Impact investors launch Europe’s only ‘culture-first’ VC fund – and they're hiring
9 jan. 2026
13:29
Venture capital has long poured into fintech, climate tech, and AI. Culture, by contrast, has mostly been left to grants, philanthropy, and public funding. A new European fund wants to change that.
Amsterdam’s DOEN Foundation, through its venture arm, Doen Ventures, has partnered with two social impact organisations from Italy, Opes-Lcef and Moleskine Foundation, to launch what’s billed as Europe’s first culture-focused impact fund.
The fund, which will invest from seed to Series A, will be based in Milan, Italy. Its focus will be on backing “cultural and creative entrepreneurs” who can prove these sectors have growth potential, according to Doen Ventures’ principal Merijn ten Thije.