Evertrue Capital Launches $17M Fund to Boost Early-Stage AI and Fintech Startups in Europe

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Yvonne Bajela’s Evertrue Capital closes an oversubscribed $17 million debut fund to invest in early-stage AI and fintech startups across the UK and Europe, targeting at least 20 companies in three years.

Veteran venture capitalist Yvonne Bajela has officially launched Evertrue Capital, debuting a $17 million oversubscribed Fund I aimed at backing early-stage startups in AI and fintech across the UK and Europe. After more than a decade investing in prominent companies like Wise and Marshmellow at firms including LocalGlobe and Impact X Capital Partners, Bajela sought independence to invest according to her own convictions, announcing the fund on November 3, 2026.

Evertrue Capital plans to make approximately 20 investments over the next three years, with average check sizes near £350,000. The fund has already invested in seven startups and will prioritize founders with unique insights, exceptional execution abilities, and ambitions to build impactful businesses beyond their initial products.

Bajela was inspired by the current AI boom, which she believes has democratized the ability to build startups but keeps enduring innovation rare. She highlighted that the UK, especially hubs like King’s Cross, is experiencing a resurgence in globally significant tech ventures, citing companies such as Revolut, Synthesia, ElevenLabs, and CuspAI as examples redefining success in the region.

Despite challenges faced by emerging fund managers—particularly difficulties in fundraising and a concentrated investment landscape—Evertrue secured backing from five institutional investors, including the British Business Bank and Basecamp, the fund-of-funds arm of Phoenix Court. It was part of the British Business Bank's £400 million Investor Pathways initiative supporting first-time fund managers.

Bajela emphasized that the $17 million fund size was a strategic choice, sufficient to build meaningful positions in high-conviction startups without pressure to deploy capital hastily. About 80% of the fund’s limited partners are UK-based, with the remainder distributed across Europe, Asia, and the US, reflecting both Bajela’s extensive international network and the global ambitions of the portfolio startups—over half of which already operate in the United States.

Throughout her career, including roles at Goldman Sachs and Mitsui in Japan, Bajela noticed talent and ambition are widely distributed. She is committed to backing founders who have overcome significant challenges, shaping their perspectives and fueling their drive to create enduring businesses.

With Evertrue Capital, Bajela aims to be recognized for the quality of founders and companies she supports, investing primarily in sectors with transformative technology potential like AI and fintech. This fund launch marks an important milestone for Europe’s startup ecosystem amid a competitive global investment market.