Rockaway Ventures Closes €55M Fund To Back Transformative Tech

The fund will invest in late-Seed and Series A tech startups that aim to modernize traditional industries. After earlier investments in e-commerce and travel tech, the focus has now shifted to energy, defense, and dual-use technologies.

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General Partner Dušan Zábrodský said they’re seeing strong opportunities in sectors influenced by global trends and geopolitical changes.

“We are particularly interested in founders across Europe and the United States who are committed to driving growth and advancing their businesses through transformative technologies.”

Rockaway Ventures started investing in 2014, initially without a formal fund, supporting early Czech startups like Productboard and Storyous.

The current fund launched in 2022. Around 25% of its capital comes from Rockaway Capital, with the rest from private investors, mostly based in Czechia.

At present, the fund has 11 active portfolio companies showing strong early results. Over the next three years, it plans to grow this number, focusing 60% of its investments in Central and Eastern Europe, and 40% in Western Europe and U.S.-based startups founded by Czech and regional diaspora.

Long-term, Rockaway Ventures aims to support startups through all stages—from pre-seed to growth.

Petr Šmíd, General Partner at Rockaway Ventures, believes venture capital is making a strong comeback.

“The recovery began in 2024 and is continuing this year. One key driver is transformative technology, particularly AI.

A few years ago, many investors didn’t fully grasp its potential. Today, we can clearly demonstrate its sector-specific impact – and that’s changing the game.”

Rockaway Ventures combines hands-on experience, a clear strategy, and close collaboration with founders to support startups.

“We’re not just capital. We’re entrepreneurs ourselves – we’ve built companies, and we understand what’s around the corner. Founders working with us receive hands-on support in areas like international expansion and scaling,” Šmíd added.

About Rockaway Ventures

Established in 2014, Rockaway Ventures has invested in different sectors where Rockaway Capital has strong expertise—like retail, e-commerce, travel, logistics, media, cybersecurity, defense, CleanTech, and PropTech. The fund focuses on late seed and Series A startups in both Central & Eastern Europe and Western Europe.