Amsterdam, September 24, 2026 – Pension fund ABP is investing €250 million in the Scaleup Europe Fund, alongside other founding investors, including the European Commission. Through this investment, ABP is increasing its exposure to European venture capital. The fund provides access to high-growth technology companies and supports ABP’s ambition to invest approximately €1 billion in this asset class over the next three years.
Delivering attractive returns for participants remains ABP’s primary objective. Europe has a strong foundation of knowledge, innovation, and entrepreneurship, yet many promising companies struggle to secure sufficient growth capital as they scale. According to ABP, this funding gap creates attractive opportunities for long-term investors.
Through the Scaleup Europe Fund, ABP will gain indirect exposure to European technology companies operating in strategic sectors, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology, energy technology, space technology, and medical technology. European investment manager EQT has been selected as fund manager and investment adviser.
With a target size of €5 billion, the Scaleup Europe Fund will become the largest fund of its kind in Europe. The initiative emerged from a collaboration between the European Commission and a group of major European institutional investors. The fund focuses on late-stage growth companies seeking substantial capital to expand internationally.
Harmen van Wijnen, Chair of the Executive Board of ABP: "Our primary responsibility is to deliver a good pension for our participants. This investment supports that objective. We see attractive return opportunities in a market where many innovative companies struggle to access sufficient growth capital. By investing selectively in these businesses, we expect to create long-term value for our participants."
Van Wijnen also points to a broader trend in Europe:
"Europe is home to exceptional talent, knowledge, and technology. Yet too many successful growth companies still move to other markets to secure financing. Greater availability of capital can help ensure that innovation, economic value creation, and jobs remain in Europe. The Scaleup Europe Fund contributes to that goal."
The investment forms part of ABP’s phased build-out of its venture capital portfolio. Over the next three years, the pension fund expects to commit approximately €1 billion to European venture capital funds, subject to market conditions and investment opportunities. By investing through multiple fund managers and strategies, ABP is gradually building expertise while maintaining a well-diversified portfolio.
