HIRO Capital Welcomes Sir Nick Clegg as General Partner for HIRO III Fund Launch

HIRO Capital Welcomes Sir Nick Clegg as General Partner and Launches HIRO III

In a significant move for the European tech investment landscape, HIRO Capital has announced the launch of its latest venture capital fund, HIRO III, aimed at supporting scale-ups in the fields of spatial AI, robotics, longevity, gaming, aerospace, and defense. This new initiative is marked by the inclusion of Sir Nick Clegg as a general partner. Sir Nick, known for his past roles as the President of Global Affairs at META and as the former Deputy Prime Minister of the UK, joins a team already boasting an impressive track record in nurturing innovative start-ups.

HIRO III is structured as a multi-stage venture capital fund capable of investing between €5 million and €50 million in promising companies, addressing the significant funding gap particularly prevalent in the UK and European tech ecosystems. This launch comes at a vital time as businesses in Europe face challenges in scaling up due to a lack of vast financial resources.

The founder trio behind HIRO, consisting of Luke Alvarez, Cherry Freeman, and Sir Ian Livingstone CBE, brings a wealth of entrepreneurial success to the table. Together, they have orchestrated multiple successful company exits and public offerings totaling over €10 billion. Their extensive experience in the tech and investment sectors underpins HIRO's mission to foster innovation and growth.

Sir Nick Clegg emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating that he joined HIRO due to a shared belief in the rise of immersive computing and spatial AI. He commented, “We are on the cusp of a technological revolution where we will no longer just view the internet but live within it. The convergence of space technologies and next-generation world model AI marks the beginning of a crucial platform shift.” Unlike other funds, HIRO is singularly focused on these transformative themes, exclusively within the European context.

The strategic partnerships formed through HIRO III not only spotlight Sir Nick but also incorporate a new advisory board packed with global thought leaders in technology. This board will provide expertise across the fund's four core areas: Spatial AI and Cloud, Autonomy and Robotics, Aerospace and Defense, and Augmentation and Longevity.

Among the newly appointed advisory members is Professor Yann LeCun, a Turing Award laureate and former Chief Scientist at Meta, who expressed enthusiasm about the exciting developments in AI. He highlighted the emergence of systems capable of understanding the physical world, possessing permanent memory, and planning complex actions, marking a new era in artificial intelligence. LeCun insisted that HIRO’s leading position in spatial technologies puts it in an excellent position to take advantage of this wave of innovation.

The diverse expertise of the advisory board includes leaders such as Malcolm Turnbull, former Prime Minister of Australia and a prominent tech investor, as well as Major Tim Peake, the first British ESA astronaut. Other members include top executives and researchers from renowned institutions, reinforcing HIRO’s commitment to fostering cutting-edge technologies.

Luke Alvarez, Managing Partner at HIRO, welcomed Sir Nick Clegg and the other advisory members, highlighting the unprecedented pace of technological innovation spurred by the growing fusion of computing, physical interactions, and autonomous agents. Alvarez remarked, “At this stage, we are confident in Europe's potential to be at the forefront of the tech industry and are committed to contributing passionately to the success of the UK and European tech ecosystems.”

HIRO Capital’s dedication to supporting founders and innovators within the broader Europe+ region—which encompasses the EU, UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Ukraine—positions it as a key player in this evolving market. Emphasizing positivity and a forward-looking stance, HIRO aims to drive a wave of societal advancements accelerated by technology.

With plans to announce its first round of investments from HIRO III in 2026, the venture capital firm is poised to play an influential role in shaping the future of technology in Europe.

For more information about HIRO Capital and its ventures, visit HIRO Capital.