Polish VC firm Movens Capital launches €60 million fund to back CEE tech Founders from pre-Seed to Series A

Warsaw-based Movens Capital has launched its €60 million multi-stage Fund 2, aimed at investing in founders from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). This new fund will provide initial investments ranging from €250k to €3 million for startups at the pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, and Series A+ stages.

Fund 2 is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), PFR Ventures, and over 80 startup founders, tech operators, and experienced entrepreneurs. This follows the success of their first fund, which helped secure over €110 million in follow-on funding for its portfolio companies.

Artur Banach, Managing Partner at Movens Capital, emphasized the region's strong talent base, stating, "What's missing is the capital and operational support needed to turn early traction into global growth. Movens Capital is the launch pad for ambitious CEE Founders aiming for global leadership." He highlighted their hands-on approach, leveraging their background as tech entrepreneurs and a network of top-tier tech executives to help founders scale rapidly and achieve global success.

Movens Capital's Track Record and Vision

Founded in 2018, Movens Capital is a multi-stage venture capital firm that supports tech companies from Central and Eastern Europe with global ambitions. The team brings over two decades of experience as tech founders and machine learning experts, offering practical support in areas like hiring, product development, and investor readiness.Their portfolio includes successful companies like Alokai (formerly Vue Storefront), Packhelp (exited), SKY ENGINE AI, Talkie.ai, Certifier, Trasti, Doctor.one, and Fenige (exited). Movens-backed companies have gone on to raise capital from leading global VCs, complete M&A deals, and expand internationally.

Anne Fossemalle, Director, Equity Funds at the EBRD, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "We are delighted to back Movens' new fund and help empower the next generation of tech founders in Central and Eastern Europe. Supporting the growth of the venture capital and private equity ecosystem is a key priority for the Bank in the region."

Addressing the Funding Gap in CEE

Despite consistent growth in startup formation and ecosystem value, Movens identifies a significant venture funding shortfall in Central and Eastern Europe. VC investment in the region dropped by 23% in 2024, with the number of transactions falling by over 70% since 2022, even as the number of startups and overall ecosystem value continued to rise (Dealroom, 2025).Movens' data reveals a stark disparity in per capita VC investment levels: €85 in Western Europe versus just €13 in CEE. Of the over 26,000 CEE-based startups, less than 10% raise a VC round annually. Funding for Series A and growth-stage companies remains particularly scarce, often forcing founders to either relocate or halt their progress.With Fund 2, Movens Capital aims to bridge this regional funding gap by backing promising young firms in sectors such as enterprise software, AI, ClimateTech, FinTech, healthcare, e-commerce infrastructure, and the future of work. The fund plans to make approximately 30 investments across Central and Eastern Europe, including supporting diaspora founders building global businesses.

Movens intends to lead the majority of these funding rounds, splitting investments between seed and Series A/growth stages. Fund 2's geographical scope includes Poland, the Balkans, the Baltic states, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania, and will also support founders from Ukraine and Moldova.Bartłomiej Samsonowicz, Investment Director at PFR Ventures, reiterated their support for Movens Fund 2, highlighting Movens' professionalism and their crucial role in addressing the financing gap for innovative startups across various stages.

Movens has already begun deploying capital from Fund 2, with the first deal announcements anticipated this summer. The firm will continue to invest in sectors where CEE founders are demonstrating forward-thinking and industry-leading work, including AI-native infrastructure, embedded financial services, and climate resilience technologies.