In 2024, AI companies represented around 20% of all VC funding in Europe, representing around $8 billion in funding for AI startups last year. 70% of the raised capital was contributed to seed to Series B rounds.
The data has been reported by French AI Report, created by Galion.exe, Revaia, and Chausson Partners, which shares knowledge on the current trends in the tech ecosystem. AIN shares the key takeaways from the study.
Main trends AI startups follow in Europe
The UK is leading the group of most active AI startup hubs in the region, followed by France and Germany, with the Nordics punching above its demographic weight.
Screenshot from French AI Report.
-
In Europe, the median investment size for AI deals is 1.5 to 4 times larger than that of traditional software deals.
-
US investors still play a pivotal role, contributing 50% of Series D+ and 20% of early-stage investments in European AI.
-
However, corporate investors are also stepping in, representing 16% of VC funding in European AI startups at Series B and beyond.
-
A large chunk of the AI industry is focused on productivity gains for office workers.
-
AI infrastructure was the most heavily funded category in 2024, driven by a standout deal: Mistral AI’s $640 million Series B round.
-
AI is also actively being used to build the next-generation of climate startups.In addition to agritech, carbon and energy management — two topics that are related — seem to be a big focus.
Screenshot from French AI Report.
8 biggest challenges AI startups now face in Europe
French AI leaders also outlined 8 main challenges they are facing, spanning from technical to business topics:
-
Open vs. Closed Systems: Balancing intellectual property control with open source innovation requires strong governance to maintain competitiveness.
-
Access to Data & Use of Synthetic Data: Synthetic data is essential for overcoming data scarcity, preserving privacy, and enabling robust model development.
-
Agentic A: Reliable autonomous AI demands well-engineered pipelines and evaluation frameworks to ensure multimodal performance.
-
Access to Compute: Cost-efficient APIs and fine-tuning open-source models help democratize AI while managing infrastructure constraints.
-
Go-to-Market Strategies: Differentiation hinges on early adopters, unique value propositions, and iterative use-case refinement.
-
Talent War: Bridging AI talent gaps demands stronger academic-industry ties and flexible research roles to boost mobility.
-
Evaluation & Governance: Trustworthy AI depends on rigorous, evolving benchmarks that address safety, privacy, and transparency.
-
Sustainability & Energy: AI’s growing energy demands require efficiency innovations and grid investments for sustainable scaling.
