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Karista

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uuid00002wk

Namestring
Karista
Legal namestring
Karista SAS
Websiteurl
karista.vc
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2001
Descriptiontext

Karista is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in Paris in 2001, investing across Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), and Digital from Seed to Series B+ stages, with a thematic emphasis on the NewSpace sub-vertical. The firm manages several thematic vehicles, most notably the CosmiCapital Spacetech/NewSpace fund (launched in partnership with CNES and later supported by ESA and Eutelsat), the Paris Region Venture Fund (€50M capacity), and sector-focused vehicles in Health and Digital; typical equity tickets range from €1M to €5M, with Karista often leading rounds.

Karista's core technology is investment selection and portfolio support rather than a proprietary software or product platform; its differentiation rests on 20+ years of operating history in European VC, specialised sector expertise (especially in space, where it has built a clustered portfolio including Exotrail, Look Up Space, Leanspace, Constellr, Miratlas, and Cysec), and hands-on portfolio involvement including board participation. The firm has supported more than 100 companies across Western Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Estonia) and reports 471+ jobs created through CosmiCapital portfolio companies, with more than $170M raised from international investors into the space portfolio.

The business model is standard for a regulated asset manager: Karista generates revenue through management fees (typically 1–2% of committed capital) and carried interest (typically 20% above a hurdle) across its fund vintages. The firm is registered with the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) under number GP07000047 as a professional investment manager, and is signatory of the Sista charter and France Invest's Investor Commitment Charter for Growth. Customers are bifurcated into early-stage portfolio companies (the deal-flow side) and institutional LPs including CNES, ESA, Eutelsat, family offices, and corporate strategics.

Short descriptiontext

Karista is a Paris-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2001 that invests Seed-to-Series B+ across Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), and Digital in Western Europe, primarily through its thematic CosmiCapital Spacetech fund and the Paris Region Venture Fund.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
1–10
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersParis, France
HQ citystring
Paris
HQ countrystring
France
HQ regionstring
Europe
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
early-stage venture capital, seed-stage startup funding, deep tech investing, NewSpace investment fund, digital health funding
Industry2 codes
1Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists)
CodeFSANAAADPrimaryYes
2Geography-Focused Venture Capital (Regional/Emerging Markets)
CodeFSANAAAEPrimaryNo
NAICS code2 codes
  • Portfolio Management and Investment Advice523940
  • All Other Financial Investment Activities52399
SIC code1 code
  • Investment Advice6282
Product category
Venture Capital Fund Management
Social media profiles2 records
Marketing channels6 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components5 values
Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
GTM typeB2B
B2B
Offering typeServices
Services
Brand1 of 2 records shown
1CosmiCapital
Description

Karista's Spacetech/NewSpace fund that invests in disruptive startups in the space ecosystem, launched in partnership with CNES and ESA.

karista.vc
+1 more record
Core offering1 text field

Karista is an early-stage venture capital firm providing equity investment from Seed to Series B+ stages to startups in Western Europe. The firm invests across three verticals — Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), and Digital — through thematic funds including CosmiCapital (Spacetech/NewSpace) and the Paris Region Venture Fund, typically leading or co-leading rounds with tickets between €1M and €5M. Karista also provides strategic guidance, board participation, and network access to portfolio founders beyond capital deployment.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Quantifiable outcome1 of 3 values shown
  • More than 100 companies funded over two decades
+2 more records
Product overview1 text field

Karista is an early-stage venture capital firm (created in 2001) offering investment fund products and venture capital services. The firm manages multiple thematic funds including CosmiCapital (SpaceTech/NewSpace focused), the Paris Region Venture Fund (regional innovation), and provides general VC investment services across Health, DeepTech, Digital, and NewSpace sectors. The investment strategy covers Seed to Series B+ stages, with typical investment tickets of €1-5 million for SpaceTech. Karista positions itself as a strategic partner to entrepreneurs, providing not only capital but also operational support, network access, and board involvement. The firm has supported over 100 companies since inception and generates sustained performance for investors through specialized sector expertise and hands-on portfolio support.

Product and service3 records
1CosmiCapital
CategoryInvestment Fund
Description

Karista's specialized early-stage venture capital fund dedicated to the NewSpace sector. The fund invests in disruptive startups across the NewSpace ecosystem, focusing predominantly on data and software downstream applications, with occasional upstream infrastructure-related investments. Seed/Series A tickets range between €1 million and €5 million per company. Subscribers include CNES, Eutelsat, and other institutional investors.

2Paris Region Venture Fund
CategoryInvestment Fund
Description

A regional venture fund managed by Karista to support innovation in the Paris Region, targeting young innovative companies across key sectors including sustainable cities, aeronautics, digital technology, cybersecurity, tourism, agri-food, health, and mobility. The fund has an investment capacity of €50 million.

3General Early-Stage Venture Capital Services
CategoryCore Service
Description

Early-stage venture capital investment services spanning Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), Digital, and NewSpace sectors. Karista invests from Seed to Series B+ stages, typically leading rounds and often being the first institutional investor on board. Services include strategic partnership, board involvement, and network access for portfolio companies.

Scale indicator4 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Recent move7 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight5 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
1Seraphim Capital
TypeDirect peer
Description

UK-based specialist NewSpace/space-tech VC fund with similar thesis to Karista's CosmiCapital; competes for European spacetech deal flow and LP capital.

2OTB Ventures
TypeDirect peer
Description

European deep-tech/space-focused VC that co-led Waiv's $33M round alongside Karista; competes head-to-head for SpaceTech and DeepTech deals in Europe.

3XAnge
TypeDirect peer
Description

European early-stage VC (Paris office) investing in Digital and DeepTech; comparable stage, geography, and ticket size to Karista.

442CAP
TypeDirect peer
Description

Munich-based seed-stage DeepTech/SpaceTech VC that co-invests with Karista (Fuzzy Logic, Leanspace); closely comparable in mandate and stage focus.

5Vsquared Ventures
TypeDirect peer
Description

Munich-based deep-tech VC backing frontier tech including space (co-invested in Constellr alongside Karista); directly comparable early-stage deep-tech mandate.

6Elaia Partners
TypeDirect peer
Description

Paris-based early-stage VC investing in Digital and DeepTech with similar sector thesis and ticket sizes to Karista; directly competes for French seed-to-Series A deals.

7Partech
TypeDirect peer
Description

Major Paris-headquartered European VC with early-stage funds covering Digital and DeepTech; directly comparable in geographic focus, stage, and sector breadth to Karista.

8Earlybird Venture Capital
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

One of Europe's largest early-stage VCs with broader sector coverage (Digital, Health, Tech) and longer-established funds; competes with Karista for Western European deals.

9HTGF (High-Tech Gründerfonds)
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Germany's leading early-stage DeepTech/Tech VC, far larger by AUM; comparable in deep-tech seed-stage thesis but with much broader geographic and capital reach.

10Bpifrance (Large Venture)
TypeOthers
Description

French public investment bank and significant VC LP/co-investor in Karista's portfolio companies (Exotrail, Leanspace); both LP and co-investor relationship with Karista, shaping competitive dynamics.

Market position
Strengths5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat4 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Segment3 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile2 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles5 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A6 records

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment148 records

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Karista

Venture Capital Fund Managementkarista.vc

Karista is a Paris-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2001 that invests Seed-to-Series B+ across Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), and Digital in Western Europe, primarily through its thematic CosmiCapital Spacetech fund and the Paris Region Venture Fund.

What Karista does

Karista is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in Paris in 2001, investing across Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), and Digital from Seed to Series B+ stages, with a thematic emphasis on the NewSpace sub-vertical. The firm manages several thematic vehicles, most notably the CosmiCapital Spacetech/NewSpace fund (launched in partnership with CNES and later supported by ESA and Eutelsat), the Paris Region Venture Fund (€50M capacity), and sector-focused vehicles in Health and Digital; typical equity tickets range from €1M to €5M, with Karista often leading rounds.

Karista's core technology is investment selection and portfolio support rather than a proprietary software or product platform; its differentiation rests on 20+ years of operating history in European VC, specialised sector expertise (especially in space, where it has built a clustered portfolio including Exotrail, Look Up Space, Leanspace, Constellr, Miratlas, and Cysec), and hands-on portfolio involvement including board participation. The firm has supported more than 100 companies across Western Europe (France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Estonia) and reports 471+ jobs created through CosmiCapital portfolio companies, with more than $170M raised from international investors into the space portfolio.

The business model is standard for a regulated asset manager: Karista generates revenue through management fees (typically 1–2% of committed capital) and carried interest (typically 20% above a hurdle) across its fund vintages. The firm is registered with the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) under number GP07000047 as a professional investment manager, and is signatory of the Sista charter and France Invest's Investor Commitment Charter for Growth. Customers are bifurcated into early-stage portfolio companies (the deal-flow side) and institutional LPs including CNES, ESA, Eutelsat, family offices, and corporate strategics.

Karista firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Karista
Legal name
Karista SAS
Website
https://karista.vc
Company type
Private
Founded year
2001
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
1–10 employees
Short description
Karista is a Paris-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2001 that invests Seed-to-Series B+ across Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), and Digital in Western Europe, primarily through its thematic CosmiCapital Spacetech fund and the Paris Region Venture Fund.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Karista industry classification

Industry
Product category
Venture Capital Fund Management
NAICS
Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)
SIC
Investment Advice (6282)
akta.pro primary industry
Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
akta.pro secondary industry
Geography-Focused Venture Capital (Regional/Emerging Markets) (FSANAAAE)

Keywords

  • Early-stage venture capital
  • Seed-stage startup funding
  • Deep tech investing
  • NewSpace investment fund
  • Digital health funding

Where Karista is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Paris
HQ country
France
HQ region
Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

Karista business model

Business model
GTM type
B2B
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Karista product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Karista is an early-stage venture capital firm providing equity investment from Seed to Series B+ stages to startups in Western Europe. The firm invests across three verticals — Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), and Digital — through thematic funds including CosmiCapital (Spacetech/NewSpace) and the Paris Region Venture Fund, typically leading or co-leading rounds with tickets between €1M and €5M. Karista also provides strategic guidance, board participation, and network access to portfolio founders beyond capital deployment.

Product overview

Karista is an early-stage venture capital firm (created in 2001) offering investment fund products and venture capital services. The firm manages multiple thematic funds including CosmiCapital (SpaceTech/NewSpace focused), the Paris Region Venture Fund (regional innovation), and provides general VC investment services across Health, DeepTech, Digital, and NewSpace sectors. The investment strategy covers Seed to Series B+ stages, with typical investment tickets of €1-5 million for SpaceTech. Karista positions itself as a strategic partner to entrepreneurs, providing not only capital but also operational support, network access, and board involvement. The firm has supported over 100 companies since inception and generates sustained performance for investors through specialized sector expertise and hands-on portfolio support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

  • CosmiCapital: Karista's Spacetech/NewSpace fund that invests in disruptive startups in the space ecosystem, launched in partnership with CNES and ESA.
  • Paris Region Venture Fund (PRVF)

Products and services

  • CosmiCapital Karista's specialized early-stage venture capital fund dedicated to the NewSpace sector. The fund invests in disruptive startups across the NewSpace ecosystem, focusing predominantly on data and software downstream applications, with occasional upstream infrastructure-related investments. Seed/Series A tickets range between €1 million and €5 million per company. Subscribers include CNES, Eutelsat, and other institutional investors.
  • Paris Region Venture Fund A regional venture fund managed by Karista to support innovation in the Paris Region, targeting young innovative companies across key sectors including sustainable cities, aeronautics, digital technology, cybersecurity, tourism, agri-food, health, and mobility. The fund has an investment capacity of €50 million.
  • General Early-Stage Venture Capital Services Early-stage venture capital investment services spanning Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), Digital, and NewSpace sectors. Karista invests from Seed to Series B+ stages, typically leading rounds and often being the first institutional investor on board. Services include strategic partnership, board involvement, and network access for portfolio companies.

Quantifiable outcome

  • More than 100 companies funded over two decades
  • +2 more outcomes

Companies that use Karista

Customer profile

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Karista technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Karista partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Karista competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

  • Seraphim Capital: UK-based specialist NewSpace/space-tech VC fund with similar thesis to Karista's CosmiCapital; competes for European spacetech deal flow and LP capital.
  • OTB Ventures: European deep-tech/space-focused VC that co-led Waiv's $33M round alongside Karista; competes head-to-head for SpaceTech and DeepTech deals in Europe.
  • XAnge: European early-stage VC (Paris office) investing in Digital and DeepTech; comparable stage, geography, and ticket size to Karista.
  • 42CAP: Munich-based seed-stage DeepTech/SpaceTech VC that co-invests with Karista (Fuzzy Logic, Leanspace); closely comparable in mandate and stage focus.
  • Vsquared Ventures: Munich-based deep-tech VC backing frontier tech including space (co-invested in Constellr alongside Karista); directly comparable early-stage deep-tech mandate.
  • Elaia Partners: Paris-based early-stage VC investing in Digital and DeepTech with similar sector thesis and ticket sizes to Karista; directly competes for French seed-to-Series A deals.
  • Partech: Major Paris-headquartered European VC with early-stage funds covering Digital and DeepTech; directly comparable in geographic focus, stage, and sector breadth to Karista.

Broad incumbents

  • Earlybird Venture Capital: One of Europe's largest early-stage VCs with broader sector coverage (Digital, Health, Tech) and longer-established funds; competes with Karista for Western European deals.
  • HTGF (High-Tech Gründerfonds): Germany's leading early-stage DeepTech/Tech VC, far larger by AUM; comparable in deep-tech seed-stage thesis but with much broader geographic and capital reach.

Others

  • Bpifrance (Large Venture): French public investment bank and significant VC LP/co-investor in Karista's portfolio companies (Exotrail, Leanspace); both LP and co-investor relationship with Karista, shaping competitive dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Karista social profiles

Digital presence

Karista financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Karista leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Karista funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Karista M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A6 records

Investments148 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Karista

What does Karista do?

Karista is an early-stage venture capital firm providing equity investment from Seed to Series B+ stages to startups in Western Europe. The firm invests across three verticals — Health, DeepTech (Space & Defense), and Digital — through thematic funds including CosmiCapital (Spacetech/NewSpace) and the Paris Region Venture Fund, typically leading or co-leading rounds with tickets between €1M and €5M. Karista also provides strategic guidance, board participation, and network access to portfolio founders beyond capital deployment.

Is Karista a public or private company?

Karista is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.

When was Karista founded?

Karista was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is Karista based?

Karista is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.

Who are Karista's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Seraphim Capital, OTB Ventures, XAnge, 42CAP, Vsquared Ventures, Elaia Partners and Partech. Broad incumbents are Earlybird Venture Capital and HTGF (High-Tech Gründerfonds). Bpifrance (Large Venture) is listed as an others.

Does Karista have an API?

No public API is recorded for Karista.

What industry is Karista in?

Karista's product category is Venture Capital Fund Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists), with a secondary code of FSANAAAE, Geography-Focused Venture Capital (Regional/Emerging Markets). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.

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Live signals
BiostockKarista VC on what's holding back digital therapies in EuropeKarista VC's Catherine Boule discusses how digital therapeutics face significant commercialization barriers in Europe due to fragmented reimbursement systems, with only Germany's DiGA framework proving functional while France's PECAN remains theoretical with no company yet achieving reimbursement through it. Ludocare, a Karista portfolio company, has become the first DTx to be reimbursed in France, but through the traditional LPPR pathway rather than the dedicated PECAN mechanism, with final pricing expected by year-end. Boule notes that the broader European DTx sector remains constrained by limited commercial viability outside reimbursement frameworks, in contrast to markets with stronger out-of-pocket payment cultures.WebcapitalriesgoWaiv cierra $35M de financiación total con una nueva inversión de CRB Health TechWaiv closed a $35 million Series A funding round led by CRB Digital Health III, with participation from business angels. The funds will support clinical deployment and commercial expansion of its AI-based precision oncology tests. The company also recently received CE marking under IVDR for two of its tests.Empresas de Capital Riesgo en EspaWaiv closes $35 million in total funding with a new investment from CRB Health TechWaiv closed a $35 million Series A funding round led by CRB Digital Health III, with participation from OTB Ventures and Alpha Intelligence Capital. The company also secured CE marking under the IVDR for two AI-powered precision tests, RlapsRisk BC and MSIntuit CRC. The capital will support expansion across laboratories and strengthen commercial traction.FinSMEsWaiv Raises $33M in FundingWaiv, a Paris-based AI-powered precision medicine company, has raised $33M in a funding round led by OTB Ventures and Alpha Intelligence Capital, with participation from Serena Data Ventures, Karista, and SistaFund. The company plans to use the funds to expand its portfolio of clinical-grade multimodal diagnostic tests, deepen pharmaceutical integrations across R&D pipelines, and broaden international market access. Waiv develops AI-based diagnostic tools that analyze digital histopathology and multimodal clinical data to help doctors identify optimal cancer treatments for specific patients, with products including RlapsRisk BC, MSIntuit Suite, and BRCAura already deployed in clinical settings.Photonics SpectraTiHive Raises $9.3M to Advance Terahertz-AI VisionTiHive, an industrial deep-tech company specializing in terahertz-AI vision systems, has raised €8 million ($9.3 million) in funding from deep-tech investors including Karista and Wind. The company's technology combines silicon-based terahertz imaging with AI to enable real-time, non-destructive quality and process control on production lines across hygiene, textiles, recycling, agriculture, and space industries. Founded in 2017 and employing 14 people, TiHive will use the funding to accelerate commercialization, support international deployment, and develop a new generation of terahertz chips with extended frequencies and advanced AI features.SpaceRefEutelsat Partners With Karista’s Spacetech FundEutelsat has announced a strategic partnership with Karista’s Spacetech fund, becoming a subscriber to support space technology startups. The partnership aims to foster innovation and develop new space infrastructure solutions across Europe, contributing to the growth of the space economy.KaristaHeex Technologies completes a first round of €3.2M with Karista to launch Smart Data adoptionHeex Technologies, a French deeptech startup, has closed a €3.2 million pre-seed funding round led by Karista to support product R&D and customer acquisition. The financing consists of €2 million in equity and €1.2 million in non-dilutive funds from investors including Techstars, Google Black Founders Fund, and Bpifrance. This investment aims to help engineering teams transition from Big Data to Smart Data solutions for industries such as autonomous driving and IoT.HeexHeex Technologies completes a first round of 3.2M€ with Karista to launch Smart Data adoptionHeex Technologies has secured a 3.2M€ pre-seed funding round led by Karista to advance its Smart Data product research and development. The company aims to address the environmental and operational inefficiencies of Big Data by providing an event-driven solution that helps engineering teams process only relevant data, thereby reducing costs and improving AI productivity.KaristaCYSEC strengthens its equity base and finances its growth with the support of Karista’s NewSpace fundCYSEC, a European cybersecurity firm specializing in confidential computing, has raised an additional €2M from Karista’s NewSpace fund to finance its growth in the space industry. The company plans to deploy its security solutions for satellites and critical infrastructure, while reinforcing its sales teams in France and recruiting new engineering talent. This funding builds upon previous investments and supports CYSEC's strategic partnerships with entities like the European Space Agency.CysecCYSEC raises 2 million CHF with KARISTA’S Newspace FundCYSEC announced it has raised an additional €2 million in funding from Karista, a fund managed by Newspace. This capital injection is intended to support the company's continued growth and expansion of its cybersecurity solutions for space and edge computing sectors.