What Arches Capital does

Arches Capital is a privately held venture capital firm headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, operating as a hybrid between a structured VC and an organized business angel group. Founded circa 2021, the firm manages a €22M Fund I backed by 100+ active angel investors (referred to as "Archangels") — experienced founders, operators, and industry experts across FinTech, Data, Cybersecurity, MedTech, and Commerce. Its stated investment focus is pre-seed B2B software companies based in the Benelux region, with typical ticket sizes of €250K–€1M, an 18-month runway per round, and a stated follow-on capability exceeding €60M. The firm positions itself as the "first believer," often leading pre-seed rounds and writing the first cheque on the cap table.

The firm's operational model combines VC-style processes with hands-on angel engagement. Deal flow is sourced through website pitch submissions, angel referrals, and monthly in-person and online pitch sessions with the Archangel network. A standardized, publicly available term sheet with founder-friendly plain-language explanations is intended to reduce legal friction and signal follow-on credibility. Beyond capital, portfolio companies receive access to the angel network for introductions, advice, and operational sparring, alongside Arches Academy — a leadership development program featuring expert talks, workshops, and peer learning — and curated hiring support via The Selection Lab. The firm has invested in 27+ portfolio companies including TheyDo, PromptWatch, Guzco, EclecticIQ, CodeSandbox, SyncVR Medical, Runnr.ai, and The Selection Lab.

Economically, Arches Capital generates revenue through fund management fees on its €22M AUM and carried interest on portfolio exits, with no product sales to end customers. Notable portfolio outcomes include TheyDo's progression from initial Arches investment to a $34M round backed by Blossom Capital and 20VC. The firm holds SFDR Article 3 sustainability disclosures and is led by Founder/Managing Partner Frank Appeldoorn, alongside Partners Diederik Stolk and Lotte van Ditshuizen (Partner Fund I), with a small core team of associates, analysts, and operational staff.

Name

Arches Capital

Legal name

Arches Capital

Website

https://arches.capital

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arches Capital is an Amsterdam-based pre-seed venture capital firm investing €250K–€1M in Benelux B2B software startups alongside a network of 100+ expert angels, supported by a €22M Fund I and structured founder programs like Arches Academy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital / Pre-Seed Investment

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Micro-VC & Angel Funds (FSANAAAI)

Keywords

• Pre-seed venture capital
• Angel investing network
• B2B software investment
• Early-stage startup funding
• Venture capital firm

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fund Management — Carried Interest and Management Fees: Arches Capital operates as a pre-seed B2B software investor backed by a €22M fund and 100+ angels. The fund generates returns through carried interest on portfolio exits and management fees, staying involved through follow-on capability of €60M+. The firm finances startups for approximately 18 months per round with investment horizons of 6–10 years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Arches Capital is a pre-seed venture capital firm that invests €250K–€1M in early-stage B2B software startups in the Benelux region through a €22M Fund I, deploying capital alongside a network of 100+ expert angel investors. Beyond capital, the firm provides portfolio companies with access to angel expertise, introductions, sparring, and a structured leadership development program called Arches Academy. The firm also publishes a transparent, standardized term sheet to lower legal costs and build trust with founders and follow-on investors.

Product overview

Arches Capital is not a product company but rather a pre-seed B2B software venture capital firm based in the Netherlands. The firm manages a €22M fund and invests alongside 100+ expert angel investors, focusing on early-stage Benelux-based B2B software startups. Their investment vehicle typically provides ticket sizes between €250K and €1M. Beyond capital, Arches Capital supports portfolio companies through the Arches Academy (a leadership and growth program), their angel network for introductions and expertise, and a standardized transparent term sheet process. The firm has backed 27+ portfolio companies across various sectors including fintech, AI, hospitality technology, HR tech, and data analytics. Their model combines VC-style sourcing and follow-on capability (€60M+) with hands-on angel engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arches Academy: Leadership program for portfolio founders featuring expert talks, workshops, and peer-to-peer learning to support personal growth and startup scaling.
• Fund I

Products and services

• Pre-Seed Investment Funding Pre-seed venture capital funding of €250K–€1M per startup for early-stage B2B software companies in the Benelux region, typically leading the round as the first believer and first cheque. Provides approximately 18 months of runway per round with follow-on capability exceeding €60M+ across the fund's lifetime.
• Fund I (€22M) A €22M venture capital fund backed by 100+ expert angel investors (Archangels), structured to invest in pre-seed B2B software startups with follow-on capability exceeding €60M+. The fund finances startups for approximately 18 months per round with investment horizons of 6–10 years.
• Arches Academy A structured leadership development program for Arches Capital portfolio founders featuring expert talks, focused workshops, and peer-to-peer learning designed to support personal growth and help founders scale their startups.
• Standardized Term Sheet A fully transparent, standardized term sheet published openly on the Arches Capital website with clear explanations for founders. Designed to keep legal costs low and build trust with follow-on investors by providing clarity from day one.

Quantifiable outcome

• Portfolio company TheyDo grew from first investment to $34M raise in 3.5 years, serving Fortune 500 customers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Antler: Global pre-seed VC with an active Amsterdam residency program that combines structured cohorts, an in-house advisor network, and standardized founder support—directly comparable to Arches' pre-seed B2B focus plus Arches Academy-style programming.
• Curiosity VC: Amsterdam-based pre-seed/seed investor in European tech startups, sharing Arches' regional footprint, ticket size band, and hands-on founder support orientation.
• Keen Venture Partners: Amsterdam-based early-stage VC investing in European deep tech and B2B software, comparable in stage, geography, and software-first thesis to Arches.
• Market One Capital: Pan-European early-stage fund backing B2B software founders, overlapping with Arches on geography, sector focus, and pre-seed/seed ticket size.
• Moonfire Ventures: European pre-seed/seed VC with a founder-first platform and operator network model, similar in stage and value-add orientation to Arches' angel + Academy approach.
• PROfounders Capital: European pre-seed/seed fund investing in B2B software with a strong operator network—comparable to Arches' hybrid fund + angel model.
• Bynd Venture Capital: Amsterdam-based early-stage investor focused on B2B software, sharing Arches' regional base, stage, and software-first investment thesis.
• Yellow&Blue: Benelux-focused impact-oriented early-stage investor; comparable to Arches on regional base and stage, with a complementary ESG/sustainability orientation.

Regional players

• LocalGlobe: UK-based pre-seed/seed VC with a founder-friendly playbook and operator network; comparable in stage and model to Arches but operating primarily in the UK rather than Benelux.

Broad incumbents

• Speedinvest: Larger Vienna-based European early-stage VC with sector-focused funds (including B2B software); a broader incumbent that overlaps with Arches on stage and software investing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/archescapital

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments32 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Arches Capital