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British Business Bank makes €65m commitment to Highland Europe’s €1bn+ Technology Growth Fund VI to support UK tech scaleups

Press release 30 July 2026

The British Business Bank has made a €65m commitment to Highland Europe’s Technology Growth Fund VI, a €1bn+ growth equity fund, to support high-potential, technology-enabled businesses across UK and Europe.

Founded in 2012, Highland Europe is a London‑based growth equity firm dedicated to enterprise technology companies. To date, it has raised €3.75bn across six funds, invested in more than 80 companies, and guided 30 exits. With a portfolio spanning 14 countries, the firm has a strong track record of scaling consumer and enterprise technology companies with notable successes including Featurespace, Hyperexponential and ME+EM.

The Bank has an existing relationship with Highland Europe, after co-investing together into AI-powered intelligence platform 9fin in the recent series C round, where it reached unicorn status. Highland Europe was an existing 9fin investor, having led the company's series B round in 2024.

Fund VI will continue Highland’s Europe’s focus on UK and European companies that demonstrate strong revenue growth and global ambition, typically from Series B to pre-IPO. The fund will focus on companies in innovative sectors including data, AI, software infrastructure, cybersecurity, fintech and consumer, and will have good alignment with the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, notably Digital & Technology and Financial Services.

Christine Hockley, Managing Director and Head of Commercial Equity Funds, British Business Bank said

The UK is home to a world-class technology sector, but entrepreneurs need specialist investors who understand the unique challenges of scaling a growth-stage company. Highland Europe brings deep expertise and a powerful network of founders, operators and early-stage investors across Europe’s technology ecosystems. By backing Fund VI, we’re ensuring more investment flows into the UK and that companies with global ambitions can grow, scale and succeed here at home.

Michael Laycock, Investment Director, British Business Bank said:

Our commitment marks a new relationship with one of Europe’s leading growth-stage investors. Highland Europe has a proven track record of backing innovators and helping them become global businesses. This investment will support the continued deployment of vital scaleup capital into ambitious UK technology companies.

Sam Brooks, Partner at Highland Europe said:

We are deeply grateful to our Limited Partners for their long-standing trust and commitment to Fund VI. Their support enables us to continue backing Europe’s most ambitious founders at a uniquely transformational moment, as AI reshapes every industry.

Further Information

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Notes to editors

About British Business Bank

The British Business Bank is the UK government’s economic development bank. Established in November 2014, its mission is to drive economic growth by helping smaller businesses get the finance they need to start, scale and stay in the UK. Its remit is to design, deliver and efficiently manage UK-wide smaller business access to finance programmes for the UK government.

In 2025/26 1 , the Bank supported UK smaller businesses to access £9.4bn of finance, made up of £1.3bn of public funding, £4.3bn of private capital crowded in by the Bank and £3.7bn of lending the Bank guaranteed. The funding benefited 38,000 UK businesses, including around 30,000 businesses the Bank had not previously helped to fund.

British Business Bank plc is a public limited company registered in England and Wales, registration number 08616013, registered office at Steel City House, West Street, Sheffield, S1 2GQ. It is a development bank wholly owned by HM Government. British Business Bank plc and its subsidiaries are not banking institutions and do not operate as such. With the exception of BBB Investment Services Limited they are not authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority or the Financial Conduct Authority. BBB Investment Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. A complete legal structure chart for the group can be found at british-business-bank.co.uk.

The Patient Capital Funds programme is operated by British Patient Capital Limited, a wholly owned commercial subsidiary of British Business Bank plc.

British Patient Capital Limited is registered in England and Wales with company number 11271076, and registered office at Steel City House, West Street, Sheffield, S1 2GQ. British Patient Capital makes commitments and invests on its own behalf and on behalf of third-party investors whose investments British Patient Capital manages.

The transaction described above does not constitute or imply any endorsement, warranty or recommendation by the UK government, the British Business Bank plc, its subsidiaries or any other party of Highland Europe or its products or services.

About Highland Europe

Highland is a growth-stage technology investment firm headquartered in London and Geneva. Since 2012, the firm has raised €3.75 billion across six funds and backed over 80 companies, including 9fin, AMCS, Bending Spoons, Camunda, EGYM, Featurespace, GetYourGuide, Huel, hyperexponential, ME+EM, Nexthink, n8n, Wolt and Zwift. Highland partners with founders building global category leaders.

For more information, visit highlandeurope.com.

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