Yvonne Bajela has closed a $17 million debut fund for Evertrue Capital, surpassing its initial $13 million target to back early-stage AI and fintech startups across the UK and Europe.
The fund will write average checks of $470,000 (£350,000) and aims to back at least 20 companies over the next three years.
Institutional backers include the British Business Bank, Basecamp (Phoenix Court’s fund-of-funds), Better Society Capital, Bootstrap 4F and Allocator One, alongside founders, operators and venture capital general partners.
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Evertrue Capital is Betting Big on European AI Ecosystem
Yvonne Bajela launched her independent investment firm in February 2026. She previously held roles at Phoenix Court, LocalGlobe and Impact X Capital Partners, as well as Goldman Sachs and the Japanese investment firm Mitsui.
Her investment track record includes fintech giant Wise, insurance startup Marshmallow and mobility fintech Moove. The launch comes as investors seek opportunities in Europe’s AI ecosystem, following the growth of companies such as Lovable, Synthesia and ElevenLabs.
“After more than a decade backing founders who bet everything on their ideas, it felt like time to make a bet of my own,” Bajela told TechCrunch. “I wanted the independence to act on those convictions and build something that reflected my own approach to investing.”
The firm, which has already backed seven companies, will focus on early-stage investing across the U.K. and Europe. The average check size will be around £350,000, she said, and the firm plans to back at least 20 companies over the next three years.
The London-based venture capital firm has already invested in seven companies, including Revion, an AI company for the automotive sector; Poindexter Labs, an AI data and infrastructure firm; and fintech Zuba.
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Banking on Investment Relationships Built Over a Decade
Evertrue Capital secured backing from Phoenix Court, Bajela’s former employer, through its fund-of-funds Basecamp. Other investors include British Business Bank, Better Society Capital, Bootstrap 4F Allocator One, along with founders, business operators, and general partners from Evertrue’s network.
About 80% of Evertrue’s LPs are based in the U.K., with the rest spread across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. She said her international LP base reflects the relationships she’s built “over more than a decade investing across markets.” It also reflects the fund’s global ambition, she said, especially since so many British founders keep their eyes on a U.S. expansion; more than half her portfolio already operates in the U.S.
Evertrue will invest mainly in AI and fintech, adding that she’s “particularly interested in people with a unique insight into a problem, an unusual ability to execute, and the ambition to build something much bigger than their initial product.”
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“I also pay attention to the distance a founder has traveled, what they’ve overcome, and how that has shaped their perspective,” she continued to TechCrunch.
