Rick Hao leaves Speedinvest, closes $50M solo fund for European deep tech

What's the deal? Rick HaoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has closed Ruya VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an oversubscribed $50 million debut fund to back deep tech startups from day zero.

The London-based firm is a solo general partner venture, run entirely by Hao, who left European seed investor Speedinvest to launch it.

Ruya plans to build a portfolio of around 20 startups worldwide, often writing the first institutional cheque before a company formally exists.

Its targets: artificial intelligence, batteries, robotics, semiconductors, materials science, and next-generation computing.

Why now? Europe's deep tech scene is heating up, with founders increasingly tackling hard science problems that need patient, hands-on capital.

Hao is betting that being the earliest backer — before ideas become companies — gives him first pick of the continent's most ambitious technical founders.

What could go wrong? Backing startups before they exist is high-risk; many will fail, and deep tech often takes years to reach commercial success.

As a solo GP, Hao carries the full weight of sourcing, picking, and supporting 20 companies alone.

The signal: Ruya reflects two trends reshaping venture — the rise of solo GPs and growing appetite for European deep tech.

Hao's edge is his Asian network, which he says can hand portfolio companies manufacturing muscle, supply chains, and commercial partnerships as they scale.

His first bets are already placed, including WLF EnergyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an energy infrastructure startup.

Read more: Ruya Ventures, Tech Funding News, AltAssets