The Netherlands is looking to turn more university research into globally competitive companies, and Graduate Ventures is putting significant capital behind that ambition. The Dutch university affiliated venture investor has launched its second seed fund at €125 million, with €100 million already committed, creating one of the country’s largest dedicated pools of early stage capital for technology startups.
Founded in 2021 by entrepreneurial alumni connected to TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam, Graduate Ventures has steadily expanded from a regional initiative into a nationwide startup investment platform. The organisation says it has now invested in more than 90 startups and works with eight Dutch universities and three university medical centres.
Building a National Startup Network
Graduate Ventures is built around an approach that goes beyond writing investment cheques. Its founders and backers include experienced entrepreneurs and business leaders who provide startups with industry knowledge, connections, introductions and practical guidance.
The platform now has more than 200 entrepreneurs and alumni actively involved in supporting founders. Graduate Ventures says this network is designed to give young companies access to people who have already built and scaled businesses, helping founders navigate challenges ranging from hiring and commercialisation to fundraising and international expansion.
The organisation has also expanded its university footprint. Its partners include institutions across Rotterdam, Delft, Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Wageningen, Twente and Leiden, alongside university medical centres in Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Leiden.
Focus on Strategic Technologies
The new seed fund will invest alongside Graduate Ventures’ existing pre seed fund, targeting areas the organisation considers important to the Netherlands’ long term economic and technological competitiveness.
Artificial intelligence, deep tech, healthcare and climate technology are among the key sectors in focus. The strategy reflects a growing push across Europe to commercialise research coming out of universities and build companies around technologies considered strategically important.
Graduate Ventures says its mission is to help build companies in critical sectors while strengthening a competitive and sovereign Netherlands. Its model combines early capital with access to experienced operators and university ecosystems.
Backed by Dutch Business Leaders
The €125 million fund has attracted backing from a group of prominent entrepreneurs and investors. Among them are Frank Slootman of Snowflake, Picnic co founder Michiel Muller, DataSnipper co founder Jonas Ruyter and former ASML CEO Peter Wennink.
Invest NL and Oost NL are also participating in the fund, adding institutional support to the alumni driven investment model.
The speed at which the fund has attracted capital also underlines investor confidence in the strategy. Graduate Ventures says it secured the €100 million already committed within ten months of beginning the fundraising process.
QuantWare Shows the Model
One of Graduate Ventures’ most visible examples is QuantWare, a Delft based quantum technology company.
Graduate Ventures invested in QuantWare when the company was still at an early stage in 2021. The startup has since developed quantum processor technology and raised a €152 million Series B earlier in 2026, demonstrating the potential for university linked companies to progress from research driven ventures into heavily funded technology businesses.
QuantWare was also one of Graduate Ventures’ earliest investments, reinforcing the organisation’s strategy of identifying promising technical teams before they reach later funding stages.
Turning Research Into Companies
Graduate Ventures’ expansion comes as universities increasingly look beyond research publications and patents toward commercialisation and entrepreneurship.
Its model gives researchers and students access to capital while allowing successful alumni to contribute their experience to the next generation of founders. The organisation also operates a pre seed fund, allowing it to support startups before they become suitable candidates for larger seed investments.
With €125 million now targeted for its second seed fund and a network spanning much of the Dutch university ecosystem, Graduate Ventures is positioning itself as a bridge between academic innovation and venture backed growth.
The larger ambition is clear: identify promising technology early, surround founders with experienced entrepreneurs and provide enough capital to help Dutch startups move from university laboratories to international markets.
