Celebrity Money Is Flowing Into European Startups — Here's Where It's Going

Jan de Vries · 2026-10-09

Celebrity investment in startups isn't exactly breaking news. Athletes, actors, and musicians have been writing checks for years. But something's shifted lately. The kinds of companies pulling in famous backers are changing — and the numbers are getting serious. Forget the old playbook of endorsement deals and brand partnerships. Today's celebrity investors are putting real capital into artificial intelligence, digital healthcare, clean energy, and biotech. Some go direct. Others work through venture firms or their own investment vehicles. Either way, they bring more than money — they bring visibility, connections, and a certain strategic swagger. So let's dig into some of the most notable celebrity-backed startup deals across Europe. The figures below come from publicly reported investment amounts and funding rounds. Where individual contributions are known, we've flagged them. ### Kylian Mbappé and Alan (France): $108 million funding round French football superstar Kylian Mbappé — World Cup winner, Real Madrid forward — became an investor and ambassador for Paris-based health-tech company Alan in March 2026 through his investment vehicle, Coalition Capital. Founded in 2016, Alan offers digital health insurance and healthcare services. Earlier that month, the company secured a $108 million funding round, pushing its valuation to roughly $5.4 billion. Then in June 2026, it raised another $519 million. Mbappé's individual investment wasn't disclosed, but he's working with Alan on preventive healthcare, mental health, nutrition, and physical activity initiatives. ### Leonardo DiCaprio and SolarMente (Spain): $54 million financing agreement American actor and environmental advocate Leonardo DiCaprio — you know him from Titanic, Inception, The Revenant — invested in Barcelona-based ClimateTech startup SolarMente back in 2024. SolarMente helped households access solar energy through a subscription model that cut down the need for big upfront installation costs. Unfortunately, the company went bankrupt in April 2026. That's a tough break for both the founders and DiCaprio's investment. But Leo hasn't slowed down. Just this week, he put an undisclosed amount into Stockholm-based Energy-as-a-Service company Elvy. ### Emma Watson and FabricNano (United Kingdom): $11.3 million Series A British actress and activist Emma Watson — Hermione Granger to an entire generation — joined investors in London-based BioTech startup FabricNano in 2021. Founded in 2018, FabricNano develops cell-free biomanufacturing technology. The goal? Make industrial production more efficient and reduce dependence on fossil fuel-derived materials. Its tech uses immobilised enzymes to support the production of chemicals and other materials. ### Pau Gasol and Luzia (Spain): $10.3 million funding round Spanish basketball legend Pau Gasol — two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers — backed Madrid-based AI startup Luzia through his investment vehicle, Gasol16 Ventures. Luzia builds a generative AI assistant that works through messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. No separate app download required. Pretty slick. ### Elton John and Audoo (United Kingdom): $5.1 million funding round British singer-songwriter Sir Elton John — five decades of hits including Rocket Man and Your Song — became an investor in London-based music tech startup Audoo in 2023. Founded in 2018, Audoo develops audio recognition technology that identifies music played in public places — shops, restaurants, gyms. The aim? Give music rights organisations more accurate data so artists get paid fairly. ### What This Means for the Startup Scene These deals aren't just vanity projects. When someone like Mbappé or DiCaprio backs a company, it signals something. It says the business has passed a certain sniff test. And that can open doors — to other investors, to media coverage, to talent. But it's not all sunshine. SolarMente's bankruptcy shows that even celebrity backing can't save a company with a flawed model. The startup world is brutal, and fame doesn't change that. Still, the trend is clear. Celebrities are getting more sophisticated about where they put their money. They're not just chasing the hottest app or the flashiest pitch deck. They're looking at AI, healthcare, climate, biotech — sectors that could reshape entire industries. And Europe is becoming a magnet for that capital. From Paris to Barcelona to Stockholm, founders are building things that attract both venture dollars and star power. That's a combination worth watching. > "The smartest celebrities aren't just lending their name. They're lending their network, their judgment, and their long-term thinking." So keep an eye on this space. The next big celebrity-backed deal might just be the one that changes everything.