Atomico was founded in 2006 by Niklas Zennström, the co-founder of Skype, with a simple conviction: the most ambitious founders building global category leaders can come from Europe. Two decades on, the London-based firm has become one of the continent's most influential technology investors, backing companies from Series A through to pre-IPO.
Overview and thesis
Atomico's overarching thesis is that technology will transform every sector and the biggest transformations are yet to come — and that founders are the gamechangers to follow. It operates as a thematic, generalist investor and prides itself on a founder-first, whole-team approach, summarised in its operating principle that capital is a commodity while experience is not. Its current areas of interest span Digital Infrastructure & Cybersecurity, Enterprise AI & Automation, Digital Work, Frontier Tech, Advanced Manufacturing, Future Finance, Mobility, Agritech, Medtech & Digital Health, Planet Positive, Engaged Consumer, Social Innovation and Lifestyle.
Sectors and stages
The firm invests at Series A and occasionally seed through Atomico Venture VI, and from Series B to pre-IPO through Atomico Growth VI, each with a specialised team. It is a pan-European investor with more than 155 investments across 15 European countries since inception, and one in six of its portfolio companies is now valued at over $1 billion.
Fund size
On 9 September 2024 Atomico announced its largest-ever fundraise: $1.24 billion across two funds — $485 million for Atomico Venture VI and $754 million for Atomico Growth VI — more than 50% larger than its $820 million Fund V closed in 2020. Around 75% of the capital came from existing investors, with LPs including the European Investment Fund via its European Tech Champions Initiative, alongside pension funds, insurers, sovereign wealth funds and family offices. The two funds have since made 21 investments.
Notable portfolio
Atomico's portfolio includes Klarna, Stripe, DeepL, Hinge Health and Supercell, alongside newer investments such as Corti, Pelago, Neko Health, Ben, Dexory, Deeploi, Strise and Lakera.
Partners and team
The firm is led by founder and CEO Niklas Zennström. Partners include Hillary Ball and Hiro Tamura, and the team describes itself as a tight-knit, collaborative group that partners with founders wholeheartedly and as a team.
Programs and resources
Atomico is also a major ecosystem builder: its long-running State of European Tech report is the industry's definitive annual data set on the continent's startup market, and its in-house platform teams support founders on talent, growth and international expansion as they scale from Europe to global category leadership.
Why it matters for founders
For European founders with global ambitions, Atomico is one of the few firms purpose-built for your journey: a $1.24 billion war chest spanning seed to pre-IPO, operators who have scaled companies like Skype themselves, and a track record where one in six investments becomes a unicorn. If you are building in Europe and thinking globally, this is a call worth making.