and Mapillary. From revolutionizing money transfers with TransferWise to backing some of the coolest startups, Taavet is a true tech trailblazer.
Chris Adelsbach is an energetic entrepreneur, investor, and mentor, with a net worth of €91.09 million in 2024. As Managing Partner of Outrun Ventures, he's one of Europe’s top Fintech investors. After a decade at GE Capital, Chris co-founded a specialty finance company that quickly became a UK sensation, selling it to a NASDAQ-listed firm in 2014. Post-exit, he dived into venture investing and mentoring, backing over 130 startups, including hits like Railsbank, Kuda Bank, Quant Network, Marshmallow, Smart Pension, Monese, and Atom Bank. Named the UK’s Angel Investor of the Year in 2018/19, Chris was also dubbed the most active fintech angel in Europe by Sifted in 2020.
Robert Gaal, known for Wakoopa and Karma, is a seasoned entrepreneur with a net worth of €70 million in 2024. In 2007, he made the "25 under 25" list with Wakoopa, later sold to GfK in 2016. He then moved to the US, launching Karma, a WiFi hotspot company selected by Techstars. His third venture, Quest, an audio app for career tips, ended in April 2022. Currently, he's working on a top-secret startup.Robert’s knack for spotting promising ventures keeps him at the forefront of the startup world.
Sophia Bendz, based in Stockholm, is a Partner at Cherry with a net worth of €54.66 million in 2024. She’s fueled by her 40+ angel investments across Europe and North America, which led her to create the Angel Programme at Atomico, where she was a Partner and entrepreneur-in-residence. Sophia knows startups inside out. She spent seven years as Spotify’s Global Marketing Director, driving its international growth. She also co-founded AllBright.se, a non-profit promoting business diversity, and advised the Swedish Prime Minister on innovation. Her achievements include being named Business Insider’s top seed investor in Europe in 2022.
Nalden, also known as Ronald Hans, is a co-founder of WeTransfer and a savvy investor, with a net worth of €54.66 million in 2024. Through the angel collective Operators Exchange, he’s backed dozens of startups, including AppSignal, Formitable, password service Magic, and digital broker Walter Living. His latest venture? A ‘Netflix’ for cars called Anyways. In early 2021, Nalden scored a major win when Twitter acquired Revue, the newsletter service. He's also invested in exciting projects like Polarsteps and Hotelchamp since 2017. With a knack for spotting innovative ideas, Nalden continues to shape the future of tech and startups.
Irina Haivas, a surgeon-turned-VC, is making waves in the investment world with a net worth of €45 million in 2024. Named one of Europe's top 11 female investors by Sifted, she joined Atomico as a partner in 2018, focusing on health tech and enterprise software, including AI/ML-enabled SaaS and digital work tools. Before Atomico, she was a late-stage investor at GHO Capital Partners and a senior team member at Bain & Co., where she worked with over 30 companies in Europe and the U.S. on innovation, product strategy, and M&A.
Tom Blomfield, a British entrepreneur with a net worth of €45.54 million in 2024, is a Group Partner at Y Combinator. He co-founded GoCardless in 2011, skyrocketing to success with a €142,111 boost from Y Combinator. In just three years, the company raised €39.85 million and hired 100 people. In 2015, Tom founded Monzo, a challenger bank that raised €1.14 million in just 96 seconds during its first fundraising round. He stepped down as CEO in January 2020, becoming the company's president, and left permanently in January 2021. Tom’s journey from GoCardless to Monzo showcases his knack for turning bold ideas into industry-shaking ventures.
Ultimately, as a founder, you want to look for well-connected investors. Good connections can be a game-changer for a start-up, making the mix of money and connections something you definitely don’t want to miss out on.
Building trust and strong networks usually takes a lot of time and effort, and investors are careful about where they put their money. But sometimes, the right connection can make your start-up take off quickly. Well-connected investors can help you get more funding, strike business deals, and even get acquired. They can open doors for you!
We're always looking for new partners and investment possibilities:
🌱 Pre-seed and seed stage (ticket size 200k-500k)
🏎 Highly product and scale driven
🇪🇺 European focussed
🕸 Industry agnostic
Or want to know more about pre-seed funding?
