Forty.5 Ventures debuts with $30M fund for Southeastern European startups
What's the deal? Forty.5 VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has launched with a $30 million first fund to back pre-seed and seed-stage startups across Southeastern Europe, with selective bets in the US and Asia Pacific. Based in Los Angeles, Belgrade, and Singapore, the firm was founded in 2020 and operates as both a venture studio and a VC firm.
How does it work? Fund I will write initial cheques of $200,000 to $1 million across vertical AI, fintech, cybersecurity, gaming, sports, media, entertainment, and creator-economy infrastructure. The firm will lead or co-lead rounds and back founders through product development, hiring, and future fundraising.
Who's backing it? The fund draws on family offices, angel investors, entrepreneurs, and operators across Europe, the US, and Asia Pacific.
"A first fund is bought with belief, not track record," said Zoran Vasiljev, founding partner. "That trust is the whole foundation of this firm, and we intend to return it many times over."
What's the endgame? Forty.5 Ventures splits into two arms: F5V Build works with founders at the idea stage, offering select teams up to $1 million in product, infrastructure, and service credits; F5V CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → invests at pre-seed and seed. Its portfolio includes qooobDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an AI-native growth studio; OTLRSDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a payments and AI platform; GetStuffDoneDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an AI operating system for small and medium enterprises; and sports startups Sportfolio GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Arena+Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's next? The firm plans a second fund focused on follow-on and Series A investments, extending its reach into later rounds.
The signal: A dedicated $30 million vehicle for Southeastern Europe signals rising investor appetite for a region still light on early-stage capital, with the studio model offering founders hands-on support well before their first raise.
Read more: vestbee.com
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