Helsinki-based venture capital firm Lifeline Ventures has announced Fund VI, a €400 million vehicle aimed at supporting early-stage European startups. The firm, an early backer of companies such as Supercell, Wolt, Oura, ICEYE, and Aiven, will use the fund to continue investing from the seed stage through to later growth rounds. The launch of Fund VI reflects the broader expansion of Finland’s tech ecosystem, where annual startup funding has risen twentyfold since 2009 and the number of unicorns continues to grow.
Lifeline Ventures invests in early-stage technology startups across Europe. Founded in 2009, the firm focuses on supporting companies from their initial stages through subsequent growth rounds, providing both capital and operational guidance. Lifeline has been involved in several Finnish startups that have achieved global scale, including Supercell, Wolt, Oura, ICEYE, and Aiven, and is recognized for its active role in the country’s developing tech ecosystem.
“From Oura to Wolt to Supercell, Europe has proven it can build companies that matter globally,” said Timo Ahopelto, Partner and Co-Founder at Lifeline Ventures. “What’s changing now is that, together with our Limited Partners, we can support founders from their very first steps all the way to global scale.”
Lifeline Ventures is among the world’s top-performing venture funds, consistently delivering top-quartile returns. The firm was the first venture investor in nearly every Finnish seed-funded unicorn, including Supercell, Wolt, Oura, ICEYE, and Aiven.
When Lifeline was founded in 2009, Finnish startups raised just over €100 million annually. By 2025, that figure is expected to exceed €2 billion — a 20x increase in 15 years.
Unicorns were once exceptional; today Finland produces two to three each year. Founder talent pool has expanded fivefold in the past five years, with nearly 40,000 people now working in venture-backed tech companies.
With Fund VI, Lifeline Ventures further strengthens its proven model — making very early-stage investments and retaining the capital to follow through in later rounds — so that Europe’s most promising founders have the resources to scale.
“Finland has shown that even a small ecosystem can consistently produce global leaders,” added Ahopelto. “Fund VI reflects a maturing ecosystem that’s ready to compete and win on the world stage. The country is a model for how smaller ecosystems can rapidly grow into global tech powerhouses.”
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Read the orginal article: https://arcticstartup.com/lifeline-ventures-fund-vi-e400-million/
