"European Tech Giants: Founders Raise Over $400M for Startup Fund"

The founders of Wise, Skype, and Songkick have raised 400 million euros for Plural Fund II, a new fund to back technology startups in Europe, aiming to compete with established funds like Atomico and Balderton Capital. Plural, led by former entrepreneurs, plans to invest in deep tech and clean tech startups, with a focus on solving fundamental scientific problems around energy, AI, and healthcare. The firm has already made 27 investments, and its partners, dubbed the "unemployables," are active angel investors. The fund's launch adds to the wave of startup activity in Europe, with a growing ecosystem and increasing ease of starting a company.