Monte Carlo Capital's $15M Fund II: A Bold Bet on DeepTech

Jan de Vries · 2026-10-09

Monte Carlo Capital (MCC) just made a move that's turning heads in European venture. The Monaco-based firm announced a $15 million first close of its Fund II, with a target of $30 million. That's a serious step up from Fund I, which closed at over $12 million in 2025. But here's what's really interesting: most of Fund I's limited partners came back for round two. And MCC has already put that fresh capital to work in five companies. That kind of quick deployment tells you they're not sitting on their hands. ### Why This Matters for DeepTech and AI MCC isn't your typical venture fund. They invest at Seed stage in DeepTech and tech-enabled innovators. Think AI, SpaceTech, enterprise software—the stuff that's hard to build and even harder to scale. Ian Sosso, the founder and Managing Partner, put it simply: "We only invest where we see a credible path to a multi-billion-dollar outcome." That's not just talk. Their portfolio includes StarCloud, the fastest YC company ever to hit unicorn status (now valued at $2.3 billion), and Scout AI, which reportedly raised the largest DefenceTech Series A in US history at $400 million. ### The Bigger Picture: Europe's VC Momentum MCC's announcement comes amid a wave of European venture activity. Just look at what's happened recently: - Munich's Vanagon Ventures raised $22 million for pre-Seed DeepTech and AI startups. - London's Project Ventures launched a $6.3 million vehicle for university-linked ventures. - Ruya Ventures closed a $47 million DeepTech fund. - Paris-based 360 Capital secured $93 million for its Poli360 2 fund. - Berlin's Merantix Capital raised $113 million for AI. - London's Transition Ventures hit $140 million for Fund II. - French VC Elaia closed a $147 million DeepTech Seed fund. Add it all up, and you're looking at roughly $570 million in disclosed fund capital—$585 million when you include MCC's first close. That's not pocket change. ### What Sets MCC Apart? Founded in 2009 by Ian Sosso, MCC combines a lean fund with co-investment SPVs. Before launching the fund, Sosso built a reputation as an angel investor, leading over 50 syndicates and acting as lead investor up to Series B. He's also a board member of the European Business Angels Network (EBAN), which named him Best European Early-Stage Investor in 2019. Their approach? Get onto outstanding cap tables early, invest alongside the world's leading VCs, and keep backing the best companies as they scale. It's a strategy that's clearly working. ### The Takeaway If you're watching European DeepTech, MCC is a name to remember. They're not just writing checks—they're building a portfolio of companies with real potential to dominate their categories. And with Fund II now active, expect to see more big bets from this Monaco-based firm. The post Monte Carlo Capital raises €13 million for Fund II to invest in early-stage DeepTech, AI and SpaceTech appeared first on EU-Startups.