Wellness

The Calm / Storm 2 fund is a dedicated early‑stage venture capital vehicle established by Calm/Storm Ventures out of Austria, designed to invest across the health‑tech and wellbeing space in Europe. With a final close around €30 million, the fund seeks to partner with startup founders driving meaningful innovation in prevention, diagnostics, digital health tools and infrastructure for large healthcare systems. Unlike many health‑tech investors who wait until later stages, this fund is committed to getting in very early—pre‑seed, seed and occasionally post‑seed—taking meaningful stakes and often leading rounds alongside a strong network of co‑investors. It emphasises partnership, mentorship and ecosystem building as much as capital. Diversity and purpose are core to its philosophy: Calm/Storm emphasises founding teams from under‑represented backgrounds, and invests in areas often overlooked (e.g., fertility, mental health, sexual wellness, chronic conditions) where innovation can have disproportionate impact. The fund thus aims for both financial return and societal benefit. The fund will deploy capital across primarily European companies (with at least ~75% of investees registered in Europe at the time of investment) and aims for average ticket sizes of around €500 k, roughly double that of its predecessor fund. It expects to lead or co‑lead 30‑40 investments, leveraging its community of founders and ecosystem of LPs to create access, scale and value.

IRIS Fund II is the second fund from Barcelona-based IRIS Ventures, a sector-specialist firm focused on the modern consumer. With nearly €100 million raised in a rapid first close, the fund aims to reach €200 million in total commitments. Backed largely by European family offices, the vehicle reinforces IRIS Ventures' long-term commitment to purpose-driven consumer brands. The fund specifically targets high-growth companies in wellness, nutrition, beauty, personal care, longevity, and modern lifestyle. In contrast to many contemporary funds pursuing AI and deep tech, IRIS Fund II is deliberately positioned outside that trend, doubling down on brand-led consumer businesses with scalable digital commerce models and strong unit economics. IRIS Fund II plans to deploy between €5 million and €20 million per investment across 12–15 companies over the next four years. The fund will focus on growth-stage businesses with proven market traction, offering active support through five-year partnerships and typically two board seats per company. Its model is founder-friendly but hands-on, focused on scaling operations, products, and global reach. Geographically, the fund will invest approximately 80% of its capital in Europe and 20% in the United States. IRIS Fund II builds on the experience of the firm’s first €100 million fund (2021), which created a portfolio of 12 companies, including Olistic, Essentialist, Maurten, Healf, and Artemest. This second vehicle intends to scale that thesis further, maintaining a tight focus on consumer categories poised for global growth.

The Libra Hybrid Capital Fund is a private credit vehicle launched by Granite Asia, a Singapore-based multi-asset investment platform. The fund has secured over US$250 million in anchor commitments from leading Asian sovereign wealth funds, general partners, and a network of founders and entrepreneurs. With a target size of US$500 million, the fund aims to provide non-dilutive capital to mid-market companies across the Asia-Pacific region. Libra focuses on offering secured loans with a defensive risk profile, targeting established businesses that are profitable or have positive cash flow. These companies span various sectors, including those undergoing digital transformation or pursuing growth through acquisitions. The fund leverages Granite Asia's technology ecosystem and operational expertise to deliver stable cash yields and enhanced returns. Managed by partners Ming Eng and Roger Zhang, the fund is part of Granite Asia's broader strategy to support a diverse range of businesses that form the backbone of Asia's economy. By providing flexible, non-dilutive financing solutions, Libra aims to bridge funding gaps for companies scaling within and across the region.

Roark Capital Partners VII is the flagship private equity vehicle of Roark Capital, targeting $5 billion to fuel its strategy of investing in franchise and multi-location consumer-facing businesses. The fund builds on Roark’s extensive experience in the consumer, services, and franchise sectors, where it has backed brands such as Arby’s, Dunkin’, and Subway. With more than half of its target already raised, Fund VII reflects robust investor confidence in Roark’s disciplined buy-and-build approach. The fund’s core strategy is centered around acquiring platform businesses with strong brand equity and accelerating growth through consolidation and operational improvement. Roark specializes in supporting management teams in scaling their networks, improving unit economics, and expanding footprints across geographies. Fund VII will continue this strategy with a particular focus on multi-brand platforms and growth-stage operators with potential for franchising. Roark Capital aims to deploy capital through control-oriented buyouts, platform acquisitions, and select growth partnerships. Target companies typically exhibit predictable cash flows, high customer retention, and potential for franchise replication. The fund also allows for meaningful add-on activity to bolster existing platforms, with a focus on building category leaders in fragmented industries. Fund VII reinforces Roark’s positioning within the large-cap private equity space. As fundraising continues, the firm is expected to pursue investments across North America, leveraging its operational playbook, brand development expertise, and longstanding LP relationships. The vehicle is designed to generate value through scale, network effects, and the continued expansion of its consumer and franchise-driven ecosystem. The fund aims to partner with strong operating teams, acquire businesses with predictable cash‑flows, scalable platforms and well‑positioned brands, and drive long‑term value creation through operational improvement and growth initiatives. With approximately US$5 billion in commitments, the fund targets companies typically generating revenues from around US$20 million up to US$5 billion or more, and EBITDA from roughly US$10 million up to US$500 million or above. The principal geographic focus is North America, with select international franchise‑oriented opportunities, and sectors include restaurants, health & wellness, fitness, youth/education services, consumer products and business services.