London’s Onstage Launches €11.3M Early-Stage Venture Fund

The fund has closed its initial round at £10M (€11.3M) to support pre-seed and seed-stage European founders, with Founding Partner Joel Hambly leading the initiative.

Onstage plans approximately 80 strategic investments over the next three years, aiming to become Europe’s Y Combinator equivalent without the accelerator model. Fund I also welcomes Peter Simon, President of US-based Simon Sports, as Partner and investor.

Peter Simon adds, “Onstage has built a unique platform, which is already integral to the European ecosystem. There’s a huge opportunity to build the next-generation YC in Europe, with a compelling proposition for world-class founders and co-investors. I’m excited to support these founders’ global aspirations.”

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Other limited partners include leading European founders and investors, such as Alex Chesterman, alongside GPs from Concept Ventures, Creator Ventures, Chapter One, and Episode 1. To strengthen ties with the European VC ecosystem, Emma Phillips (LocalGlobe), Laura McGinnis (Balderton), and Jamesin Seidel (Chapter One) join Onstage’s investment committee as external members.

Onstage, founded in 2020 by Episode 1 GP Hector Mason and dmg ventures Partner Taos Edmondson, has become a key player in Europe’s startup ecosystem. Led by co-founder Issie James, the organisation hosts Europe’s largest standalone demo day, generating substantial deal flow with participation from over 2,000 startups and 330+ venture funds, including Sequoia, a16z, Balderton, and LocalGlobe.

Demo day finalists have collectively raised more than £500M, with standout startups like Scan.com (£60M) and Lawhive (£44M) among the fastest-growing in Europe. Onstage has also organised one of the continent’s largest GP-LP gatherings with its latest event attracting 350 GP applicants underscoring its role in connecting stakeholders across the European venture ecosystem.

The fund’s setup was supported by The Fund Incubator, Blears, and Bunch Capital, further solidifying Onstage’s position as a central hub for early-stage investment in Europe.

“A fund is the clear next step for Onstage and will enjoy a symbiotic relationship with our demo days. It further strengthens our proposition for founders and deepens our relationship with the top VCs in Europe. We can’t wait to support Europe’s next wave of founders, who are ready to compete and win on a global stage,” says Joel Hambly.

About Onstage

Onstage is a venture platform connecting founders, investors, operators, customers, and partners to accelerate growth. It also links general partners (GPs) with limited partners (LPs), maximizing deal flow and fostering collaboration across the European startup ecosystem.