AI CAPITAL INTELLIGENCE
Keen Venture Partners | Institution profile
Institution at a glance
Keen Venture Partners is a Europe-focused venture capital firm backing early-stage technology companies. Its current themes include AI for small and medium-sized businesses and defence and security; it describes its approach as investing time and support alongside capital. In September 2026, Keen led Cato’s €6 million seed round for AI software serving public-sector sales.
Source verification date: · Keen’s current website describes its investment themes, team and selected portfolio but does not disclose a current fund size in the pages reviewed. The €6 million Cato figure is the company’s total seed round led by Keen, not Keen’s individual contribution. Cato says it had raised €7.6 million in total since founding. Office addresses and the pitch-submission form are published on Keen’s contact page.
Recorded financing connections
- Cato2026-09-07 · Seed · EUR 6,000,000
These are recorded participations, not a complete portfolio or performance score.
Names follow their disclosed form. Descriptive English renderings of Chinese names are not verified legal names. Original quotations are shown in their source language.
Key facts
| Geography | Backs technology founders across Europe. |
|---|---|
| Current areas of interest | AI solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, and defence and security technologies. |
| Investment stage | Focuses on fast-growing European technology companies at relatively early stages. |
| Founder support approach | Keen says it invests time first and money later, sharing its network, experience and capabilities before an investment decision. |
| Current team shown on the firm website | The public roster includes General Partners Briehan Burke, Alexander Ribbink, Ben Verwaayen and Robert Verwaayen, alongside investment, operating and finance team members. |
| Selected portfolio | The firm’s website highlights Cato, Kelluu and AirHub among its active and exited investments. |
Organization background
Keen backs early-stage European technology founders, with current themes in AI for SMEs and defence. The firm says it invests time first, sharing its network and experience before an investment decision. Its current public team roster includes general partners and investment, operating and finance professionals; portfolio examples include Cato, Kelluu and AirHub.
Milestones
- 2026-09-07
Keen announced that it led Cato’s €6 million seed round for AI-enabled public-sector sales software.
Public record
- Cato (September 2026): Keen led the company’s €6 million seed round. Cato says it had raised €7.6 million in total since founding; Keen’s individual contribution was not disclosed.
- Keen lists Cato as an active seed-stage portfolio company headquartered in Milan, with Briehan Burke and Stephanie Davis named as the firm’s contacts for the investment.
Official contact details
- Official website: keenventurepartners.com
- Pitch submission: Online pitch form on the official contact page
- Amsterdam office: Passeerdersgracht 19A, 1016XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- London office: Michelin House, Office 12181, Fulham Road, SW3 6RD London, United Kingdom
- General contact: info@keenventurepartners.com
Sources
- 1. Home · Keen Venture Partners
The radically human venture capital firm.
- 2. Home · Keen Venture Partners
Backing founders building AI solutions for SMEs across Europe.
- 3. Home · Keen Venture Partners
Briehan Burke General Partner
- 4. Home · Keen Venture Partners
Alexander Ribbink General Partner
- 5. Home · Keen Venture Partners
Ben Verwaayen General Partner
- 6. Home · Keen Venture Partners
Robert Verwaayen General Partner
- 7. Home · Keen Venture Partners
Keen: Briehan and Stephanie
- 8. About us · Keen Venture Partners
We invest time first, money later.
- 9. About us · Keen Venture Partners
You're at the (relatively) early stages of your journey.
- 10. Why we invested in Cato
the €6m seed round is led by Keen Venture Partners
- 11. Why we invested in Cato
Cato has raised €7.6m in funding since founding in late 2025
- 12. Contact · Keen Venture Partners
Send us your pitch using the Typeform below:
- 13. Contact · Keen Venture Partners
info@keenventurepartners.com
- 14. Contact · Keen Venture Partners
Passeerdersgracht 19A 1016XG Amsterdam The Netherlands
- 15. Contact · Keen Venture Partners
Michelin House, Office 12181 Fulham Road SW3 6RD London United Kingdom
- 16. Milan-based Cato raises €6 million to automate public tenders
has raised a €6 million Seed round led by Keen Venture Partners