Scaleup programmes
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Accel [Annual Review 2020]
Finance and Risk Capital
Impact for scaleups
30
Companies backed
49%
Follow-on investments
10%
Investments outside of London
18
Growth-stage investments
Key sectors
Accel is an early and growth-stage VC firm which invests in technology companies in the US, Europe and India. In 2020 it celebrated 20 years of its presence in Europe.
In May 2019, it announced its sixth $575m European early stage fund specifically focused on Series A and B investments in the UK, Europe and Israel. Companies in which this fund has invested include London-based scaleups Humio, Privitar, Moshi and Monzo. A notable investment has been in the online events provider Hopin, which has already received two investments in 2020 from Accel.
One of the firm’s principal categories for investment in Europe is the Software as a Service (SaaS) sector. The firm has increased its investments in European cloud technology companies five-fold in the past five years.
From January 2013 to June 2020, the fund has participated in 59 fundraisings including 29 follow-on investments. The majority of the 30 investments made by Accel since the start of 2013, have been to London-based companies with three outside London.
With offices in San Francisco, London and India, the firm uses its network to enable portfolio companies to hire senior leaders, expand into new markets, and provide introductions to new customers. Accel runs events for its portfolio to encourage the sharing of best practice. Its global SaaStock event was held remotely this year.
