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How one venture firm is investing in an increasingly fragmented world
The world today is riven by cultural differences, political divisions, and geopolitical disputes — a challenging environment for any investor hunting for startups that can grow large enough to deliver venture-scale returns.
Kompas VC has developed a regionally sensitive strategy to help it navigate, and invest in, this fragmented world. And it’s putting fresh capital towards this approach with a new €160 million fund ($187.5 million), the firm told TechCrunch.
“We see the world really falling into three main spheres of economic activity, of political activity — the U.S., Europe, and China,” Sebastian Peck, partner at Kompas VC, told TechCrunch. “We certainly see today that these three domains follow very, very different trajectories.”
Kompas has staked its reputation on backing startups that tackle core industrial competitiveness challenges, from manufacturing and supply chains to critical infrastructure and sustainability. Those themes haven’t disappeared, but different regions emphasize them to varying degrees.
“There was a lot of enthusiasm around these themes back in 2021,” Peck said. “In 2026, we’re in a very, very different paradigm. It’s all about AI, it’s all about fast growth, very explosive growth. A lot of big topics that we partially play to but also are not really part of what we stand for.”
“Our focus is in the physical world, anything around producing physical goods,” he added, saying that Kompas focuses on startups working on decarbonization, productivity, and risk management. “We’ve found our niche.”
That niche turns out to be pretty broad. Reshoring is en vogue in nearly every market, and depending on the startup, those markets typically have more than enough scale for a firm like Kompas.
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Though dwarfed by some venture funds these days, Kompas’s newly raised second fund should give it ample opportunity to lead early stage rounds with checks ranging from €3 million to €5 million.
As a European fund, Kompas has access to a range of founders and startups in the region. But it must weigh how global fragmentation might limit the potential for some to deliver venture returns. Peck cites prefab housing as an example. The approach is widely used in Scandinavian countries, but it isn’t as common in Germany or the rest of Europe, let alone the United States.
“It feels like such an intuitive solution. It’s a product that is effectively an industrial product. It should be highly scalable,” he said. Ultimately, the reason it doesn’t resonate outside Scandinavia has more to do with “cultural conditioning” than the technology itself, he said. “In that industry, if the U.S. isn’t the market you can go to, you need to look very, very carefully at whether there’s a large enough addressable market.”
The fragmentation extends beyond housing. For example, in Europe, sustainability is still broadly attractive, in contrast to the U.S., where the theme doesn’t have the cachet it did several years ago.
Still, a lot can change quickly, Peck acknowledges. “We are investing over 10-, 15-year horizons. That’s a few legislative periods to bridge, and sometimes things swing in unexpected directions.”
The shifting landscape poses a challenge, but also an opportunity for a smaller investor like Kompas. “I think there’s a great space for highly focused, highly specialized, smaller funds like ours to be the first check-in and bring sweep up certain themes and certain founders,” Peck said.
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Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen have secured the permanent signing of London-born Nigerian striker Toyosi Olusanya, with the forward committing his future to the club on a two-year contract after an impressive loan spell.
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Sports247 reports that the 28-year-old joins the Dons as a free agent following the expiration of his contract with Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo. His arrival marks another key addition to manager Stephen Robinson’s rebuilding project ahead of the new season.
Olusanya spent the second half of the previous campaign on loan at Aberdeen, where he quickly adapted to life in Scottish football.
During his stint, he made 18 appearances across all competitions and contributed three goal involvements, earning the confidence of the coaching staff and convincing the club to pursue a permanent deal.
The striker’s work rate, physical presence, and attacking versatility made him a valuable option during his loan spell, and Aberdeen will be hoping he can build on that foundation as they prepare for the challenges of the upcoming Premiership campaign.
His signing represents the fifth addition to Robinson’s squad during the summer transfer window as the club continues to strengthen its roster with an eye on domestic success and improved performances across all competitions.
Born in London and eligible to represent Nigeria, Olusanya has enjoyed a career spanning English football and Major League Soccer before making the move north of the border.
The permanent transfer offers him the opportunity to continue his development in a familiar environment after settling into the team during his loan period.
For Aberdeen, retaining a player who already understands the club’s style and expectations provides continuity as they reshape the squad for the new season.
Supporters will be eager to see the Nigerian forward translate his promising displays into consistent goals and assists over the course of the campaign.
With his future now secured at Pittodrie, Olusanya begins the next chapter of his career aiming to establish himself as a key figure in Aberdeen’s attack and help the club compete strongly in the Scottish Premiership.
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