Venture capital is a critical driver of innovation, and in recent years, Malta has carved out a place for itself on the European map of startup investment. Its strategic location, international business links, and government-backed initiatives have made the island an increasingly attractive base for both founders and investors.
The country welcomes several events throughout the year to push innovation forward, such as the Malta Startup Festival happening on 22-24 October 2025, which brings together founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders to celebrate entrepreneurship, or the EU-Startups Summit, taking place on the island for the third time in a row on 7-8 May 2026, attracting Europe’s most promising startups and venture capital firms, reinforcing Malta’s growing reputation as a Mediterranean hub for creativity, technology, and innovation.
In this article, we highlight 12 investors anchored in Malta that are actively supporting local and international startups. Their approaches vary, but together they demonstrate the growing maturity and global reach of Malta’s innovation economy.
Apeiron Investment Group is the private investment firm of entrepreneur and investor Christian Angermayer. Headquartered in Sliema with teams also in New York, London, Berlin, and Abu Dhabi, the firm applies a global multi-strategy approach with a primary focus on the US.
Apeiron invests both directly in innovative companies and as an anchor LP with minority GP stakes in emerging asset managers, whose funds collectively manage around $5 billion in external capital. The group has a strong emphasis on life sciences, fintech, and frontier technologies, guided by a mission to support bold founders and emerging managers shaping a future where technology enables longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.
GO Ventures is the corporate venture arm of GO plc, Malta’s leading telecommunications provider with over 500,000 customers. Established to back technology-driven startups, the fund provides capital and strategic support in exchange for equity, focusing on innovative solutions that extend beyond traditional telecom boundaries.
With the mission of “Helping Great Ideas Grow”, GO Ventures offers startups not only financial investment but also access to deep sector expertise and an extensive network of national and international contacts. By leveraging the infrastructure and resources of GO plc, it creates unique opportunities for founders to test, scale, and connect with corporate partners across Malta and beyond.
Growth Box Ventures is a Malta-based early-stage venture capital firm with a portfolio of over 57 companies and 62 investments to date, including five successful exits. The fund primarily invests at seed and pre-Series A stages, focusing on fintech, personal finance, gaming, and lead generation sectors where Malta has global relevance.
Founded by entrepreneurs with a track record of starting, building, and exiting ventures, Growth Box offers much more than capital. Its hands-on approach focuses on empowering management teams through strategic advice, performance-driven guidance, and value-adding services. By combining financial investment with commercial insight, Growth Box Ventures helps ambitious founders reduce risks, accelerate growth, and scale internationally.
Ikigai Ventures was founded by Maltese entrepreneur Eman Pulis, best known as the driving force behind SiGMA Group. The seed-stage fund invests globally, but with strong ties to Malta through its founder and LP base. Ikigai Ventures backs early-stage startups across gaming, fintech, and frontier technologies, seeking bold founders with the potential to reshape their industries.
Beyond capital, Ikigai supports founders with access to tech hubs in Belgrade and Noida, a network of more than 10,000 industry contacts, and bi-annual mentorship retreats aligned with major SiGMA events. The team includes experienced operators and investors who provide strategic guidance, operating expertise, and international exposure to help startups scale.
Malta Enterprise, the country’s national economic development agency and headline sponsor of the EU-Startups Summit, operates a range of funding schemes that complement private investment. Its Start-up Finance and Business Start programmes offer non-dilutive capital to early-stage businesses, helping them develop products and reach market readiness. These instruments are designed to fill gaps in traditional venture financing and reduce risk for both founders and co-investors.
While not a VC firm in the traditional sense, Malta Enterprise plays a vital role in the ecosystem by catalysing private investment. By lowering barriers for young companies, it enables more startups to reach the stage where they can attract venture funding, making it a cornerstone of Malta’s support infrastructure.
Launched in 2024, Malta Venture Capital (MVC) is a €10 million government-backed fund with offices in Sliema. Its mandate is to co-invest alongside private investors in high-growth digital and technology-driven businesses, providing the capital needed to strengthen Malta’s innovation pipeline. Backed by Malta Government Investments, MVC represents a significant step in formalising the local venture ecosystem.
The fund is sector-agnostic but has a strong focus on technology-enabled solutions. By supporting startups at early stages, MVC aims to create long-term value for the Maltese economy while helping companies position themselves internationally. Its arrival has filled a gap in Malta’s funding landscape and made institutional capital more accessible to founders.
Optimizer Invest is a venture capital firm founded in Malta in 2012 by a group of Scandinavian IT entrepreneurs. The firm focuses on early-stage investments in online businesses, including fintech, digital marketplaces, and gaming-related ventures. With offices in Malta, Stockholm, and London, it combines capital with operational expertise to help founders build scalable companies.
Since its launch, Optimizer Invest has made over 25 investments, achieved three IPOs, and completed more than 30 M&A transactions with over €1 billion in merger value. Its portfolio includes companies such as Skilling, The Game Day, and other fast-growing digital businesses, reflecting its focus on creating long-term value in technology-driven sectors.
PeakBridge is a Valletta-based venture capital firm focused on FoodTech, investing from seed to Series B in companies developing scalable and protectable technologies across areas such as AI, ingredients innovation, and alternative proteins. The fund targets startups addressing major challenges in the global food system, with climate and health impact at the core.
With a team spread across seven countries, PeakBridge combines FoodTech investment expertise with deep operational and financial experience in the agri-food sector. As a member of the Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity partnership, it works closely with leading food corporates, investors, research institutes, and FoodTech hubs worldwide to support portfolio companies and drive systemic change in food.
PEVCA Malta (Private Equity & Venture Capital Association – Malta) is the national association representing the country’s private capital industry, bringing together fund managers, direct investors, institutional investors, family offices, and professional service firms. Acting as a central hub for Malta’s private equity and venture capital ecosystem, the association promotes collaboration, knowledge exchange, and sustainable growth while advocating for a regulatory framework that supports innovation and entrepreneurship.
Its members invest across various sectors, including startups, technology, sustainable finance, and innovation, with examples such as TUM Invest, which focuses on property development, automotive, and healthcare. By fostering a stronger capital-raising culture and serving as a bridge between investors, founders, and policymakers, PEVCA Malta plays a key role in positioning the island as an attractive hub for private investment and venture capital activity.
Qamar Ventures is an investment initiative founded by Alexandre Dreyfus, the entrepreneur behind blockchain and sports pioneers Chiliz and Socios.com. Based in Malta, the firm plans to invest €10 million to boost the country’s digital landscape across media, technology, entertainment, and sports. With over two decades of experience spanning technology, gaming, and blockchain, Dreyfus brings a global perspective and a proven track record of innovation, including building the world’s first Fan Tokens and a fan engagement ecosystem through Chiliz.
Qamar Ventures aims to “illuminate the future” by backing transformative ideas and fostering innovation that bridges local and global markets. Its mission centres on driving Malta’s growth in digital industries through strategic investments, acquisitions, and partnerships, empowering the island’s entrepreneurial ecosystem while promoting a digitally connected and forward-looking economy.
Ubunto Ventures is a MedTech-focused investment initiative tied to MedTech World, the Malta-based global healthtech conference. The firm invests in startups developing innovative medical technologies, aiming to improve patient outcomes while also generating strong commercial returns. Its positioning within MedTech World ensures that portfolio companies benefit from a wide international network.
By combining capital with access to the broader MedTech World ecosystem, Ubunto Ventures creates visibility and growth opportunities for its startups. Its focus on health innovation makes it one of Malta’s few sector-specific investors, helping position the island as a player in global healthtech.
VentureMax Group is a Sliema-based investment firm focused on startups and disruptors in the iGaming sector. Founded in 2016, the group combines capital with industry expertise to support both early-stage ventures and established businesses aiming to scale.
In addition to investing, VentureMax develops its own brands and works closely with portfolio companies to drive growth in digital entertainment and technology. Its strategy is centred on building the next generation of iGaming leaders while strengthening Malta’s position as a global hub for the industry.
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Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/10/capital-meets-innovation-10-investors-shaping-maltas-startup-ecosystem/
