Cherry Ventures Secures $500M to Fuel European Tech Innovation
London, Stockholm, and Berlin-based venture capital firm Cherry Ventures has unveiled its fifth early-stage fund, securing $500 million in commitments. The newly launched fund, called Cherry V, comes as part of the firm’s long-term strategy to support Europe’s startup ecosystem and build globally significant technology companies. In an open letter to European founders, Cherry Ventures expressed its vision of being “the right kind of partner” to help Europe gain a stronger foothold in the global tech industry.
Elena Whitmore 
The new fund attracted strong investor interest, raising twice the initial target amount. The leadership team includes five core partners, with founding partners Filip Dames and Christian Meermann, both of whom were part of the founding team at the retail giant Zalando. The team is further strengthened by Sophia Bendz, a former operator at Spotify; Dinika Mahtani, a former executive at Uber; and Jasper Masemann, a former startup founder. Additionally, the firm’s operational efforts are supported by operating partner Alexander Langholz-Baikousis.
Cherry V is divided into two components: a flagship fund that targets early-stage startups and an opportunity fund dedicated to supporting promising portfolio companies at the Series B stage and beyond. By maintaining this dual structure, Cherry Ventures aims to provide comprehensive support to startups from inception to later growth stages. According to the company, “over 80% of our seed founders graduate to Series A,” underscoring the firm’s emphasis on long-term partnership and consistent growth.
The firm was originally founded by Filip Dames, Christian Meermann, and Daniel P. Glasner. Its investment strategy focuses on high-potential European startups operating in sectors such as fintech, SaaS, climate technology, and consumer-oriented businesses. The partners bring operational expertise from their previous roles at fast-scaling companies like Zalando, offering valuable insights to startups navigating the challenges of growth.
Diverse portfolio highlighting European innovation
Cherry Ventures has backed several notable startups across different sectors, reflecting its broad approach to investment. Key portfolio companies include:
- Flink: A rapid grocery delivery service that promises orders in under 10 minutes at standard supermarket prices.
- Forto: A logistics and supply chain technology company offering scalable digital solutions to streamline shipping and delivery.
- Robeaute: A Paris-based medtech company developing microrobots for minimally invasive brain surgeries.
- Planet A Foods: A company producing sustainable, cocoa-free chocolate alternatives with a lower carbon footprint.
- Luminovo: A software platform designed to accelerate and optimize the electronics design and manufacturing process.
- Moss: A financial management platform providing corporate credit cards and payment solutions to help businesses manage cash flow.
In its open letter, Cherry Ventures highlighted the growth and strength of Europe’s startup ecosystem, stating, “Europe’s foundation is strong. We have 35,000 early-stage startups – more than any other region – and our tech workforce has grown 7x since 2015.” However, the firm also pointed out that “our culture of innovation must change” for Europe to fully unlock its potential and compete effectively on the global stage.
The company called for collaboration across multiple sectors, emphasizing that policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors must work together to create an environment where startups can thrive. “If Europe is to build on its first wave of success stories to create the next, on a bigger scale – we all need to play our part,” the firm stated, stressing the collective responsibility to support technological advancement and innovation in the region.
