Brighteye Ventures has announced a $72 million first close for its third fund, bringing the firm's total assets under management to $245 million. The London-based venture capital firm backs early-stage European companies that are redefining the future of learning and work. The new fund marks a strategic expansion from traditional education technology toward a broader investment focus on human capability in the age of artificial intelligence.
Strategic Evolution Toward the HumanOS
Brighteye describes its broader investment focus as the "HumanOS," a category of technology that helps people learn, work, and adapt in an era of rapid technological change. The firm believes that as artificial intelligence makes intelligence abundant, human capability can become either a bottleneck or a powerful lever for economic value creation. Fund III will therefore support founders building tools that expand human potential rather than simply automating existing tasks or replacing people with machines across the economy.
Track Record and Investor Support
Brighteye has invested in more than 50 companies since its inception, and those portfolio companies have gone on to raise over $1 billion in aggregate capital. Several of these businesses now generate more than $100 million in annual revenue, demonstrating the commercial potential of European learning and work startups. New investors in Fund III include Lumina Foundation, Zanichelli Venture, and PI Impact, joining existing limited partners such as the European Investment Fund, Jacobs Foundation, and several European family offices.
Market Momentum in European Learning and Work
Brighteye's European Learning and Work Funding Report 2026 found that venture funding for European companies in the space more than doubled from $825 million in 2024 to $1.85 billion in 2025. That figure matches the highest annual total recorded since 2021 and signals renewed investor confidence in learning and work technology across Europe. First-half 2026 data shows $1.63 billion raised, putting the sector on pace to nearly double the previous year's total.
Backing AI in Learning and High-Stakes Productivity
Among Fund III's first investments is imagi, a solution that helps schools build artificial intelligence fluency and broaden expectations for what students can achieve. Brighteye is also funding AI-driven intelligence and productivity platforms in high-stakes environments such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and climate. One early investment, NEX Health Intelligence, provides augmented intelligence for infection-control teams in hospitals, illustrating the firm's interest in technology that supports mission-critical decisions.
Supporting Labour Platforms and Talent Software
The firm plans to invest in managed labour platforms and talent software that help organisations navigate increased labour volatility, adopt agentic workflows, and build the labour infrastructure of the AI age. Its existing portfolio already includes some of the most successful European labour marketplaces, including Zen Educate, Ornikar, Shakers, and installer. An initial Fund III investment, Gyver, is an enhanced marketplace for electricians supporting Europe's growing demand for energy infrastructure and skilled trades.
Team Promotions and Refreshed Brand
Brighteye has promoted David Guérin to Partner, Isabella Vahdati to Principal, and Rhys Spence to Head of Platform and Research, reflecting the firm's growth and its even split between investment and platform roles. The firm has also introduced a refreshed brand and website developed with Justified Studio, designed to reflect its expanded focus on human capability in the age of artificial intelligence. It is doubling down on its content platform, Sidekick, to share insights and support the next generation of founders building across learning and work.
Brighteye has already made eight new investments from Fund III, with a few not yet announced, and expects to make up to 35 investments in the coming years. The firm is actively seeking founders working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, learning, productivity, and labour infrastructure. With this first close, Brighteye is positioned to support the next generation of European companies shaping how people learn, work, and adapt.