The small country of Europe, the Czech Republic, is not small when it comes to the startup scene. The Czech startup scene is growing day by day. Having thinkers like Otto Wichterle, the mind behind contact lenses, and Yan Yansky, who discovered the four blood types, explains why innovation is thriving in this nation in the 21st century. In 2021, the country secured the 24th position in the Global Innovation Index.

Behind it, there are angel investors and VC firms who are fueling the startups. We went through a big list of VC firms in Czechia. Here are the top 10 VC firms in the Czech Republic based on various metrics:

1. Credo Ventures

Credo Ventures is a leading venture capital firm in Central Europe. It specializes in early-stage investments, dedicated to identifying and supporting promising companies. Credo Ventures assists in their growth strategies, including global market expansion, with a focus on high-growth potential enterprises, particularly into the U.S. Their primary focus areas include IT, Internet, and Health industries.

Website: credoventures.com

Founding Year: 2009

Investment Range: €50K - €10M

Stage: Seed to Series B

Sector: IT, Internet, Health

Investment Geography: Central Europe

Notable Investments: Oradian, Upheal, Mewery, Better Stack, EquiLibre, FlexDog

Submit Pitch/ Contact: info@credoventures.com

2. Rockaway Capital

Founded in 2013, Rockaway Capital is a venture capital firm with a strong emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe and DACH startups. Specializing in digitizing traditional industries, the company aligns with environmental, social, and governance principles. Boasting an impressive track record, Rockaway Capital's team claims one of the best venture capital performances in the CEE region, achieving an annual IRR of 46% and returning €41.6 million in capital.

Website: rockawaycapital.com

Founding Year: 2013

Investment Range: Early to Late

Stage: Undisclosed

Sector: E travel, Media, Fintech, Blockchain, E commerce

Investment Geography: Czech Republic

Notable Investments: Lingvist, Vivere, BCB Group, DODO, Alkohol.cz, Campiri

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link

3. Kaya Ventures

Kaya Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on Central and Eastern Europe. They invest in early stages (pre-seed, seed, and series A) with amounts ranging from €100k to €3M. Originally from Enern Investments in Prague, Kaya's goal is to fill the funding gap in the early-stage VC market. Managing over €70M, the fund emphasizes supporting startups in the region and promoting global potential in various industries.

Website: kaya.vc

Founding Year: 2010

Investment Range: €5M - €10M 

Stage: Pre Seed, Seed 

Sector: E-Commerce, Consumer, Fintech, Future of Work, Healthcare, SaaS, Climate & Sustainability, Mobility, Agriculture

Investment Geography: Central and East Europe

Notable Investments: Sensible Bio, E2B, CareSend, Healee, Upheel

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link

4. Lighthouse Ventures

Lighthouse Ventures is a tech-focused venture capital firm in the Czech Republic. They help innovative ideas in their early stages with financial and professional support. The international team has expertise in entrepreneurship, startup mentoring, mergers and acquisitions, and media/marketing. They have a wide network of investors and collaborate with top Czech startup incubators, tech partners, and government institutions.

Website: lhv.vc

Founding Year: 2019

Investment Range: €200K - €2.3M

Stage: Early, Seed

Sector: Fintech, AI & ML, E-Commerce, SaaS, Marketplace, InsurTech

Investment Geography: Europe

Notable Investments: Foxdeli, Job Sider, RESQUANT, Product Fruits, Gitgut.ai

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link

5. InveN Capital

Inven Capital invests in climate tech startups in Europe and Israel. It has a significant EUR 500 million fund across two channels. Backed by major entities like ČEZ, a.s. and the European Investment Bank, it focuses on late-stage growth opportunities in the decarbonization sector. The fund supports startups with proven business models and high growth potential, actively assisting companies and founders to create long-term value. Additionally, Inven Capital collaborates with like-minded investors on the board.

Website: invencapital.cz

Founding Year: 2014

Investment Range: €2M - €30M

Stage: Late 

Sector: Transportation, IoT, Climate & Sustainability, Energy

Investment Geography: Czech Republic, Israel

Notable Investments: Zolar, Vulog, Sunfire, Hometree, CyberX

Submit Pitch/ Contact: contact@invencapital.cz

6. J&T Ventures

J&T Ventures is based in Prague, Czechia. It specializes in European investments with a focus on CEE, Nordics, and Baltics. Founded in 2014 by Bob Tetiva, the venture capital firm operates across industries such as Fintech, Proptech & Real Estate, IoT, and Industrial sectors. J&T Ventures engages in Seed, Series A, and Early Stage funding, with check sizes ranging from €250,000 to €2,500,000. Having made 22 investments, the firm boasts 4 successful exits and has raised funds totaling €40,000,000.

Website: jtventures.cz

Founding Year: 2014

Investment Range: €500K -  €2.5M

Stage: Early Stage, Seed

Sector: Fintech, Proptech & Real Estate, IoT, Industrial

Investment Geography: Czech Republic 

Notable Investments: Davinci Travel System, Daytrip, Neuron Soundware, Locco, OutdoorVisit

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link

7. Nation 1 VC

Nation 1 VC is a €35M firm. It specializes in Central European startups aspiring for global success. With offices throughout the continent and an active startup accelerator, they provide comprehensive support for companies to thrive on a global scale.

Website: nation1.vc

Founding Year: 2019

Investment Range: €100K - €1.5M

Stage: Pre Seed, Seed

Sector: Healthcare, Travel & Hospitality, SaaS, Hardware, AR & VR, DTC, Enterprise, Supply Chain & Logistics, Cloud

Investment Geography: Europe

Notable Investments: VRgineers, Mindpax, Precismo, Disivo, Vitadio, Uget

Submit Pitch/ Contact: info@nation1.vc

8. ZAKA Ventures

Slovak ZAKA Ventures, a recently relocated fund now based in Prague, stands out on our radar. Focused on bold founders in the CEE region, ZAKA seeks entrepreneurs across diverse sectors. With a team of former startup founders, ZAKA Ventures offers comprehensive support, leveraging their expertise in marketing, sales, product development, and more.

Website: zaka.vc

Founding Year: 2019

Investment Range: €50k - €500k

Stage: Seed, Pre Seed

Sector: Energy, Utilities, Retail, Hospitality, Travel, Real-Estate, AI, Mobility 

Investment Geography: Czech Republic

Notable Investments: SharpGrid, CRUXO, 

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link

9. Air Ventures

Air Ventures is a dynamic VC firm. It specializes in nurturing early-growth European startups. Their strategic focus spans industries, with a keen interest in late seed to series A companies boasting substantial ARR. Investing between €200k to €2M, Air Ventures stands out by leveraging the marketing and financial acumen of its partner-founders. 

Website: airventures.eu

Founding Year: 2016

Investment Range: €200K - €2M

Stage: Late Seed to Series A

Sector: Multi

Investment Geography: Czech Republic

Notable Investments: CROSS Network Intelligence, The Greenest Company, InsightArt

Submit Pitch/ Contact: analyst@airventures.eu

10. Presto Ventures

Presto Ventures is a Prague-based VC firm focusing on early-stage B2B software startups and online marketplaces from the wider CEE region. Backed exclusively by private money, Presto serves as a vital link between the flourishing CEE tech ecosystem and major Western markets.

Website: prestoventures.com

Founding Year: 2016 

Investment Range: €100K - €5M

Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed

Sector: Media, Fintech, SaaS

Investment Geography: Czech Republic 

Notable Investments: Adam, Behavio, Calypso, Carmine Finance, Choice QR, Cruxo

Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link 

Best of luck with your amazing ventures. 

Please note that this list is filtered by various metrics, and all the data are collected through various third-party websites, mostly the VC website. Since data such as ticket size or industry may change, you are requested to visit the official website given in the blog for the latest and updated information.