Robin Capital, a Germany-based Solo GP-led venture capital fund, has successfully hit its final close of €13 million for its 'Robin Fund One', with an additional €2 million growth-focused investment vehicle, bringing the total to €15 million. This is a notable achievement, especially considering the challenging fundraising environment in the European venture capital scene.

The fund, launched in 2023, is focused on investing in European B2B mid-market enterprise SaaS startups, particularly in the DACH region, at the Pre-Seed and Seed stages. Its portfolio already comprises 28 companies, with half of the fund deployed into startups such as Kombo Dev (Germany) and Phacet Labs (France). The fund's investment sectors include HR, AI, Fintech, Climate, DevOps, Robotics, and Industrial Tech.

Robin Capital was founded by Robin Haak, a former entrepreneur and co-founder of Jobspotting, which was acquired by SmartRecruiters Inc. in 2017. Haak's fund has a unique LP base of 70 individuals, including GPs from Private Equity and Venture Capital firms, as well as founders and operators. Notable venture partners include Renaud Visage, former CTO of Eventbrite and founder of Slate.VC, Jerome Ternynck, founder of SmartRecruiters and Rypples VC, and Lea Vajnorsky, co-founder of Wo\men Inc.

In an interview with TechCrunch, Haak shared his experience of raising the fund in a challenging environment, citing the macroeconomic conditions as the toughest in venture history. However, he believes that having a wide network of professionals as LPs has been a significant advantage, providing an "amazing value-add community."

Robin Capital is part of the growing trend of Solo GP-led VC funds in Europe, which have been gaining traction in recent years. These funds, often led by experienced entrepreneurs or fund partners, offer a unique value proposition by providing faster decision-making and access to their network, expertise, and audience. Hypernova, a $25 million fund of funds, has also been soft-launched in 2022 to invest in Solo GPs in Europe.

TechCrunch has identified 28 'Solo' GP VCs launched in Europe over the last couple of years, including 14Peaks Capital, 20VC, Air Street Capital, and others. While some of these funds, like 20VC and Unruly Capital, have grown to bring in additional partners and are slowly exiting the 'Solo' phase, the trend is expected to continue shaping the European venture capital landscape.

The success of Robin Capital's fundraise is a testament to the growing demand for Solo GP-led VC funds in Europe, which are increasingly seen as an attractive option for startups seeking investment and guidance. As the European venture capital scene continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Solo GP-led funds like Robin Capital contribute to the growth and development of the region's startup ecosystem.