Edtech combines education and technology to create digital tools and platforms that enhance learning. Once riding high on the pandemic-driven digital boom, edtech has spent the past few years navigating a sobering correction. Yet recent data suggest the sector is regaining momentum, especially as the lines between education, work, and productivity continue to blur. Today’s edtech spans more than digital classrooms: it touches workforce training, job placement, and the broader infrastructure helping people “learn, work and thrive.”
Global edtech investment rose from $5.6 billion in 2023 to $6.3 billion in 2024, according to Brighteye Ventures’ recent report on European edtech funding. More significantly, the number of deals surged from 915 to 1,153, signaling renewed early-stage confidence. This resurgence coincides with the rise of what Brighteye calls “edtech 2.0” — a broader, future of work-aligned category that encompasses training, productivity, and just-in-time learning tools.
For VCs, the appeal is clear. Europe is confronting both a digital skills gap and frontline talent shortages. At the same time, startups are building smarter tools — from emotionally intelligent AI tutors to industrial upskilling platforms — that reflect macro shifts in labor and technology. This intersection of education, AI, and employability is shaping the next chapter of European innovation.
Vestbee selected VC funds with a demonstrable focus on the future of work (FoW) or education, including those that have invested in adjacent verticals — such as productivity, learning platforms, or workforce development — within the past two years.
14Peaks Capital
HQ: Zug, Switzerland
Sector focus: future of work, SaaS, workflow automation
Investment stage: pre-seed, seed, Series A
14Peaks is an early-stage European VC backing startups that improve workflows, remote collaboration, and employee productivity. Investment tickets range from €300,000 to €1 million, with follow-on funding up to €5 million. The fund emphasizes founder support and often leads pre-seed rounds.
Almi Invest
HQ: Stockholm, Sweden
Sector Focus: edtech, future of work, deetech, climate tech
Investment stage: pre-seed, seed
Almi Invest is Sweden’s most active early-stage investor, managing nearly €260 million across regional funds. It supports mission-driven startups with initial tickets of €250,000-€1 million, often co-investing with private partners. In edtech and future of work, Almi has backed ventures like Zcooly (math learning games), Learnster (corporate training SaaS), StudyBee (assessment tools for schools), and Nextgen Classroom (AI-powered language learning). The fund plays a key role in scaling Nordic solutions for digital education and workforce transformation.
Alven
HQ: Paris, France
Sector focus: SaaS, consumer tech, edtech
Investment stage: Seed, Series A
Alven Capital is a well-established French VC with over $500 million in assets that backs early-stage digital startups, including those in education. It was one of the first investors in OpenClassrooms, one of Europe’s most prominent online learning platforms. Alven brings a founder-friendly approach and helps with scaling, hiring, and later-stage fundraising.
Battery Ventures
HQ: London, UK (European HQ)
Sector focus: B2B software, consumer, industrial tech, life science tools
Investment stage: seed to buyout
Battery Ventures is a global, multi-stage investment firm founded in 1983, managing over $13 billion in capital. The firm invests in cutting-edge technology companies across application software, infrastructure software, consumer tech, and industrial/life science tools. With a research-driven approach and a cross-stage strategy-spanning venture, growth, and private equity-Battery supports companies through all phases of growth. Active from six offices worldwide, it also provides hands-on operational support in talent, business development, marketing, and leadership.
Black Pearls VC
HQ: Gdansk, Poland
Sector focus: B2B SaaS, future of work, digital workplace
Investment stage: Seed, Series A
Black Pearls VC focuses on CEE startups improving the digital workplace, employee engagement, and knowledge management. It invests €100,000-€1 million and connects founders with industrial partners across Poland and the Baltics. The firm’s portfolio includes startups like Wonderwerk, Certifier, and Traxlo, focusing on innovative workforce and remote work solutions.
BonVenture
HQ: Munich, Germany
Sector focus: education & equality, digital health, climate & nature, sustainable consumption
Investment stage: late seed to Series A
BonVenture is an impact-focused VC fund investing in mission-driven startups within the EU and Switzerland, with a geographic focus on the DACH region. Active since 2003, the firm backs tech-enabled businesses that generate measurable impact and early revenues. It provides initial equity tickets of €1-2.5 million, typically acting as lead or co-lead investor. Education and equality are one of its core focus areas alongside climate, health, and sustainability.
BrightCap Ventures
HQ: Sofia, Bulgaria
Sector focus: future of work, healthtech, fintech
Investment stage: pre-seed, seed, Series A
BrightCap Ventures is a Sofia-based venture capital fund focusing on early-stage innovative startups, particularly in the future of work, healthtech, and fintech. The fund invests up to €3.5 million per company, supporting entrepreneurs building technology solutions that transform workflows, automate processes, and improve workforce efficiency. Their portfolio includes companies FoW like FITE, Pilant, and ONDO.
Brighteye Ventures
HQ: London, UK
Sector focus: edtech, future of eork
Investment stage: late pre-seed, seed, Series A
Brighteye Ventures is a European venture capital firm backing startups reshaping how people learn, work, and access opportunity. Active since 2018, the firm has supported over 50 companies. It provides portfolio companies with deep sector expertise and operational support through its network of experts. Brighteye invests across Europe and operates a content and community platform, Sidekick, to share insights and foster connections within the edtech ecosystem.
CapitalT
HQ: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sector focus: climate tech, future of work, AI-driven software
Investment stage: seed
CapitalT is a seed-stage venture fund investing in tech companies that aim to reshape how people live, learn, work, and communicate. The firm focuses on software startups, particularly those leveraging AI, machine learning, or big data in sectors like climate tech and the future of work, with a geographic focus on Northern Europe, the UK, and global digital-native teams.
DvH Ventures
HQ: Cologne, Germany
Sector focus: digital health, deeptech, edtech, fintech, AI, IoT, future of work
Investment stage: early stage (pre-seed, seed)
DvH Ventures operates two main investment vehicles: DvH Ventures Fund III (Digital Tech Fund), focusing on deep tech and education startups, and the Digital Health Fund, launched in 2020 with €70 million for healthcare innovation across Europe. Typical ticket sizes range from €500,000 to €2 million, often with DvH acting as lead investor. The firm also offers operational support, management expertise, and access to its international network.
Educapital
HQ: Paris, France
Sector focus: edtech, future of work
Investment stage: late seed to Series B
Educapital positions itself as the largest European VC dedicated to Edtech and the Future of Work. The firm invests in mission-driven startups aiming to scale globally, with a focus on improving learning outcomes, upskilling, and fostering inclusion in education and the workforce. It backs companies from late seed to Series B stages, with individual investments of up to €10 million.
Eleven Ventures
HQ: Sofia, Bulgaria
Sector focus: fintech, health tech, future of work
Investment stage: pre-seed, seed
Eleven Ventures is a leading early-stage VC firm investing across South and Central Eastern Europe. Since 2012, it has backed over 150 startups, with a strong focus on sectors like fintech, healthtech, and future of work. In the FoW space, Eleven has invested in Moveo.AI (enterprise conversational AI), SuperOkay (client interaction platform), Pluria (remote workspace solutions), MetaSim (VR-based corporate training), and Quantive (OKR and employee experience management).
Emerge Capital
HQ: London, UK
Sector focus: edtech, future of work
Investment stage: pre-seed, seed
Emerge is a $73 million specialist pre-seed fund focused on startups building the future of work and learning. Backed by over 100 top operators from companies like Multiverse, Coursera, and Deel, Emerge writes early, often pre-revenue cheques of $500,000-$2.5 million. The firm pairs capital with deep operator support, matching founders with mentors and advisors to accelerate product-market fit.
HV Capital
HQ: Berlin, Germany (offices also in Munich and London)
Sector Focus: edtech, future of work, fintech, SaaS, mobility, sustainability
Investment Stage: seed to Growth (seed to Series C)
HV Capital is a top German venture capital firm investing from seed to growth stages, with check sizes between €0.5 million and €60 million. The fund focuses on innovative edtech and future of work startups that drive workforce transformation, digital learning, and hybrid work technologies. Leveraging deep industry expertise and a strong European network, HV Capital supports companies scaling solutions for the evolving workplace and education landscape.
LUMO Labs
HQ: Eindhoven & Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sector focus: deeptech for social impact
Investment stage: pre-seed, seed, Series A
LUMO Labs is a Dutch impact-driven VC backing early-stage startups using emerging technologies to solve societal challenges. Through its €100 million Rise Fund, it invests in edtech and FoW solutions aligned with UN SDGs, offering hands-on support via its founder-focused LUMO Program.
Norrsken VC
HQ: Stockholm, Sweden
Sector Focus: impact tech (climate, health, education, AI, edtech)
Investment Stage: seed, Series A
Norrsken is a Nordic impact fund investing in startups solving the world’s biggest problems. It considers edtech as a key lever for systemic change and has backed ventures such as Kide Science and Lexplore. With a €320 million Fund II and strong impact measurement frameworks, Norrsken supports founders building scalable, education-focused solutions for underserved learners.
Owl Ventures
HQ: London, UK (European HQ)
Sector focus: edtech, future of work
Investment stage: seed to growth & late stages
Owl Ventures is the world’s largest venture capital firm exclusively focused on education technology, with over $2 billion in assets under management. Founded in 2014, the firm backs transformative companies across the global education spectrum — from early childhood to lifelong learning and the intersection of edtech with industries like fintech and healthcare. Owl’s hands-on approach supports entrepreneurs with distribution, talent, strategic partnerships, and efficacy measurement.
Revent
HQ: Berlin, Germany
Sector focus: future of work (e.g. reskilling), edtech, climate tech, healthtech, industrial tech
Investment stage: pre-seed and seed
Revent is an early-stage impact-focused VC managing a €100 million Fund II, targeting startups with “dual ambition” — those building both high-impact and high-value businesses. Through its proprietary Real Value Framework, the firm backs companies in reskilling, education, workforce transformation, and other critical sectors like energy transition, healthcare, and industrial decarbonization
Seedcamp
HQ: London, UK
Sector focus: SaaS, finetch, edtech, AI
Investment stage: pre-seed, seed
Seedcamp is one of Europe’s most active early-stage funds. It provides up to $1 million in initial capital, a world-class network of mentors, and follow-on support up to Series B. In edtech, Seedcamp has invested in platforms like Synthesia, an AI video-generation tool used in training, corporate learning, and educational content. The fund continues to support startups reimagining the future of learning, upskilling, and content delivery.
Speedinvest
HQ: Vienna, Austria
Sector focus: deeptech, fintech, health, techbio, climate tech, industrial tech, marketplaces & consumer, SaaS
Investment stage: all stages
Speedinvest is a pan-European venture capital firm focusing on pre-seed and seed-stage startups, investing €250,000 to €2 million depending on the sector. It leverages a strong network to support founders at every stage. In edtech, Speedinvest has led or co-led early rounds for high-growth startups like GoStudent, Revyze, codary, and Simbel across Europe and beyond.
