Varsity

Seed-stage Venture Capitalvarsity.vc

Varsity Capital is a Paris-based, AMF-authorized seed venture capital firm that selects 30 startups per fund cycle and routes them into top-tier VC portfolios, while operating a Getro-powered job board and talent network across its 16+ portfolio companies in EMEA.

Company typePrivate
Founded2023
HeadquartersParis, France
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

What Varsity does

Varsity Capital is a Paris-based early-stage venture capital firm operating under French société par actions simplifiée status with AMF authorization n° GP-202312 and a stated share capital of €500,000. Founded in 2023 and operating with 1–10 employees from 24 rue de Caumartin (75009 Paris), the firm runs an "NBA draft"-style seed fund that selects 30 startups per cycle and positions them for placement into the portfolios of leading early-stage VCs. Its disclosed portfolio spans 16+ companies across quantum computing (C12 Quantum Electronics), fintech/private wealth (RockFi), regtech (Kalipso), AI infrastructure and tooling (Kog, Revo, Equos, Mizou), IoT (Sensinov), shipping and commodities (Pharaday), mobile gaming (Quiet, Hoora Games), data platforms (Tamtam), and startup investing (Akka).

The firm's revenue model follows standard European VC mechanics — management fees on committed capital plus carried interest on realized exits — with no disclosed pricing of services to portfolio companies (investments are made in exchange for equity, not fees). Beyond capital deployment, Varsity operates a broader ecosystem platform: a Getro-powered job board covering 16 portfolio companies, a Talent Network for job seekers, the TalentLetter newsletter, a Karma Driven media property, and a Spotify podcast, functioning as both talent services for portfolio companies and brand-building channels for sourcing new investments.

Geographically, Varsity is anchored in France but has executed deals across broader EMEA, including the UK, Spain (Kalipso), Italy, and the Netherlands, signaling a pan-European seed mandate. Confirmed investment activity includes leading Kalipso's $3.2M seed round (June 2026) and participating in RockFi's €18M Series A led by Partech (March 2025), indicating both lead-investor capability at seed and selective follow-on participation. No acquisitions, M&A activity, or institutional fundraising rounds for Varsity itself are disclosed in the available data.

Varsity firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Varsity
Legal name: Varsity Capital
Website: https://varsity.vc
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2023
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: Varsity Capital is a Paris-based, AMF-authorized seed venture capital firm that selects 30 startups per fund cycle and routes them into top-tier VC portfolios, while operating a Getro-powered job board and talent network across its 16+ portfolio companies in EMEA.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Varsity industry classification

Industry

Product category: Seed-stage Venture Capital
NAICS: Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)
SIC: Investment Advice (6282)
akta.pro primary industry: Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)

Keywords

Venture capital fund
Seed stage investing
Startup funding
Portfolio company support
Early stage ventures

Where Varsity is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Paris
HQ country: France
HQ region: Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

Varsity business model

Business model

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

Revenue model

Management fees: VC firms typically charge management fees on committed capital to cover operational expenses.
Carried interest (performance fees): Varsity earns carried interest on profits from successful portfolio company exits.
Portfolio company returns: Returns generated through equity stakes in portfolio companies, realized through IPOs, acquisitions, or secondary sales.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Varsity product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Varsity Capital is a Paris-based venture capital firm that runs a seed fund selecting 30 startups annually using an NBA-draft-style process, then channels those companies into the portfolios of leading early-stage VCs. The firm also operates a Getro-powered job board and talent network that connects its portfolio companies with prospective employees. Varsity holds AMF authorization (n° GP-202312) and invests across European seed-stage companies in sectors including quantum computing, AI, fintech, IoT, gaming, and streaming.

Product overview

Varsity operates as a venture capital firm with two core offerings: a seed fund that selects 30 startups annually (modeled after the NBA draft) to propel into top VC portfolios, and a job board platform powered by Getro that connects portfolio companies with talent. The portfolio includes 16+ companies spanning quantum computing, AI platforms, fintech, IoT, gaming, and streaming technology sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Varsity Seed Fund An annual seed-stage venture fund that selects 30 startups per cycle using an NBA-draft-style process and then propels those startups into the portfolios of the world's best early-stage VCs. Targeted at seed-stage European founders across deep tech, fintech, AI, IoT, gaming, and streaming.
Varsity Job Board A talent recruitment platform powered by Getro that connects Varsity's portfolio companies with prospective job seekers, featuring company profiles, job listings, and a talent network. Targeted at portfolio company hiring needs and job seekers interested in Varsity-backed startups.
Varsity Talent Network A talent discovery and connection service that allows job seekers to join and be introduced to opportunities at Varsity portfolio companies. Targeted at job seekers interested in working with Varsity-backed startups.

Quantifiable outcome

30 startups selected per seed fund cycle

Companies that use Varsity

Customer profile

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Varsity technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Varsity partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Varsity competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Emerging players

Station F: Paris-based startup campus and ecosystem operator that connects founders to early-stage investors. Adjacent to Varsity's Paris-based ecosystem and deal-flow role rather than a direct investment competitor.

Direct peers

Fly Ventures: Berlin-based pre-seed/seed fund investing in technical European founders. Similar small-team, thesis-driven seed posture as Varsity's 30-pick model.
Speedinvest: Vienna-based early-stage VC with sector-focused funds across Europe. Comparable in stage (seed), geography (European), and portfolio approach to Varsity's NBA-draft model.
Seedcamp: European seed fund known for high-volume, cohort-style early investing. Their "first cheque" model parallels Varsity's 30-startup NBA-draft framing in structure and ambition.
Partech: Paris-headquartered venture firm investing across seed to growth in Europe and Africa. Varsity co-invested in Partech-led RockFi Series A, making them a directly comparable European early-stage partner.
Kima Ventures: Paris-based early-stage VC making many small seed investments, frequently co-investing with Varsity. Both run high-volume, broad-sector European seed strategies with a similar follower posture.
Plug and Play Tech Center: Global accelerator/seed investor with strong European presence. Co-invested alongside Varsity in Kalipso and runs a comparable high-volume, sector-spanning seed approach.
Earlybird Venture Capital: One of Europe's longest-standing early-stage VCs, based in Berlin/Munich. Comparable stage profile and European-only concentration as Varsity.
Connect Ventures: London-based pre-seed and seed investor focused on European founders. Comparable fund size, stage, and European-only mandate to Varsity.
LocalGlobe: London-based seed and pre-seed investor taking concentrated positions in early-stage European founders. Closely comparable in stage and European footprint to Varsity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Varsity compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance1 record

Varsity financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Varsity leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Varsity funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

Varsity M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments11 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Varsity

What does Varsity do?

Is Varsity a public or private company?

Varsity is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.

When was Varsity founded?

Varsity was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is Varsity based?

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

How does Varsity make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Management fees are the primary driver. The others are carried interest (performance fees) and portfolio company returns.

Who are Varsity's main competitors?

Station F is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Fly Ventures, Speedinvest, Seedcamp, Partech, Kima Ventures, Plug and Play Tech Center, Earlybird Venture Capital, Connect Ventures and LocalGlobe.

Does Varsity have an API?

No public API is recorded for Varsity.

What industry is Varsity in?

Varsity's product category is Seed-stage Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAB, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.