Early-stage VC, Madrid + Paris

Samaipata

Venture capital firm · Madrid · Founded 2016

Quick read

Samaipata is an early-stage pan-European VC founded in 2016 and headquartered in Madrid, Spain. Founded by two operators — José del Barrio (co-founder of La Nevera Roja) and Eduardo Díez-Hochleitner (ex-Apax, founder of IMM Sound) — the firm backs digital platforms with network effects at Seed and Series A. In March 2026 it launched its third fund targeting €110M, with a sharpened focus on AI-native companies.

Key facts

Founded
2016
Founders
José del Barrio, Eduardo Díez-Hochleitner
Employees
10-20
Sectors
marketplace, consumer, ai
Website
samaipata.vc

Investment thesis

Samaipata backs early-stage European founders building digital platforms with network effects — marketplaces, consumer tech, and AI-native businesses — at Seed and Series A, with the conviction that the best globally relevant companies can be built from Europe.

Recent activity

  • Jun 2026product
    Samaipata launched an Operating Partner network, recruiting 15 executives from Airbnb, Microsoft, Google, and N26 to advise portfolio startups on growth, technology, and mental health. The network is part of a broader support platform the firm calls Founder Success. capital-riesgo.es
  • Early 2026investment
    Samaipata made 1 new investment in the first two months of 2026, following 4 investments across the full year of 2025. Total portfolio stands at 43 companies over 11 years. tracxn.com
  • Early 2026investment
    Samaipata participated in Veremark's Series B round. Amount undisclosed in available data. tracxn.com
  • 2026leadership
    Samaipata posted an open role for an Investment Manager to join the team, signalling headcount growth at the firm. linkedin.com
  • 2026investment
    Samaipata led a €5 million seed round in Genesy, an AI-powered B2B sales agent platform that autonomously identifies and engages potential customers. zoominfo.com
  • Mar 2026fundraise
    Samaipata launched Fund III (Samaipata III), targeting €110M with a first close at €70M. Anchor LPs include Spain's SETT and Germany's KfW, alongside Spanish family offices and founders from prior Samaipata-backed companies. The fund targets 25–30 early-stage AI-native startups, primarily in B2B markets, across Spain, Germany, France, and the UK. tech.eu
  • Jan 2026press
    Samaipata became the first Spanish fund to partner with Anthropic to boost generative AI capabilities across its portfolio holdings. tracxn.com
  • 2025press
    Samaipata closed 2025 with 13 investments, including 3 new portfolio companies and 10 follow-on investments. Fund II reached a ~60% graduation rate to Series A. The firm launched The Samaipata Podcast, which hit 13,000 listeners, and hosted its Annual Summit — Return on Intelligence. samaipata.substack.com
  • Mar 2026fundraise
    Launched Samaipata III, targeting €110M with a first close at €70M. Anchor LPs include Spain's SETT and Germany's KfW, plus Spanish family offices and founders from Fund I and Fund II reinvesting. eu-startups.com
  • Feb 2026investment
    Led a funding round into Veremark, a global background-screening platform, as part of its £19M raise. tracxn.com
  • Jan 2026press
    Named first Spanish fund to partner with Anthropic to bring generative AI capabilities to its portfolio holdings. tracxn.com
  • 2025investment
    Participated in Matera's €35M Series B alongside Mubadala Capital, Bpifrance, Burda Principal Investments, and Index Ventures. zoominfo.com

Notable investments

Key people

Named individuals at the firm. We don't expose direct email or phone — use their LinkedIn for outreach.

  • José del Barrio · Founding Partner
    LinkedIn
  • Eduardo Díez-Hochleitner · Co-founder & Chairman
  • Luis Garay · Partner
  • Judit Lerch · Team Member
    LinkedIn
  • Aurélien Tardieu · Partner

Sources

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Frequently asked

What is Samaipata?+

Samaipata is an early-stage pan-European VC founded in 2016 and headquartered in Madrid, Spain. Founded by two operators — José del Barrio (co-founder of La Nevera Roja) and Eduardo Díez-Hochleitner (ex-Apax, founder of IMM Sound) — the firm backs digital platforms with network effects at Seed and Series A.

Where is Samaipata headquartered?+

Samaipata is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.

When was Samaipata founded?+

Samaipata was founded in 2016 by José del Barrio, Eduardo Díez-Hochleitner.

What sectors does Samaipata invest in?+

Samaipata focuses on marketplace, consumer, ai. They primarily invest in these sectors.

How do I prepare for a meeting with Samaipata?+

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Generated by briefthecall.com from public web sources. Last updated July 9, 2026. Each claim is linked to its source above.

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