Celebrity Backers in Europe's Startups: Ten Notable Deals
EU-Startups has compiled ten celebrity-backed European startup deals, including investments linked to Mbappé, DiCaprio and Beckham. In many cases the celebrity's own contribution was not disclosed.
Celebrities are increasingly investing in European startups, with their interest covering artificial intelligence, digital healthcare, clean energy and biotechnology. EU-Startups, a news site covering Europe's startup sector, has published a roundup of ten notable deals. It cites publicly reported investment amounts, funding rounds or financing arrangements, depending on what has been disclosed.
Who is on the list
Kylian Mbappé, the French footballer who plays for Real Madrid, became an investor and ambassador for Paris-based health-tech company Alan in March 2026. The company raised €100 million that month, bringing its valuation to about €5 billion. Mbappé's personal contribution was not disclosed.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio invested in Barcelona climate-tech startup SolarMente in 2024, but the company went bankrupt in April 2026. This week he invested an undisclosed amount in Stockholm-based Elvy. Actress Emma Watson joined the investors in London biotech startup FabricNano in 2021, and basketball player Pau Gasol backed Madrid AI startup Luzia through his investment vehicle.
The list also includes Elton John (music technology startup Audoo), streamer Ibai Llanos together with Gerard Piqué (Plesh, a Barcelona maker of sugar-free chocolate snacks), rapper Snoop Dogg (Berlin cannabis company Sanity Group), tennis player Novak Djokovic (Vienna-based waterdrop), footballer Diogo Dalot (London supplements startup Bioniq) and David Beckham (esports organisation Guild Esports).
Main takeaway
The author stresses that a celebrity's participation in a multimillion-euro round does not mean the celebrity put in the full amount. Famous backers can also offer young companies networks, visibility and opportunities beyond conventional funding. The author expects celebrity-backed startups to remain a visible part of Europe's innovation scene.
