The fund targets late-seed and series A tech startups with the potential to drive innovation in traditional industries. Known for its early investments in e-commerce and traveltech, the fund is now focusing on sectors such as energy, defence, and dual-use technologies.

“We are currently seeing numerous investment opportunities in sectors significantly shaped by global trends and geopolitical developments. We are particularly interested in founders across Europe and the United States who are committed to driving growth and advancing their businesses through transformative technologies,” said Dušan Zábrodský, General Partner at Rockaway Ventures.

Notable investments include Apaleo, a German cloud-native hotel management platform serving clients such as CitizenM and Limehome across 15+ countries; CulturePulse, a US-Slovak startup utilizing AI for behavioural modelling and risk prediction; and Gjirafa, an Albanian e-commerce and media platform that has raised $8.7 million from Rockaway Ventures across two funding rounds.

Renewed appetite for deeptech

After a challenging few years for venture capital, confidence in technology is making a comeback. “The recovery began in 2024 and is continuing this year. One key driver is transformative technology, particularly AI. A few years ago, many investors didn’t fully grasp its potential. Today, we can clearly demonstrate its sector-specific impact – and that’s changing the game,” said Petr Šmíd, General Partner at Rockaway Ventures.

While some funds are catching up with the latest trends, Rockaway Ventures relies on a combination of entrepreneurial experience, strategic focus, and active involvement with founders. “We’re not just capital. We’re entrepreneurs ourselves – we’ve built companies, and we understand what’s around the corner. Founders working with us receive hands-on support in areas like international expansion and scaling,” Šmíd added.

From early bets to a second fund

Rockaway Ventures traces its origins to 2014 when the team began investing without a formal structure, backing early Czech success stories like Productboard and Storyous. The current fund was launched in 2022. About 25% of the capital comes from Rockaway Capital, the parent company of Rockaway Ventures, with the remainder provided by private investors, primarily from Czechia.

The fund currently counts 11 portfolio companies, each demonstrating strong early momentum. Over the next three years, it plans to expand this portfolio with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), which will receive 60% of the investments, while the remaining 40% will go to Western Europe and diaspora-founded startups from Czechia and neighbouring countries now operating in the US. In the long run, Rockaway Ventures aims to support startups across the entire company lifecycle, from pre-seed to growth-stage rounds.

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