Dutch Early-Stage Fund UNIIQ Reaches 100th Investment After Decade of Innovation Support
The Hague, Tuesday, 10 February 2026.
UNIIQ has achieved a remarkable milestone by completing its 100th investment in ten years of early-stage funding, with portfolio companies securing over €328 million in follow-up financing. The €50 million proof-of-concept fund recently invested in Bactheravax, a colon cancer vaccine developer, marking its centennial deal. An impressive 80% of UNIIQ-backed startups successfully attract subsequent funding rounds within three years, demonstrating the fund’s effectiveness in nurturing Dutch innovations from life sciences to quantum computing technologies like QuantWare.
Celebrating a Decade of Strategic Early-Stage Investment
UNIIQ announced its 100th investment on February 9, 2026, marking exactly ten years since the fund began operations [1]. This milestone investment was a participation in Bactheravax, which develops a vaccine concept for improving the treatment of colon cancer [1]. The €50 million proof-of-concept fund has established itself as a specialist in early-stage financing throughout Zuid-Holland and the Netherlands, focusing particularly on startups in life sciences, deeptech, and the hightech industry [1]. The achievement represents a significant milestone in the Dutch innovation ecosystem, demonstrating the sustained commitment to nurturing breakthrough technologies from their earliest developmental stages.
Impressive Track Record of Follow-Up Funding Success
The fund’s success extends far beyond the number of investments made. UNIIQ-backed companies have collectively raised over €328 million in follow-up funding throughout the fund’s decade of operations [1]. Perhaps more tellingly, approximately 80% of UNIIQ companies secure a follow-up round within three years of the initial investment [1]. This success rate demonstrates the fund’s ability to identify promising technologies and provide the crucial early-stage capital that enables startups to develop their concepts to the point where larger investors become willing to participate. The fund helps entrepreneurs in Zuid-Holland bring innovations to the market by providing critical proof-of-concept funding when traditional investors remain hesitant to commit [1].
Portfolio Spans Quantum Computing to Medical Innovation
UNIIQ’s diverse portfolio showcases the breadth of Dutch innovation across multiple high-technology sectors. QuantWare from Delft received early investment from UNIIQ in 2021 and develops chip technology for quantum computers [1]. In the medical technology sector, VarmX, a medtech company based in Leiden, is developing a treatment for patients using blood thinners and has progressed to a phase-3 clinical study financed by CSL [1]. The fund has also supported Smart-Ship, which contributes to safer and more efficient sailing with haptic technology [1]. These examples illustrate how UNIIQ’s early-stage investments span from cutting-edge quantum computing hardware to life-saving medical treatments, reflecting the diverse innovation landscape in the Netherlands.
Strategic Approach to Early-Stage Innovation Funding
The fund’s approach emphasizes the critical importance of simplicity and structure in early-stage investments. Jasper Geselschap, fund manager at UNIIQ, explains that the fund specializes in early-stage financing in the Netherlands and understands the challenges founder teams face during this crucial phase [1]. According to Geselschap, success begins with simplicity: “a clear structure, a manageable cap table and the right team at the right time. Especially in that early phase, such choices make the difference” [1]. Rob Overdijk, Director of Erasmus MC Holding, emphasizes UNIIQ’s effectiveness stems from working “with in-depth technical expertise from both knowledge institutions and the market,” helping to actively translate scientific knowledge into applicable innovations so that valuable insights actually find their way to businesses and society [1]. This integrated collaboration model has proven particularly effective in the early stage of technology development.