Unconventional Ventures is a Copenhagen-based impact venture firm founded by Thea Messel and Nora Bavey, built to challenge structural bias in venture capital and demonstrate the economic value of backing underrepresented founders. The firm backs pre-seed and seed stage companies founded by women, people with immigrant backgrounds, and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs across the Nordics and Europe. All-women founding teams have historically received 1–2% of VC funding; founders of color less than 0.5%, Unconventional Ventures was built to redirect capital toward this structurally underserved pool.
Unconventional Ventures invests in pre-seed and seed stage European tech startups across climate and environment, health and femtech, education, and financial inclusion, with AI and deep tech treated as enabling layers rather than focal points.
The firm targets companies with scalable technology addressing environmental or social impact, founded by women, immigrant-background founders, or LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs in the Nordics and broader Europe.
Unconventional Ventures Fund II reached a second close in April 2026, following a first close of $56M (€50M) in November 2025, against a target of $90M (€80M).
LPs include the European Investment Fund, Danish sovereign fund EIFO, Nordea-fonden, Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker, TryghedsGruppen, Investinor, Wire Group, Merete Lundbye Møller, and several family offices.
Leadership
Thea Messel is Co-Founder and General Partner, Copenhagen Business School graduate and the founding architect of the firm's thesis and investment model.
Nora Bavey is Co-Founder and General Partner, leading investment activity and external communications.
Alexis Horowitz-Burdick is General Partner, formerly Managing Director at LEGO Ventures, joining to strengthen the firm's pan-European presence.
Investment Strategy
Unconventional Ventures invests at pre-seed and seed stage with initial checks targeting early ownership in companies before their categories become consensus.
The firm's sourcing strategy is rooted in communities structurally overlooked by mainstream VC, backing founders who face both capital access gaps and network gaps, and views AI and deep tech as tools that amplify impact rather than as investment categories in themselves.
Notable Investments
Thea Messel — Co-Founder & General Partner
thea@unconventional.vc
Nora Bavey — Co-Founder & General Partner
nora@unconventional.vc
Alexis Horowitz-Burdick — General Partner
lex@unconventional.vc
Denmark
