DIG Ventures, a UK-based early-stage VC fund, has successfully closed its first institutional fund of $100 million, focusing on transformative B2B SaaS, AI, and cloud infrastructure startups across Europe, with selective investments in the US and Israel. The fund is backed by a mix of institutional limited partners, including The Hillman Company, Sofina, Granite Capital, and Grove Street, alongside influential tech founders like Olivier Pomel of Datadog and senior MuleSoft executives.
Founded in 2018 by Ross Mason, who previously founded MuleSoft, and Melissa Klinger, DIG Ventures is known for its operator-led approach, providing not just capital but also operational expertise and networking opportunities to help startups scale globally. With its deep operational insight, DIG Ventures is positioned to support the next generation of globally impactful tech companies emerging from Europe.
The firm often provides the first institutional support for founders, focusing on pre-seed or seed-stage startups with just a product vision.
Talking to TFN, Melissa Klinger, Partner at Dig Ventures, said: “While the UK is a major focus for us, DIG invests across Europe and in select startups from Israel and the US. Some of the best AI talent is coming out of UK universities, and London is fast becoming a global hub for AI, with all the major players opening offices here. But brilliant companies are being built everywhere, and we back top-tier founders wherever they are. We always follow the talent.”
Fills the investment gap in infrastructure
Operator-led funds that genuinely understand what it takes to establish complicated infrastructure companies have long been absent from the European startup scene. Despite the boom in product innovation, many early-stage founders encounter difficulties in implementing GTM strategies, recruiting seasoned personnel, and obtaining funding from US follow-on investors.
Melissa continued: “There’s a gap in the European ecosystem between technical talent and commercial success. We’re bridging this gap. We act as a hands-on partner, not just a source of capital, helping founders with go-to-market strategy, hiring, and scaling. Our aim is to help turn world-class tech into world-class companies.”
DIG seeks to close that gap by providing partners who have scaled and exited tech firms themselves with practical advice in addition to cash.
Ross Mason established the team behind DIG Ventures in 2018 as his family office following the $6.5 billion acquisition of MuleSoft, the integration software business he created, by Salesforce. YPlan creator and former Lightspeed partner Rytis Vitkauskas, Melissa Klinger, the former UK sales lead for MuleSoft, and Scott Grimes, the inventor of Stackin’ and Uproxx (bought by Warner Music), joined Mason. From both sides of the Atlantic, the four-partner team offers unparalleled GTM, product, and scaling knowledge.
How the idea of DIG Ventures was born:
Melissa continued: “After selling MuleSoft to Salesforce, Ross saw firsthand the lack of operational support available to early-stage founders, particularly in Europe. So we joined forces to start DIG, initially as Ross’ family office. After early signs of success, and seeing clear demand for an operator-led venture fund focused on B2B SaaS, cloud infrastructure, and AI, we decided to scale and raise a fund to double down and back the next generation of exceptional founders.”
Based on actual operator experience, this vision currently serves as the foundation for DIG’s strategy, providing practical advice in product positioning, sales execution, and international scaling.
Portfolio of investments
The new fund has already been partially deployed into over 15 B2B SaaS and infrastructure startups. These include:
Dash0: An observability platform founded by Mirko Novakovic, previously the founder of Instana (acquired by IBM).
Nexos.ai: AI orchestration startup founded by Nord Security co-founders, Tomas Okmanas and Eimantas Sabaliauskas.
Bubble: No-code platform enabling users to build web apps without programming.
ComplyAdvantage: RegTech startup offering AML screening and risk intelligence powered by AI.
Rasa: An open-source conversational AI platform enabling custom chatbot development.
Taktile: Decisioning platform for financial services companies to test and deploy business logic.
Rossum: An AI-based intelligent document processing platform transforming how companies handle invoices.
Flock: Insurance technology company offering usage-based insurance for commercial fleets.
Scaling the deeptech future in Europe
In the future, DIG Ventures will likely have a significant influence on the development of Europe’s next wave of infrastructure behemoths. With the support of top-tier LPs, a founder-first strategy, and strong operator DNA, the firm’s goal is to assist European innovators in achieving breakthrough success on their own terms.
Melissa continued: “DIG plans to back the next generation of the most exciting and successful companies in cloud infrastructure, B2B SaaS, and AI. We hope to play a small but mighty part in helping founders build massive businesses that redefine big markets. Our goal is to be the first partner that helps take a company from idea to global scale. We’re also focused on providing an outstanding founder experience and building a strong, supportive community at DIG. This fund is just the beginning, and I’m excited for the future!”
Ross Mason, Partner at DIG Ventures, commented: “We see an enormous opportunity in Europe right now – this is the moment for the next generation of globally impactful tech companies to emerge from Europe. These founders combine deep technical brilliance with a powerful underdog mentality, but the bridge between technical excellence and commercial success is often missing. That’s where DIG comes in. With Fund II, we’re doubling down on our operator-led approach: not just providing capital, but offering the lived experience, Silicon Valley mindset, operational insight, and network needed to go from zero to one. We’re here to help founders turn high-potential technology into companies that scale globally.”
Mirko Novakovic, Founder of Dash0, added: “We chose Dig Ventures because of their unique operating experience scaling a SaaS company to billion-dollar success, combined with the hands-on, entrepreneurial spirit their entire team brings to the table. Their expertise and proactive approach make them exactly the partner Dash0 needs at this critical growth stage.”
Tomas Okmanas, co-founder of Nord Security, commented: “As a serial entrepreneur, I’ve seen every side of the funding landscape – from bootstrapping to major raises. Those experiences have shown me the value of investors who don’t just understand the technical side but have lived the scale-up journey themselves. The DIG team aren’t just investors; they’re in the trenches with us, helping us navigate go-to-market, pricing, and the sales process. Their support is second to none – a true founder’s fund.”
