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Ivaylo Simov is the Founding Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Eleven Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Sofia, Bulgaria. He co-founded the firm in 2012 alongside Daniel Tomov after spending over a decade in corporate finance and investment banking, including a tenure as Director of Corporate Finance at Bulbrokers. Under his leadership, Eleven Ventures has backed more than 150 startups across Central and Eastern Europe and closed a €60 million third fund in 2022. Simov has directed investments into notable regional technology companies such as Payhawk, DRONAMICS, and SMSBump, while also facilitating a joint financial technology initiative with VISA. Drawing on his degree from Sofia University and more than twenty years of private equity experience, his current investment strategy focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage opportunities within the fintech, healthcare, and climate sectors.
Ivaylo Simov is a distinguished Partner at Eleven Ventures, a leading early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Bulgaria. In this pivotal role, Ivaylo is deeply involved in the entire investment lifecycle, from deal sourcing and due diligence to portfolio management and strategic guidance for founders. His expertise is critical in identifying high-potential technology startups that align with Eleven Ventures' mission to foster innovation and growth in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) ecosystem.
Eleven Ventures is renowned for its commitment to supporting ambitious entrepreneurs, and Ivaylo Simov embodies this ethos. He actively seeks out companies developing groundbreaking solutions in areas such as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), artificial intelligence (AI), fintech, healthtech, and deep tech. His investment philosophy centers on backing strong founding teams with scalable business models and a clear vision for market leadership. Ivaylo understands the unique challenges and opportunities within the CEE tech landscape, leveraging his insights to help portfolio companies navigate their growth trajectories.
Before joining Eleven Ventures, Ivaylo Simov cultivated a robust career background that equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of business development, strategy, and operational excellence. While specific details of his prior roles are often part of a broader professional journey, it is common for Partners at leading VC firms to have experience in entrepreneurship, management consulting, or senior operational roles within fast-growing technology companies. This diverse experience allows him to provide invaluable mentorship and strategic advice to the startups he invests in, helping them refine their product market fit, scale operations, and secure subsequent funding rounds.
As a Partner, Ivaylo plays a significant role in the success of Eleven Ventures' portfolio. While individual investment decisions are often collaborative within the fund, Ivaylo is instrumental in championing promising ventures and contributing to their strategic development. Eleven Ventures has a track record of investing in companies that go on to achieve significant milestones, and Ivaylo's contributions are vital in identifying these future leaders. He is dedicated to building strong relationships with founders, acting as a trusted advisor who helps transform innovative ideas into market-leading businesses. His work at Eleven Ventures reinforces the firm's position as a key player in the European venture capital landscape, driving technological advancement and economic growth in the region.
Ivaylo Simov is a Partner at Eleven Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund based in Bulgaria. He focuses on investing in and supporting promising technology startups.
Ivaylo Simov primarily invests in early-stage technology companies across the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. His focus areas include SaaS, AI, fintech, healthtech, and deep tech.
Ivaylo Simov works as a Partner at Eleven Ventures, a venture capital firm with its headquarters in Bulgaria.
