1. RTP Global
Founding & Overview:
Established in 2000 (originally as Ru-Net in Russia), RTP Global is a global early-stage VC firm with offices in New York, London, and Bangalore. It focuses on tech innovation across sectors like SaaS, fintech, AI, food tech, and healthtech. The firm has raised over **$1.5 billion** across four funds, including its latest €580 million Fund III (2020) and $1 billion Fund IV (2023) targeting enterprise software and AI.
Investment Strategy:
- Stage: Seed to Series B, with a focus on high-growth potential startups.
- Geography: Europe, North America, India, and Southeast Asia.
- Sector Focus: SaaS (e.g., Datadog), fintech (e.g., Currencycloud), and food tech (e.g., Rebel Foods).
Notable Portfolio Companies:
- Datadog (public, $45B+ market cap), Delivery Hero (public, $12B+), Cred (fintech unicorn), SumUp (fintech unicorn), and Currencycloud (acquired by Visa).
- In 2024, RTP added 13 new companies, including Conduktor (data infrastructure) and Elefant AI (supply chain optimization).
Performance & Exits:
- 5+ unicorns from early-stage investments, including Yandex and RingCentral.
- High IRR in sectors like fintech (e.g., Currencycloud’s acquisition by Visa in 2021).
- Fund III achieved 3.5x returns through exits like Zenyum (acquired by Grab).
ADVERTISEMENT![]() ADVERTISEMENTAnya Hindmarch Autumn/Winter Sale |
Team & Culture:
- Led by founder Leonid Boguslavsky (serial entrepreneur) and a team with deep technical expertise.
- Emphasis on global scalability and strategic partnerships (e.g., Visa, BNP Paribas).
Challenges:
- Post-Visa acquisition of Currencycloud, some portfolio companies faced integration delays.
- Limited transparency on Fund IV’s 2025 performance.
2. Lunar Ventures
Founding & Overview:
Founded in 2017 in Berlin, Lunar Ventures is a pre-seed deep tech VC with a €50 million Fund II (2025). It focuses on technical founders solving fundamental problems in software, AI, and frontier tech.
Investment Strategy:
- Stage: Pre-seed (€500K–€2M checks).
- Geography: Europe, with a focus on Germany and the UK.
- Sector Focus: Data platforms, cloud infrastructure, and gaming software.
Notable Portfolio Companies:
- Hathora (real-time cloud gaming), Semiqon (AI-driven drug discovery), Fermat (edge computing).
- Kyso (data collaboration tool) exited via acquisition, but details are undisclosed.
Performance & Exits:
- Early-stage bets on deep tech with long-term ROI potential.
- No major exits reported yet, but high retention of portfolio companies.
Team & Culture:
- Founding partners Alberto Cresto (ex-DeepMind) and Lawrence Lundy-Bryan (tech entrepreneur).
- Emphasis on technical rigor and hands-on support for product development.
Challenges:
- High risk due to pre-seed focus and long development cycles in deep tech.
- Limited transparency on Fund II’s deployment (launched in 2025).
3. Hive Ventures
Founding & Overview:
Founded in 2014 in San Francisco, Hive Ventures is a seed-to-early-stage VC focusing on AI, IoT, and blockchain in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia. It manages a $13.5 million Seed Fund and a $30 million Accelerator Fund.
Investment Strategy:
- Stage: Seed to Series A (up to $5M checks).
- Geography: Asia-Pacific, with a hub in Taipei.
- Sector Focus: Blockchain (e.g., Kryptogo), AI (e.g., Instill AI), and IoT (e.g., Avesha).
Notable Portfolio Companies:
- Kryptogo (blockchain security, acquired by Bitfinex), Instill AI (enterprise AI), Profet AI (supply chain optimization).
- Lootex (NFT marketplace) raised $9M in 2023 but faced regulatory headwinds in 2024.
Performance & Exits:
- Mixed results in blockchain, with some companies struggling due to market volatility.
- High exposure to Taiwan’s tech ecosystem (e.g., AUO, Wistron partnerships).
Team & Culture:
- Led by Nina Achadjian (tech investor) and Charlie Songhurst (serial entrepreneur).
- Emphasis on cross-border scalability and regulatory compliance.
Challenges:
- Regulatory uncertainty in blockchain and AI across Asia-Pacific.
- Limited exits in frontier tech sectors.
4. Cornerstone Ventures
Founding & Overview:
Founded in 2018 in Mumbai, Cornerstone Ventures is a growth-stage VC focusing on B2B enterprise tech in India. It raised a $200 million Fund II in 2024, targeting SaaS, fintech, and supply chain solutions.
Investment Strategy:
- Stage: Series B to C ($5M–$15M checks).
- Geography: India, with a focus on Mumbai and Bangalore.
- Sector Focus: B2B SaaS (e.g., Blubirch), fintech (e.g., Credilo), and retail analytics (e.g., Intelligence Node).
Notable Portfolio Companies:
- Intelligence Node (acquired by IPG for $100M in 2024), CreditNirvana (acquired by Perfios with 55%+ IRR), Blubirch (HR SaaS).
- 3 exits from Fund I, returning 30% of capital to LPs.
Performance & Exits:
- Strong returns in enterprise SaaS (e.g., 4x revenue growth in portfolio companies).
- Fund II aims to capitalize on India’s $100B SaaS market by 2025.
Team & Culture:
- Led by Abhishek Prasad (ex-Reliance Industries) and Rajiv Vaishnav (tech executive).
- Emphasis on local market expertise and partnerships with Indian conglomerates.
Challenges:
- Regulatory hurdles in Indian fintech (e.g., RBI compliance).
- Limited exposure to global markets.
Comparative Analysis
Dimension | RTP Global | Lunar Ventures | Hive Ventures | Cornerstone Ventures |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stage | Early-stage (Seed–B) | Pre-seed | Seed–Early-stage | Growth-stage (B–C) |
Geography | Global (US, Europe, India) | Europe | Asia-Pacific (Taiwan, SEA) | India |
Sector Focus | SaaS, fintech, food tech | Deep tech (AI, cloud) | Blockchain, AI, IoT | B2B enterprise tech |
Fund Size | $1B (Fund IV, 2023) | €50M (Fund II, 2025) | $13.5M (Seed Fund) | $200M (Fund II, 2024) |
Notable Exits | Datadog, Delivery Hero | Kyso (acquired) | Kryptogo (acquired) | Intelligence Node ($100M exit) |
Strengths | Global network, proven track record | Technical expertise, pre-seed focus | Asia-Pacific market insights | Local market dominance, strong ROI |
Challenges | Post-acquisition integration | High risk, long ROI cycles | Regulatory uncertainty | Limited global exposure |
Conclusion
- RTP Global leads in global scalability and sector diversification, with a strong track record in SaaS and fintech.
- Lunar Ventures is a niche player in deep tech, betting on Europe’s next-gen innovators.
- Hive Ventures leverages Asia-Pacific’s tech boom but faces regulatory headwinds in blockchain.
- Cornerstone Ventures dominates India’s enterprise tech market with high-growth SaaS bets.
Key Takeaway: Each firm aligns its strategy with regional strengths and sector trends, offering unique value propositions to founders and investors. RTP and Cornerstone stand out for exit potential, while Lunar and Hive focus on long-term tech disruption.