Paris-Based C4 Ventures Launches €100M Fund to Support Europe’s AI Leadership

“The AI revolution is bigger than any previous technological shift we’ve seen since the Internet,” comments C4 Ventures Founder & CEO Pascal Cagni. “We are at the forefront of a massive transformation that will redefine industries. With C4 Ventures III , we are doubling down on this moment, backing talented founders in AI, robotics, quantum computing and beyond.”

Founded in 2014, C4 Ventures is led by former Apple and Microsoft executives Pascal Cagni and Eric Boustouller, supported by a global network of 30+ operating partners from top tech firms.

About - UK-based Scindo Raises €4.5 Million Funding

The firm has invested in 54 startups, with 12 reaching unicorn status. Its previous fund is noted for delivering liquidity faster than many peers, earning a top-decile ranking in its vintage.

C4 Ventures has completed a full investment cycle with 20+ exits, two NYSE IPOs (Riskified and Via), and seven corporate acquisitions. Launched in 2020, C4 Ventures II is already top quartile in value creation and near top decile in liquidity.

“C4 Ventures was built on a vision of Operators backing Entrepreneurs with global ambition and strong involvement,” says C4 Ventures Co-founder and Managing Director Boris Bakech. “Fund III will extend this vision into the AI era, combining our operating and investing experience with the determination of founders to build Europe’s next champions.”

C4 Ventures believes Europe has the market size, talent, research base, and entrepreneurial drive to compete in AI and DeepTech, helping build a sovereign European ecosystem. This shift, they argue, will channel more capital into regional startups and position Europe as a key player in AI for decades to come.

They view AI as the defining technological transformation of our era—impacting not only software but also “Physical AI” such as robotics and autonomous systems.

Known for its hardware expertise, C4 Ventures has backed five hardware unicorns and leading companies like NEURA Robotics (cognitive robots), Graphcore (AI processors), Alice & Bob and PsiQuantum (quantum computing), and most recently Arago (AI semiconductors).

“The success of C4 Ventures II has strengthened our conviction to launch C4 Ventures III to seize the defining technological shift of our time: artificial intelligence,” concludes C4 Ventures Partner Eric Boustouller. “Technology’s next chapter is unfolding right now, in Europe as much as anywhere else, and we are committed to supporting the founders who will shape it.”

About C4 Ventures

C4 Ventures, led by former Apple and Microsoft executives, backs ambitious European tech entrepreneurs across early and growth stages. Focused on Smart Hardware, Future of Commerce, and Future of Work, the firm combines capital with hands-on support, helping startups scale, create impact, and build value 10 of its 50+ investments are unicorns.