The Berlin Fund Lunar Ventures announces the end of his second vehicle at 50 million eurosentirely dedicated to Deeptech startups in early phase. This new fund is part of the first, launched in 2021, and aims to invest in the very early stages, often Before any commercial tractionon the basis of technological conviction alone.
Specializing in infrastructure, artificial intelligence, autonomy and innovations from basic research, Lunar Ventures intends to position itself as the first technical partner of scientific founders. The team, made up of engineers, pHDS and operators, claims support based on the scientific analysis of projects rather than on market signals.
“We want to be there Before the hypewith the capacity to assess complex theses that few funds really understand at this stage, ”explains Mick Halsbandco -founder and general Partner.
Assumed technical positioning
While the DeepTech now captures Almost 44 % of tech investments in EuropeLunar Ventures alerts on a dilution effect of expertise: “Capital has flocked, but not always with the competence necessary to support such technical projects in the long term”, estimates the fund.
Contrary to opportunistic approaches, Lunar assumes a strategy of scientific conviction in areas such as Llmsthere homomorphic cryptographythere decentralized scienceor Local-ear architectures. The fund was positioned very upstream on companies such as Zama (cryptography), Molecule (open science), or Deepset (Linguistic ia).
First investments in Fund II
Fund II’s strategy is oriented towards 25 to 30 participations with tickets between 750,000 and 1 million euros. Eight investments are already made, two of which have experienced revaluations in the following tour (Up-rounds). Among them:
- Bruin (Berlin)unified platform of Data Observability, Quality and Governance For modern data teams.
- Lodestar Space (London)designer of Orbital defense autonomous robotssupported by Uksa and ESA.
“Lunar understood our approach from the first day, without popularization. They were the first to support us technically, then to structure our product and scientific communication, ”testifies Neil BuchananCEO of Lodestar.
Rising competition in France
In France, several funds are positioned on close strategies. When,, PSL Deeptech Fund (Elaia), or Technofounders Share this approach based on technical analysis, with a strong anchoring in laboratories and scientific spin-offs. Lunar Ventures is nevertheless distinguished by a reasoned transatlantic openingalso targeting American startups outside Bay Areaoften sub-financed in the pre-seed phase.
Founded in 2017 in Berlin by Mick Halsband,, Dr Elad Verbin And Luis Shemtov,, Lunar Ventures is a venture capital fund specializing in pre-seeed deeptechwith positioning centered on the technical and scientific analysis of projects. The fund plans to invest in 25 to 30 startupswith tickets 750,000 to 1 million eurosin Europe and 20 % in the United States (excluding Bay Area). Among notable investments are Zama,, Deepset,, Molecule. Lunar Ventures also announced the promotion of Morris Clay To the position of General Partner.
