U2V, short for University2Ventures, is a European deeptech venture capital firm focused on transforming university research into commercially viable companies. The firm was created to bridge the long-standing gap between academia and industry in Europe, backing scientific founders at the moment they step out of the lab and into company building. U2V positions itself as a platform investor dedicated to Europe’s technological sovereignty and industrial resilience.
U2V invests in deeptech university spin-offs across Europe, with a strong emphasis on AI and novel computing, industrial technologies, and cleantech.
The firm focuses on companies emerging directly from leading European research institutions, targeting technologies with the potential to become foundational industrial solutions rather than incremental software products.
U2V has completed a first close of its debut fund, U2V Fund I, targeting a total size of €60 million. The fund is backed by a mix of corporate, institutional, and private capital, with Jungheinrich participating as an anchor limited partner via Uplift Ventures, alongside family offices, serial entrepreneurs, and senior industry executives.
Fund I is designed to back up to 25 pre-seed and seed-stage deeptech startups across Europe. The fund’s mandate is highly structured around commercialisation, combining early capital with deep operational and go-to-market support.
U2V leverages proprietary access to top European technical universities and works closely with technology transfer offices and corporate innovation units to accelerate spin-out formation, secure pilot customers, and enable faster follow-on funding. The fund aims to systematically turn scientific breakthroughs into scalable industrial businesses.
Leadership
U2V was founded by Philipp Semmer, Michael Schmitt, and Johannes Triebs. The founding team combines scientific, technical, and commercial backgrounds and brings more than 30 years of combined venture experience. Prior to U2V, the partners were involved in funds such as Earlybird-X and Motu Ventures and have collectively backed over 50 startups and achieved more than 10 exits.
Investment Strategy
U2V follows a hands-on, platform-driven investment strategy. The firm engages with founders at pre-seed and seed, often before formal company formation. Beyond capital, U2V provides structured operational guidance, access to industrial partners, and defined go-to-market pathways. Its deep integration with universities and a network of more than 500 corporate partners allows portfolio companies to validate technology early through pilots and commercial partnerships.
Notable Investments
Across the founding team’s prior investing history, notable companies include:
Notable Exits
The U2V team has achieved more than 10 exits across previous funds, though no exits have yet been reported from U2V Fund I due to its recent launch.
Other
U2V is purpose-built for academic and technical teams transitioning into entrepreneurship. The firm is particularly well suited for PhDs, researchers, and spin-off teams that need early commercial structure, industry access, and patient capital to industrialize complex technologies.
U2V’s close ties to Europe’s leading technical universities and corporates can significantly shorten the path from research to revenue.
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