Montis VC Secures €50M to Fuel Europe’s Energy and AI Startups

Warsaw-based Montis VC just closed €50 million for a brand new fund targeting the future of European energy, industrial tech and artificial intelligence. Backed by some of the continent’s most powerful institutional investors, this move signals a growing appetite for hard-tech innovation across Central and Eastern Europe.

What the New Montis VC Fund Looks Like

Montis VC has raised €50 million at first close for a new fund targeting European startups at the intersection of energy transition, industrial technology and artificial intelligence.1

The fund is backed by the European Investment Fund through the REPowerEU programme, the EU initiative designed to accelerate energy security and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, as well as the Polish Development Fund (PFR), which contributed €10 million, alongside family offices and private investors from across Central and Eastern Europe.1

Here is a quick look at the fund’s key details:

• Fund Size at First Close: €50 million
• Target Investments: 20 to 25 startups
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed and seed
• Ticket Size: €0.5 million to €2 million
• Follow-on Reserve: 50% of total investment budget
• Focus Areas: Energy transition, industrial tech, AI

The €50 million first close is described by the team as a starting point rather than a final figure.1 Montis VC says it is already in advanced discussions with additional investors and plans to increase the fund’s total size in the coming months.2

Montis VC €50 million fund European energy industrial AI startups

Why Europe Needs This Fund Right Now

The timing could not be more fitting.

With the REPowerEU plan, the EU wants to end its dependence on Russian fossil fuels by saving energy, diversifying supplies and accelerating the clean energy transition.3 The Commission has mobilised close to €300 billion to fund the REPowerEU Plan.4

That is the macro picture. On the ground, European startups building real solutions for the energy and industrial sectors need early capital to survive and scale. Montis VC is stepping into that gap at exactly the right moment.

The timing of the launch reflects a wider shift in the European market. As AI, industrial automation and new mobility models become more widespread, demand is rising for technologies that can support cleaner, more efficient and more flexible infrastructure.5

The framing reflects a growing pattern among Central and Eastern European venture funds, which have increasingly positioned themselves as specialists in hard-tech and deep-tech verticals as Western European capital has concentrated in software and consumer platforms.1

This is not another fund chasing software hype. Montis VC is looking at the systems that power the real economy, from how energy is managed to how factories run smarter.

The Team and Track Record Behind Montis VC

Every strong fund starts with a strong team. Montis VC has that.

The fund is led by Managing Partners Łukasz Dziekoski, Wojciech Szwankowski and Michał Gawęda, all of whom ran the predecessor Montis Capital fund.1 The investment team was recently joined by Michał Baś, who was previously associated with the pan-European venture capital fund Venture Friends.6

Their backgrounds tell the story. Szwankowski moved to London to work for leading investment banks, first JP Morgan and then Goldman Sachs, where he reached a position of Executive Director responsible for CEE region.7 Dziekoński is the founding partner and CEO of Montis Capital, and previously served as the head of the management board of the Marguerite Fund, focused on equity investments in infrastructure, energy and the transport sector.7

The team has been running Montis Capital since around 2018 out of Warsaw, deploying roughly €30 million into nine companies across industry, technology and climate sectors.1

Their portfolio already proves the thesis works. Its portfolio includes Micromobility Port, Fresh Inset and Autofixer, with the latter reaching over €30 million in annual revenue within three years and expanding across multiple European markets.2

“We invest in founders who want to build the future of the European economy through technology and energy efficiency,” said Michał Gawęda, Partner at Montis VC.

High-Profile Venture Partners Join the Mission

Montis VC is not going it alone. The fund has assembled a powerful network of venture partners to support portfolio companies on the global stage.

The fund has assembled a network of venture partners that includes Taavi Rõivas, the former Prime Minister of Estonia who served in that role from 2014 to 2016 and was among the architects of the country’s early digital governance infrastructure; Tomasz Misiak, described as an entrepreneur and Harvard Business School graduate; and Bart Dujczynski, described as a renewable energy specialist with experience in Western European markets.1

The group will help portfolio companies expand internationally and build connections across global tech ecosystems.2

Having an ex-Prime Minister from one of Europe’s most digitally advanced nations on your advisory bench is not a small thing. Estonia is widely recognized as a global leader in digital government, and Rõivas played a key role in shaping that reputation. His involvement gives Montis VC a direct bridge to policymakers and tech leaders across the Nordics and beyond.

“Europe has exceptional technological potential and a deep pool of talent. At Montis VC, we want to help startups unlock that potential globally,” said Wojciech Szwankowski, Partner at Montis VC.

What Founders Can Expect from Montis VC

For early-stage founders building in energy, industrial tech or AI, Montis VC is positioning itself as more than just a cheque writer.

According to the firm, the main aspects of the fund’s strategy include rapid execution and a strong founder-first approach. The fund aims to serve as an active partner for founders, helping them shape their strategy, expand internationally and prepare for future funding rounds.6

Michał Baś, Principal at Montis VC, put it clearly: “We are building Montis VC as a new-generation fund that is fast, flexible and works closely with founders. There is still a shortage of investors who actively help startups scale faster and prepare for the next stages of growth. That is the gap we want to fill.”2

What founders get from Montis VC:

• Initial cheques between €0.5 million and €2 million
• Follow-on capital reserved for top performers
• Hands-on support for strategy and international expansion
• Access to venture partners across Western Europe, Nordics and beyond
• Help preparing for Series A and later rounds

Bartłomiej Samsonowicz, Investment Director at PFR Ventures, noted the broader significance of the fund’s launch: “Montis VC is another team from Poland that first built its track record using capital backed by European Union funds and is now successfully attracting private and institutional investors for its next fund.”1

That quote matters. It shows that Poland’s venture ecosystem is maturing rapidly. Funds that started small with EU backing are now pulling in serious private capital, and Montis VC is a clear example.

At a time when Europe is racing to secure energy independence, reduce carbon emissions and compete with the United States and China in AI, funds like Montis VC carry weight far beyond their ticket size. They are placing bets on the builders, the founders who wake up every morning trying to solve problems that matter for millions of people. Whether it is a smarter grid, a cleaner factory or an AI tool that makes industrial supply chains faster, this is where Europe’s next chapter is being written. If this story sparked something in you, drop your thoughts in the comments below and tell us which European energy or industrial tech startup you are watching most closely right now.