Daphni closes €260m deep tech fund as partners debate defence investments
28 jan. 2026
20:45
Paris-based VC Daphni says long-term value will increasingly come from science, not software, as it looks to back deep tech spinouts across Europe – including potentially dabbling in defence.
The firm is set to hold an internal meeting next week where the team will debate how far into defence investing it is willing to tread.
“There are a lot of differing views on the topic within the team,” Pierre-Eric Leibovici, co-founder and managing partner, tells Impact Loop.
The firm is set to hold an internal meeting next week where the team will debate how far into defence investing it is willing to tread.
“There are a lot of differing views on the topic within the team,” Pierre-Eric Leibovici, co-founder and managing partner, tells Impact Loop.
Paris-based venture capital firm Daphni has closed its Blue fund at €260m, which it plans to channel into startups emerging from Europe’s labs.
Pierre-Eric Leibovici, co-founder and managing partner, said the firm wanted to leverage Europe’s strengths in science and research to create companies with strong, defensible IP.