Endeavor Catalyst Raises $320 Million to Invest in Startups Outside Silicon Valley

• Endeavor Catalyst, the investment arm of the global entrepreneurship network Endeavor, has closed its fifth investment fund with a value of $320 million, increasing its assets under management to over $850 million.
• The fund attracted around 400 investors, including founders of Nubank, Revolut, and Checkout.com, along with Reid Hoffman, Bill Ackman, and the Prosus Group. Entrepreneurs in the Endeavor network represent about 30% of the investors.
• The fund plans to invest in up to 150 startups, with funding typically ranging from $1 million to $3 million per investment, participating in funding rounds led by institutional investors.
• The fund has already begun investing in companies including Replit, Moove, Preply, and Cashea, focusing on startups outside traditional venture capital hubs.
• Since its launch in 2012, Endeavor Catalyst has invested in 437 companies across 44 markets, including 83 companies valued at $1 billion or more, and its portfolio has recorded 39 exits and 11 initial public offerings.

Press Release:

Endeavor Catalyst, the investment arm of the global entrepreneurship network Endeavor, has closed its fifth investment fund with a value of $320 million, aiming to expand its investments in rapidly growing tech companies outside traditional venture capital hubs.

The new fund is the largest in Endeavor Catalyst's history, having exceeded its target fundraising amount, bringing its total assets under management to over $850 million.

The fund attracted around 400 investors, including founders of global tech companies and institutional investors, notably Reid Hoffman, Bill Ackman, and the Prosus Group, along with founders of Nubank, Revolut, and Checkout.com.

Entrepreneurs joining the Endeavor network represent about 30% of the fund's investors, in a model that allows founders who have successfully built their companies to reinvest their capital in the next generation of startups.

Investing Outside Traditional Tech Hubs

Endeavor Catalyst plans to invest in up to 150 companies through its fifth fund, with funding typically ranging from $1 million to $3 million per investment.

Endeavor Catalyst's strategy differs from traditional venture capital funds, as it relies on co-investment rather than leading funding rounds independently.

To invest in any company, its founders must be part of the Endeavor network, and the company must have secured a funding round of at least $5 million led by another institutional investor.

Endeavor Catalyst participates in the round on the same terms as the lead investor, with its contribution not exceeding 10% of the total round value.

This strategy focuses on supporting companies founded or led by entrepreneurs from markets outside traditional tech hubs, including Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Investments outside the United States account for about 90% of Endeavor Catalyst's portfolio. Latin America remains its largest investment market, while Europe has seen a surge in activity, with 12 new investments made in the first half of 2026, compared to 14 investments throughout 2025.

New Investments and a Portfolio of 83 Unicorns

The fifth fund has already begun deploying investments in several companies, including Replit, Moove, Preply, and Cashea, along with other companies operating in fintech, artificial intelligence, and deep tech sectors.

Its investments include the AI programming platform Replit, co-founded by entrepreneurs of Jordanian descent, and the fintech and mobility company Moove, which was founded in Nigeria and has expanded to markets including the Middle East.

Endeavor Catalyst is also looking to increase its investments in deep tech, artificial intelligence, and technological infrastructure, alongside companies founded by entrepreneurs who have previously launched other projects.

Since its launch in 2012, Endeavor Catalyst has invested in 437 companies across 44 markets, including 83 companies valued at $1 billion or more.

Its portfolio has recorded 39 exits and 11 initial public offerings, including investments in companies like ElevenLabs, Bending Spoons, Reflection AI, Checkout.com, and Flutterwave.

Endeavor Catalyst expects to increase its investments in companies founded by second-time entrepreneurs, as this category accounted for about 14% of its fourth fund's investments, with expectations to rise to 20% in the fifth fund.

The fund is managed by Allen Taylor, managing partner at Endeavor Catalyst, and Jackie Carmel, managing director, along with an investment team of 16 members.

The closing of the fund comes at a time when major AI companies are increasingly attractive to investors, while venture capital is concentrated in traditional tech hubs, primarily Silicon Valley.

In contrast, Endeavor Catalyst relies on the Endeavor network, which includes over 3,100 entrepreneurs in more than 50 countries, to access companies with high growth potential in markets that receive less attention from international investors.

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