Showpad Founder's VC Firm Entourage Closes €100M Second Fund to Back European Deeptech
As artificial intelligence expands from software into the physical world, European early-stage venture firm Entourage has closed a €100 million second fund to back founders in robotics, physical AI, and deeptech.
As artificial intelligence shifts from generative software to physical applications, European early-stage capital is scaling up to meet the capital-intensive demands of deeptech founders. Entourage, the venture capital firm founded by former Showpad CEO Pieterjan Bouten, has closed its second fund at €100 million. The vehicle surpassed its initial €75 million target in just two weeks before being capped, drawing capital entirely from entrepreneurs, family offices, and private investors.
The new fund marks a strategic expansion from Entourage's initial focus on B2B SaaS. While the firm will continue to back enterprise software, Fund II will aggressively target robotics, physical AI, and deeptech startups across Europe. Entourage plans to write initial checks between €1 million and €5 million for approximately 25 pre-seed and seed-stage companies, reserving significant capital for follow-on rounds.
Unlike traditional venture firms that demand heavy governance, Entourage operates on a strict 'founder-first' philosophy, rarely taking board seats even when leading a round. This operator-led approach—combined with its venture-building arm, Entourage Studio—positions the firm as a compelling alternative to legacy European VCs. As the continent races to build sovereign capabilities in AI and deeptech, Entourage's rapid fundraise signals strong LP confidence in specialized, founder-friendly capital.
INTELLIGENCE BRIEF
WHY IT MATTERS
The rapid €100 million close highlights a growing appetite among European LPs for operator-led funds that understand the unique scaling challenges of physical AI and deeptech.
WHO IS INVOLVED
Pieterjan Bouten (Founder and General Partner, Entourage), Evert Beeckman (Partner), Maarten Mortier (Partner).
MARKET IMPACT
By explicitly targeting physical AI and robotics, Entourage is funneling crucial early-stage capital into hardware-heavy sectors that traditional software VCs often avoid.
This story was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by TurkSpark editors before publication. Facts, figures, and names may be inaccurate — verify important details independently.
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