Connect Ventures Closes €16M Fund For Early Stage Investments

    A new European venture capital fund has opened up in London after raising €16 million for early-stage investments. Connect Ventures will focus on web and mobile sector investments, with a particular focus on web, digital media, e-commerce, entertainment and gaming sectors. Investments will run across €250 000 to €1.25 million across seed and Series A rounds.

    Behind the fund is Pietro Bezza and Bill Earner. Bezza is an entrepreneur and angel investor who founded and built up Neo Network, a market-leading digital content venture that he sold to the European media group De Agostini. His angel investments include Picklive, where he serves as board director, PlusPlugg and Dri Dri.

    Earner is a former investment manager at Amadeus Capital Partners and previously worked in a variety of operating roles at start-ups in the U.S. including engineering, product management and marketing.

    Bill Earner, founder and managing partner, added: “We’ve started Connect Ventures to help make that happen and we’re really looking forward to being a part of what is an exciting time for start-ups in Europe.”