The speech recognition industry in Benelux is thriving, marked by innovation and rapid growth. This sector features companies that develop and deploy cutting-edge voice technology for applications in healthcare, customer service, and entertainment. Firms range from startups creating AI-driven voice models to established tech giants enhancing existing solutions. An increasing focus on integration with artificial intelligence and natural language processing is shaping the future. With applications extending to accessibility and personalization, the industry is poised for significant evolution, driving new trends and opportunities in user interaction and data analysis.


This article showcases a selection of 14 investors actively engaged in the speech recognition industry across Benelux. Among them, venture capitalists and corporate entities make notable appearances, reflecting a healthy mix of funding dynamics. The investors are headquartered in key cities like Amsterdam, Brussels, and Luxembourg, with sizes ranging from small firms to large institutions. Established between 1983 and 2019, these investors collectively made 99 deals in 2024, signaling robust interest in the emerging technologies pertaining to voice recognition.


Top 14 Speech Recognition Investors in Benelux


1. European Innovation Council (EIC)


The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a public entity based in Brussels, Belgium, established to support innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe. It offers various funding programs, including the EIC Accelerator and EIC Pathfinder, aimed at helping startups and SMEs develop and scale their technologies. The EIC provides business acceleration services, networking opportunities, and prizes to foster innovation in diverse sectors. Notably, the EIC has been involved in significant transactions within the speech recognition context, such as its investment in Voiseed, an Italian startup that secured funding to enhance its AI Universal model and develop a fast, scalable AI dubbing solution. This investment highlights the EIC's commitment to supporting advancements in speech recognition technology. Additionally, the EIC participated in the funding round for Sensibel, a company that, while not directly focused on speech recognition, operates in the broader tech landscape that may intersect with speech technologies. These transactions demonstrate the EIC's active role in fostering innovation in areas related to speech recognition.


2. European Investment Bank (EIB)


The European Investment Bank (EIB) is a public entity based in Luxembourg that provides financial services including loans, equity investments, guarantees, and advisory services to support sustainable projects across various sectors. Founded in 1958, the EIB aims to promote growth and job creation by funding initiatives from both public and private organizations. In recent years, the EIB has been involved in several transactions that highlight its interest in advanced technologies, particularly in the AI sector. Notably, the EIB provided €12 million to Kontakt.io to accelerate investment in advanced AI technologies, which could relate to speech recognition applications. Additionally, the EIB's funding of Cortical.io with $9.1 million for research and development in innovative AI technology further emphasizes its engagement in the AI landscape. These transactions indicate that while the EIB is not exclusively focused on speech recognition, its investments in AI-related companies suggest a potential relevance to the speech recognition industry.


3. Exor N.V.

  • Website: exor.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2009
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 26
  • LinkedIn: exor_2

Exor N.V. is a holding company based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2009. It operates across various sectors, including automotive, healthcare, and media, and manages a diverse portfolio of companies such as Ferrari, Stellantis, and Philips. Exor focuses on enhancing value through strategic investments and operational support. In recent years, Exor has been involved in several notable transactions that highlight its interest in innovative technologies. For example, they participated in the funding round for Mistral AI, which raised over $113 million in 2023, indicating a commitment to advancing AI technologies. Additionally, their investment in TextYess, a startup focused on text processing, suggests an engagement with technologies that may intersect with speech recognition. These transactions reflect Exor's strategy of investing in companies that provide innovative products and services, potentially including those in the speech recognition domain.


4. M Ventures

  • Website: m-ventures.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2009
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 18
  • LinkedIn: merck-ventures

M Ventures is a venture capital fund based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2009. The firm focuses on transformative ideas within the biotechnology and technology sectors, particularly in healthcare and life sciences. M Ventures provides funding and strategic guidance to startups, helping them achieve commercial success. Notably, M Ventures has invested in Sonde Health, an AI-enabled voice technology platform, leading their Series A funding round in 2019 and participating in their Series B round in 2022. This involvement highlights M Ventures' commitment to advancing speech recognition technology in healthcare. Additionally, they have co-invested in SynSense, a company that is developing neuromorphic computing technology, which could have implications for speech recognition and AI applications. Overall, M Ventures is dedicated to driving innovation and growth in their portfolio companies, particularly those at the intersection of technology and healthcare.


5. Alpha Intelligence Capital


Alpha Intelligence Capital is a venture capital firm based in Luxembourg, founded in 2018. The firm specializes in investing in AI-first companies, providing funding and strategic guidance to startups in the artificial intelligence and machine learning sectors. Their focus on deep technology investments positions them as a key player in the AI landscape. Notable transactions include investments in Another Brain, which is developing innovative AI technologies, and DeepOpinion, which raised funding for AI-driven solutions. Although their recent transactions do not directly indicate a focus on speech recognition, their commitment to AI technologies suggests they may engage with companies in this field.


6. Prosus Group

  • Website: prosus.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2019
  • Headcount: 10001+
  • Number of deals in 2024: 21
  • LinkedIn: prosus-group

Prosus Group is a global technology investor and operator based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2019. The firm focuses on enhancing everyday life through technology across various sectors, including online classifieds, food delivery, payments, and education technology, serving over two billion customers worldwide. Notably, Prosus has been active in the AI and speech recognition space, leading a $60 million Series B funding round for Corti, a startup specializing in AI-driven speech recognition solutions for healthcare. Additionally, they participated in a seed funding round for Martian, an AI model-routing platform, which may also leverage speech recognition technologies. These transactions highlight Prosus's commitment to investing in innovative technologies that can transform industries and improve user experiences.


7. s16vc - Founders for Founders Fund

  • Website: s16vc.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2020
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 7
  • LinkedIn: s16vc

s16vc - Founders for Founders Fund is a venture capital firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2020. The firm focuses on providing advisory services to companies, emphasizing the importance of strategic guidance in management. They have been active in the investment landscape, with notable transactions in the speech recognition context. For instance, they participated in the Series A funding of Krisp, an AI-powered noise removal app, which is directly related to speech recognition technology. They also invested in Wordsmith AI, a company that specializes in natural language generation, further showcasing their interest in the speech technology sector. Other relevant investments include Synthesia, a company that utilizes AI for video synthesis, and Podcastle, which focuses on audio content creation, both of which intersect with speech technology.


8. Mangrove Capital Partners


Mangrove Capital Partners is a venture capital firm based in Luxembourg, founded in 2000, that specializes in early-stage investments in innovative technology companies. They focus on providing financial support and strategic guidance to entrepreneurs, particularly in sectors like digital health and education tech. Notable transactions include their investment in Phone.do, a company that raised $7 million in a seed round, which may involve communication technologies relevant to speech recognition. Additionally, they invested in Edgify, which focuses on AI training frameworks, and Brain.space, a brain-mapping data company, indicating a broader interest in technology that could intersect with speech recognition. Their operations are primarily focused on Europe and Israel, where they actively seek to empower startups and foster growth in the tech ecosystem.


9. GapMinder VC

  • Website: gapminder.vc
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2017
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 3
  • LinkedIn: gapminder-vc

GapMinder VC is a venture capital firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2017. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage startups within the Deeptech and SaaS sectors, providing not only capital but also strategic support in areas such as recruitment, marketing, sales strategy, and financial planning. Notably, GapMinder has participated in several funding rounds for DRUID AI, a conversational AI technology company, including a €28 million Series B round in September 2023, a $15 million Series A round in May 2022, and an earlier $2.5 million Series A round in January 2021. This consistent investment in DRUID AI highlights GapMinder's commitment to the speech recognition and conversational AI space. Additionally, they have invested in other startups like SecurifAI and parol, further showcasing their engagement in innovative technology sectors.


10. LUMO Labs

  • Website: lumolabs.io
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Eindhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2016
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 5
  • LinkedIn: lumo-labs

LUMO Labs is a venture capital firm based in Eindhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands, founded in 2016. The firm specializes in impact-driven investments in emerging technologies, focusing on addressing social and environmental challenges. LUMO Labs provides funding and tailored support programs to early-stage startups, particularly in the technology sector, including areas such as AI and Blockchain. Notably, LUMO Labs has made significant investments in the speech recognition domain, including a €1.2M seed funding round for Autoscriber, a company developing AI-based voice recognition software aimed at improving medical consultations. Additionally, they led a €750,000 seed funding round for Whispp, a startup launching assistive voice technology. These investments highlight LUMO Labs' active role in fostering innovation within the speech recognition industry.


11. Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM)


Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM) is a venture capital firm based in Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands, founded in 1983. BOM acts as a development agency that supports startups and scale-ups in the Brabant region by providing funding, expertise, and networking opportunities. They focus on enhancing business growth through various programs, including readiness programs for venture capital and innovation in sectors like sustainable food and energy. Notably, BOM has invested in Autoscriber, a Dutch-based AI voice recognition software company, which raised €1.2M in a Seed round with BOM's participation. This investment aims to advance the development and rollout of their software, which enhances the human-centric element of medical consultations. Additionally, BOM has invested in other technology-driven startups, such as Pera, which uses AI to improve the objectivity of job interviews, showcasing their broader interest in innovative technologies, including those related to speech recognition.


12. Sgh

  • Website: sghcapital.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Luxembourg
  • Founded year: 2015
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 3
  • LinkedIn: sghcapital

SGH Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 2015, based in Luxembourg, that specializes in investing in early and mid-stage disruptive companies across various sectors, including fintech and blockchain. They provide capital and strategic support to innovative businesses primarily in the US and western Europe, helping them to grow and succeed in competitive markets. Notably, SGH Capital has participated in significant transactions such as OpenAI, which raised an undisclosed amount in a venture round in April 2024, highlighting their engagement in the AI sector. Additionally, they have invested in Groq, which raised $640 million in Series D funding in August 2024, and LeapYear Technologies, which raised an undisclosed amount in a seed round in January 2016. These transactions reflect SGH's commitment to supporting cutting-edge technology companies, including those that may be involved in speech recognition.


13. OTB Ventures

  • Website: otb.vc
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
  • Founded year: 2017
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 6
  • LinkedIn: otb-ventures

OTB Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2017. The firm specializes in early-stage investments in deep-tech startups, focusing on sectors such as SpaceTech, AI, FinTech, and CyberSecurity. In 2024, OTB Ventures has already made six investments, including notable transactions like Safe Intelligence and Synthara. While their portfolio does not currently highlight direct investments in speech recognition, their emphasis on AI indicates a strategic interest in technologies that could encompass speech recognition applications. Their support for companies like Silent Eight, which operates in the AI space, further aligns with the potential for involvement in speech recognition technologies.


14. Capricorn Partners


Capricorn Partners is a venture capital firm based in Leuven, Flanders, Belgium, founded in 1993. The firm specializes in venture capital, growth capital, and quoted equity funds, focusing on innovative companies across various sectors, including digital technologies, health, and clean technologies. They are committed to responsible investing, aiming to create both financial returns and strategic value for their clients. Notable transactions include their investment in Bingli, a company developing an AI-based smart medical interview platform, which highlights their interest in AI technologies that could relate to speech recognition. Additionally, their participation in funding rounds for companies like VoxelSensors and icometrix indicates a broader interest in advanced technologies that may encompass speech recognition applications.



Speech Recognition Insights: Key Investors in Benelux


InvestorHeadquarterSizeFoundedDeals 2024
European Innovation Council (EIC)Brussels, Brussels, Belgium201-500195857
European Investment Bank (EIB)Luxembourg1001-5000195899
Exor N.V.Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands11-50200926
M VenturesAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands11-50200918
Alpha Intelligence CapitalLuxembourg11-5020186
Prosus GroupAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands10001+201921
s16vc - Founders for Founders FundAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands11-5020207
Mangrove Capital PartnersLuxembourg11-5020005
GapMinder VCAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands11-5020173
LUMO LabsEindhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands11-5020165
Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM)Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands51-200198310
SghLuxembourg1-1020153
OTB VenturesAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands11-5020176
Capricorn PartnersLeuven, Flanders, Belgium11-5019935


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