Invest Europe is a trade association representing Europe's private equity, venture capital and infrastructure sectors, as well as their investors. Invest Europe provides research and data on private capital activity, engages with policymakers to strengthen Europe’s business and innovation ecosystem, and promotes long-term investment across Europe. It also publishes a Professional Standards Handbook, a comprehensive set of standards and guidelines for the private equity industry.
The association has more than 650 members, divided roughly equally among private equity firms, venture capital firms and limited partners, alongside around 110 associate members representing advisers and service providers. Its member base spans 57 countries, including 42 in Europe, and collectively manages around 60% of the European private equity and venture capital industry’s €1.247 trillion in assets under management.
History Invest Europe was founded in 1983 as the European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (EVCA). It rebranded as Invest Europe in 2015 to reflect the industry’s changes and its role in innovation, employment and the European economy.
In 2021, Invest Europe committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2030.
Key activities The association works across public affairs, research, communication. It publishes regular reports, statistical data and guidelines, and engages with EU-level regulatory processes and national governments. The association hosts annual industry events in Europe, including the Investors' Forum, the Venture Capital Forum and the CFO Forum.
Research Invest Europe's data is used by a number of institutions, including the European Investment Fund and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the European Commission. It also works with other organisations to produce reports, including the European Investment Fund, the EUIPO, Arthur D. Little, and Atomico.
Invest Europe data collection is supported by the European Data Cooperative (EDC), a joint initiative developed by Invest Europe and other national private capital associations to collect Europe-wide industry data on activity, economic impact and ESG. The EDC is jointly owned and operated by the private equity and venture capital associations of Europe and brings together data from 4,000 firms, 10,900 funds and 86,700 portfolio companies.
Leadership and governance Based in Brussels, Invest Europe's is led by chief executive officer Eric de Montgolfier. The organisation hold elections annually for the role of chair. In 2026, Sander Slootweg, managing partner and co-founder of Forbion, was named as chair of Invest Europe for the 2026–27 term, succeeding Elias Korosis, global investment partner at Federated Hermes Private Equity, who was chair for 2025–26. Previous chairs have included Klaus Hommels, a German venture capitalist based in Zürich, Switzerland and founder of venture capital firm Lakestar, and Johannes Huth of American global private equity and investment company KKR.
Chairs of Invest Europe Source:
1996-97: Raynier van Outryve d'Ydewalle – Drie Koningen RVO N.V. 1997-98: Falk Strascheg – EXTOREL GmbH 1998-99: Paul Waller – Hamilton Lane 1999-00: Emile van der Burg – Jemburg Management 2000-01: Ari Tolppanen – CapMan 2001-02: Edoardo Bugnone – Top Quartile Partners 2002-03: Max Burger-Calderon – Golien Ltd 2003-04: Jean-Bernard Schmidt – HarbourVest Partners 2004-05: Herman Daems – BNP Paribas Fortis 2005-06: David Cooksey – SVP Global 2006-07: Javier Loizaga Jiménez – N+1 Private Equity 2007-08: Helmut Schuehsler – TVM Capital Life Science 2008-09: Jonathan Russell – Spire Partners 2009-10: Richard Wilson – Apax Partners 2010-11: Uli Fricke – Triangle Venture Capital Group 2011-12: Karsten Langer – Riverside Europe Partners 2012-13: Vincenzo Morelli – TPG Inc. 2013-14: George Anson – HarbourVest Partners 2014-15: Stephen Welton – Business Growth Fund 2015-16: Jérôme Henrion – Gimv 2016-17: Jonathan Dean – AXA Investment Managers 2017-18: Nenad Marovac – DN Capital 2018-19: Michael Collins – Invest Europe 2019-20: Laurent Deville – LGT Capital Partners 2020-21: Frans Tieleman – CVC Capital Partners 2021-22: Anne Fossemalle – EBRD 2022-23: Max Römer – Quadriga Capital 2023-24: Klaus Hommels – Lakestar 2024-25: Johannes Huth – KKR 2025-26: Elias Korosis – Federated Hermes Private Equity
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