Ireland's Top 12 VC Firms [2024]

Updated: January 20th, 2022

Are you looking for a VC firm for your Ireland-based startup?

Home to leading high-tech, life sciences, and finance companies, the republic of Ireland is amongst the top investment destinations in Europe.

Despite being the first EU member to enter a recession related to the 2008 financial crisis, the Republic of Ireland made a strong economic recovery, posting a 4.8% growth in 2014, and becoming the fastest growing country in the region.

Agriculture, mining, pharmaceutical, ICT, finance, and the trade industries, are among the top industries that have contributed to the country’s success.

According to TechIreland, there are more than 2,300 active tech startups and scaleups in Ireland. In addition, three hundred domestic and international investors have funded tech businesses and enterprises in Ireland.

A report by Irish Advantage shows that Enterprise Ireland, a government agency in Ireland responsible for supporting Irish businesses, is the largest seed investors globally.

There are a number of successful venture capital firms in Ireland, and we've curated a list of the best local firms in the area. Additionally, we provide you with:

  • Investment size
  • Funding stages
  • Typical industries the firm works with
  • Well known companies the VC firm has invested in

Here's the list:

1. Delta Partners

  • Location: Leopardstown, Dublin, Ireland
  • Industries: Technology and MedTech
  • Investment Range: $5,000K - $20,000K
  • Stage: Early Stage
  • Companies invested in: iniriafy, MeetingsBooker, Offr, Mobacar, Miracor, Luzern, Kidstart, Hiri, MAdme.

Delta Partners is a VC firm investing in Technology and MedTech sectors. The VC firm targets early-stage companies in Ireland and UK, helping management teams to build great companies.

As part of their investment decision-making, the VC firm will assess the ESG risks that the investment may be subject to, and consider the possible impacts on their investments. Delta Partners remains committed to investing responsibly, and embedding ESG in everything they do, to accelerate positive change in the companies they invest in. overall, the VC aims to build businesses that will grow, provide employment, and generate economic benefit in a sustainable manner.

Their typical investments range is $5,000K - $20,000K.

Learn more about Delta Partners ➜

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2. SOSV

  • Location: Cork, Princeton, New York, San Francisco, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Taipei.
  • Industries: Technology, Bioscience
  • Investment Range: $150K - $200K
  • Stage: Early Stage
  • Companies invested in: NotCo, Perfect Day, Upside Foods, Yeelight, Opentrons, Shopal, Snapask, BitMEX, and API3.

SOSV is a VC firm with a global focus. Targeting early-stage development programs, the VC firm invests in a small number of highly promising startups and uses its deeply resourced programs to help the portfolio companies accelerate product development.

SOSV targets companies that offer revolutionary technology, and those venturing cross-border markets. They target Pre-seed and Seed-stage companies, investing between $150K and $200K, with certain biotech companies receiving more.

Learn more about SOSV ➜

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3. BGF Growth Capital

  • Location: London, Dublin
  • Industries: Multi-sectors
  • Investment Range: £1M - £15M
  • Stage: Seed Stage
  • Companies invested in: Paintbox, eflex, Prodrive, Agile Spray Response, BF1systems, Orbex.
  • No. of Investments made : 370
  • No. of Portfolio Exits: 65

BGF Growth Capital supports entrepreneurs and innovators who are powering the future of the economy. The VC firm funds early-stage startups with investments of between £1M and £15M. BGF exists to help businesses grow.

The firm also provides access to expertise and knowledge, ensuring the success of beneficiary companies.

BGF invests in advanced technology, artificial intelligence, automotive & aerospace, business services, E-Commerce, Education, and other sectors.

Learn more about BGF Growth Capital ➜

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4. Kernel Capital

  • Location: Cork, Belfast, Dublin.
  • Industries: Sector Agnostic
  • Investment Range: €1M to €5M
  • Stage: Early Stage, Series A, and Series B
  • Companies invested in: AES, Altratech, Amartus, Arralis, BioAtlantis, Causeway Sensors, Changeover Technologies.

Kernel Capital is a lead investor targeting early stage, Series A and Series B companies. The VC firm invests between €1M to €5M. they look for founders who have shown exceptional vision and ability from the first time. The firm is particular when it comes to looking for companies that innovate and create new products and services.

Learn more about Kernel Capital ➜

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5. Frontline Ventures

  • Location: Dublin, London, and San Francisco
  • Industries: Software, Technology, Engineering, and Computer Science
  • Investment Range: €200,000 to €3 million
  • Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed Stage
  • Companies invested in: Lob, Qualio, Lattice, Logentries, Signal AI, Pointy, ClearBank, Evervault.

Frontline Ventures is targeting globally ambitious B2B companies with an international ambition. The VC firm targets early-stage companies within software, Technology, engineering, or computer science. They have a long list of portfolio companies they have funded that are doing really well in their sectors today.

Learn more about Frontline Ventures ➜

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6. Fountain Healthcare Partners

  • Location: Dublin, New York
  • Industries: Specialty Pharma, Biopharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, and Diagnostics
  • Investment Range: €10Million to €15Million
  • Stage: Early Stage
  • Companies invested in: Inotrem, Priothera, Chrono Therapeutics, Innocoll, Neuromod, Inflazome, Velicept, NeRRe Therapeutics, XyloCor Therapeutics, Mainstay Medical, Calypso Biotech.

Fountain Healthcare Partners is a venture capital firm providing risk capital and expertise to entrepreneurs who have shown ambitions in Specialty Pharma, Biopharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, and Diagnostics. They aim at facilitating partnerships and building international networks in order to help entrepreneurs succeed.

The VC firm targets enterprises that are at the seed stage, and provides investments in the range of €10Million to €15Million.

Learn more about Fountain Healthcare Partners ➜

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7. ARCH Venture Partners

  • Location: Chicago, IL, Seattle, WA, Dublin, Ireland
  • Industries: Disruptive Science & Technology
  • Investment Range: $50K - $150M
  • Stage: Seed Stage - Series C
  • Companies invested in: Alnylam, Agios, Codiak

ARCH Venture Partners (AVP) helps build innovative companies from the science and technology industry.

The firm likes to build a long-term relationship with its companies and stands side by side from their formation to growth stage and beyond.

AVP's investment can range from as little as $50K to as huge as $150M in a single deal.

Learn more about ARCH Venture Partners ➜

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8. Enterprise Equity Venture Capital

  • Location: Dublin.
  • Industries: Technology.
  • Investment Range: Not Disclosed
  • Stage: Early Stage
  • Companies invested in: Alpha, Capsos Medical, Episensor, Metabolomic, Nortev, Touch Press, Polecat, X-Bolt, Tyrecheck.

Enterprise Equity Venture Capital invests in early-stage companies, providing capital and expertise to their portfolio companies. The company has been investing in internationally focused companies that have shown proper management, genuine innovation program, and growth-oriented technology enterprises.

This VC firm brings onboard experienced teams with commercial and investment expertise as well as strong international networks.

Learn more about Enterprise Equity Venture Capital ➜

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9. Seroba

  • Location: Dublin
  • Industries: BioTech, MedTech
  • Investment Range: Not Disclosed
  • Stage: Early Stage
  • Companies invested in: Apica, PQ ByPass, Quanta, VeryanMed, Labcyte, PrecisionBiotics, ArioPharma, Xention, covagen, Biosensia.

Seroba invests in Life Sciences companies focusing on Biotech and Medtech. The VC firm offers a team of experienced professionals with operational industry experience to help portfolio companies create world-class enterprises.

Learn more about Seroba ➜

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10. Investec Ventures

  • Location: Dublin
  • Industries: Sector Agnostic
  • Investment Range: Not Disclosed
  • Stage: Early and expansion-stage companies
  • Companies invested in: Rapt, Britebill, ePubDirect, HeyStaks, GridStore, Ferfics, Zamano, Accuris, Davra Networks.

Investec Ventures invests in early-stage and expansion-stage companies. The VC firm provides capital funding and helps companies build successful ventures. They are keenly looking for companies that have shown exceptional growth prospects, providing board-level assistance and facilitating them through buy and build strategies.

The firm brings on the table innovative thinking, an entrepreneurial mindset, and an in-depth understanding of your business. Their specialist team remains committed to helping your organization achieve extraordinary results.

Learn more about Investec Ventures ➜

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11. Act Venture Capital

  • Location: Dublin
  • Industries: Technology
  • Investment Range: Not Disclosed
  • Stage: Early Stage.
  • Companies invested in: oblivious, Spectrum life, Instamotion, Provizio, ID Pal, Aqmetrics, Drop, Gocontractor, Buymie, Tandem, Edgetier, Umba.

Act Venture Capital partners with visionary early-stage founders, supporting them to scale. They focus on the best startups venturing into the technology sectors and support them from the seed stage to the growth stage. They remain focused on building long-term relationships with companies that solve critical issues in big markets.

The VC firm brings to the table diverse expertise entrepreneurial values and an extraordinary vigor for building successful companies.

Learn more about Act Venture Capital ➜

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12. Growing Capital

  • Location: Dublin
  • Industries: Technology
  • Investment Range: Not Disclosed
  • Stage: Early Stage.

Growing Capital invests in technology companies. The seed-stage VC firm invests up to $500K in early-stage companies based in Ireland. Their goal is to push the tech startups to build innovative solutions that would affect our future in a good way.

Learn more about Growing Capital ➜

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meet the author
Pat Walls