Highland Europe has finalized a €1.1 billion fund dedicated to continuing support for European scale-ups.

      Highland Europe has successfully closed its sixth fund, totaling €1.1 billion, which will provide new capital to continue supporting European technology firms during their growth phases. The announcement regarding Fund VI was made on July 30, in conjunction with the elevation of two investors to partner status, following a year in which the firm claims to have returned over €1 billion to its investors.

      The timing reflects a positive momentum, marked by a record number of exits in 2026 that transform paper valuations into cash, enabling the firm to raise its next fund convincingly. The closure of €1.1 billion is a reward for a portfolio that has begun to deliver returns. A prominent exit was the sale of Nexthink, a Swiss software company, to Vista Equity Partners for around $3 billion, benefiting from Highland’s backing since its Series B funding a decade ago.

      Additionally, Highland highlights other significant transactions, including the sale of the nutrition brand Huel to Danone, the $7.5 billion merger of fitness companies EGYM and Playlist, and the Nasdaq listing of the Italian app developer Bending Spoons, which reached a market value of over $18 billion.

      The overarching theme is scale, which aligns with the firm's strategy. Highland does not pursue seed-stage investments; instead, it focuses on companies that have proven themselves and require capital for growth, an area where Europe has historically lagged behind the United States.

      Since 2012, Highland's track record has been impressive, raising €3.75 billion across six funds, supporting over 80 companies, and facilitating 30 exits—an impressive history that instills confidence in the pension funds and endowments that provide the capital.

      The current portfolio encompasses both consumer and enterprise sectors. Fund V includes smartphone maker Nothing, the credit intel company 9fin, the healthcare AI assistant Nabla, and n8n, an AI orchestration platform capitalizing on the automation trend.

      Recent investments indicate the firm's direction. Highland led a $70 million round for the legal-AI platform Wordsmith, a $50 million round for enterprise-AI company Unframe, and a $105 million round for Ecorobotix, which specializes in precision-agriculture robots.

      AI serves as the backdrop for all these activities. Highland partner Sam Brooks characterized Fund VI as emerging at “a uniquely transformational moment, as AI reshapes every industry,” reflecting a common narrative among investors about where much of the funding is directed.

      The announcement also included promotions from within the firm. Helena Richardson, who joined in 2016 and has invested in brands such as Ffern, ME+EM, Modulr, and Huel, as well as Jacob Bernstein, who joined in 2017 and focuses on enterprise investments like Unframe and Zero Networks, both became partners.

      Highland emphasized its organizational structure, with Brooks describing the firm, established in 2012, as “an enduring, equal partnership.” The promotions recognize those who have dedicated a decade to building the firm, highlighting continuity in an industry often characterized by turnover.

      The fundraising also reflects the broader market environment. European growth capital has been insufficient for founders, even though the continent has seen some of its largest funding rounds this year; thus, a €1.1 billion fund from a well-known firm represents a vote of confidence in Europe’s capability to nurture scalable companies.

      This positions Highland among the larger growth funds in Europe, alongside peers like Balderton and Creandum, which have similarly raised substantial funds, affirming the belief that Europe's top scale-ups no longer need to seek funding across the Atlantic.

      However, the challenge remains in deploying €1.1 billion into companies that can truly become category leaders, which is far more difficult than raising the capital, and the exits that will validate Fund VI may take years to materialize.

      For now, Highland possesses both the resources and the track record to continue its investments. With a team of 36 based in London and Geneva, the firm now has over a billion euros to invest in the next wave of European companies it believes have the potential to expand globally.