Gi21 Capital is a Prague-based, entrepreneur-led investment firm that provides capital and strategic support to high-growth, technical startups, with a specialized focus on AI infrastructure, B2B software, robotics, and DeepTech across Europe and the US. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Gi21 Capital founder Damir Špoljarič to learn more.
Damir Špoljarič’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Špoljarič said:
“I am a lifelong technology entrepreneur and the Founder and Managing Partner of Gi21, a technology investment firm managing a diverse portfolio of nearly 30 companies. My primary mission today is spearheading the development of the most advanced AI data center platform in the EU, building the critical infrastructure required for the future of computing.”
“My journey began as a teenager in the Czech Republic, coding within the first community network. I later left university to found VSHosting in 2006, which we grew into a regional datacenter with 100% uptime for over 10 years, hosting two-thirds of the Czech and Slovak e-commerce market and becoming the largest managed infrastructure provider in Central Europe. This success led to a series of strategic exits between 2020 and 2022 to Contabo Group and KKR, while I continue to lead the company as CEO.”
“My business reach extends into the skies as a Commercial Captain. Aviation is not just a passion but a core part of my portfolio through Alpha Aviation, one of the region’s largest business aviation firms. Whether in the cockpit or the boardroom, my focus remains the same: precision, scalability, and building high-performance systems from the ground up.”
Evolution Of The Firm’s Thesis
How has your firm’s thesis evolved over time? Špoljarič shared:
“Gi21 has evolved from a family office into a founder-first firm driven by an operator’s DNA. We built the vehicle I wish I’d had at 17, one that offers the speed of a founder and the patience of permanent capital. By investing our own money, we eliminate LP pressure, allowing us to back ambitious DeepTech and AI teams for the long haul. This approach has scaled our portfolio to 25 companies now worth over $4 billion.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of your firm’s most significant milestones? Špoljarič cited:
“A defining milestone for us was being an integral part of a hosting/cloud company unicorn’s exit story. For Gi21, this wasn’t just a financial transaction; we were deeply involved beyond the traditional investor role, providing strategic guidance and operational support throughout the journey. This experience solidified our ability to not only identify global leaders but to actively help build them.”
Investment Success Stories
Would you like to share any specific investment success stories? Špoljarič highlighted:
“We’ve had an excellent run in the last twelve months. Edmund AI, which is building an AI-driven and hardware-agnostic troubleshooting platform for industrial production lines, closed a €2.5 million round this April. Last October, we participated in a €3 million round for Boost.space, the Czech SaaS data integration platform. That round is currently supporting their entry into the U.S. market. Shortly after, Ranketta netted €1 million in pre-seed funding for its visibility platform that enables brands to better harness AI search and AI shopping results. There are even more funding rounds with our startups currently in progress.”
AUM And Other Metrics
Can you discuss total AUM or any other notable metrics? Špoljarič revealed:
“Because we exclusively invest our own capital and do not rely on traditional limited partners (LPs), we don’t fixate on traditional AUM in the way a standard venture capital firm would. However, our core metrics speak to the scale at which we are operating. Our portfolio of 25 active companies currently represents a combined valuation of over $4 billion. We have successfully managed five exits, leveraging our own M&A experience to ensure our founders achieve the best possible outcomes. In parallel, we are deploying significant capital into infrastructure, with an initiative focused on developing 100MW renewable-energy data center projects, laying the physical foundation for European AI scalability.”
Industry Focus
What are some of the industries that your firm is focused on? Špoljarič pointed out:
“I believe that proper alignment with startups requires actually understanding the tech stack, so we only invest where we have relevant experience: B2B software, robotics, infrastructure, DeepTech, AI, and aviation. We’re also highly focused on AI infrastructure in Europe, and are launching an AI Data Center Infrastructure fund to build the most reliable, high-density digital infrastructure portfolio on the continent. Our initial project consists of AI data centers that will run on 100% renewable energy and are expected to be operational in 2028.”
Differentiation
What differentiates your firm from others? Špoljarič emphasized:
“There are several major differentiators. We don’t have limited partners. We only invest our own capital, which functionally eliminates the corporate bureaucracy, deadlined fund lifecycles, and the standard-issue structural flaws of your traditional VC. Our decades of hosting and operating experience informs not just the type of startups we choose to work with but our data center infrastructure projects. We’ll never build infrastructure and then sell it off. We’re going to operate it well before we sell. We’re also highly involved with our startups. When we invest, we reverse-engineer a startup’s eventual exit and make our extensive networks, investment community, and resources available to them along the way.”
Challenges Faced
What are some of the challenges you faced while working at the firm? Špoljarič acknowledged:
“Our biggest recurring challenge is navigating the transition from a product-centric to a market-centric organization. We often partner with brilliant technical founders who operate under the ‘build it and they will come’ philosophy. The obstacle isn’t just building a sales team; it’s a fundamental mindset shift. Because we are operators ourselves, we don’t just advise, we embed ourselves in the process. We bridge the gap by co-designing their go-to-market strategies and implementing repeatable sales engines, ensuring their technical innovation is matched by commercial excellence.”
Future Goals
What are some of your firm’s future goals? Špoljarič concluded:
“Right now we’re focused on getting the two data centers up and running in 2029. That project is the opening salvo of our goal to build sovereign, heavily de-risked infrastructure that allows European AI adoption to scale without bottleneck. We’re serious about keeping Europe from losing the AI race. Our long-term vision also includes arts patronage, directly supporting cultural institutions like Museum Kampa, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and the Czech Philharmonic.”
