Yvonne Bajela Launches $17M Evertrue Capital Fund to Back Pre-Seed AI and Frontier Tech

Yvonne Bajela has closed a $17 million debut fund for Evertrue Capital, targeting pre-seed AI and frontier technology startups across the UK and Europe. For fintech professionals, this represents a significant injection of early-stage capital from an investor with a track record of identifying unicorns like Wise before they reach market consensus.

What was announced

Evertrue Capital has successfully closed its oversubscribed $17 million debut fund, specifically designed to support pre-seed founders in the UK and Europe. The fund focuses on AI and frontier technology, moving away from high-volume portfolio strategies in favour of a concentrated number of investments each year. The vehicle is backed by a mix of institutional and strategic investors, including Phoenix Court through its Basecamp fund of funds, the British Business Bank, Better Society Capital, Bootstrap 4F (Invest in Women Taskforce), and Allocator One.

The fund has already deployed capital into seven companies. Notable early investments include Zuba, a fintech firm building infrastructure for global businesses, and Revion, which develops agentic AI for the automotive sector. Other portfolio members include Poindexter Labs, an AI efficiency lab, and Zaro, a shared knowledge layer for enterprises. Despite their early stage, half of these companies have already launched operations in the United States, demonstrating a rapid scaling trajectory from their European origins. The fund’s network of founders, operators, and general partners provides hands-on support alongside capital, aiming to assist founders with deep problem expertise before their solutions become obvious to the broader market.

"Over the past decade, I’ve backed founders who went on to build billion-dollar companies, and almost none of them looked obvious at the start. The ones I’m drawn to understand a problem deeply, often from lived experience, and have the conviction and discipline to build around it. They don’t always fit a familiar pattern, but their insight gives them an edge others can’t yet see."

Yvonne Bajela, Founder and General Partner at Evertrue Capital

The companies involved

Evertrue Capital is led by Yvonne Bajela, who previously served as a Partner at Phoenix Court. Phoenix Court is a prominent fixture in the European venture landscape, acting as the home for established investment arms LocalGlobe and Latitude. Bajela’s personal investment history includes early stakes in major fintech and mobility players such as Wise, Moove, and Marshmallow.

The fund’s institutional backing includes the British Business Bank, the UK’s economic development bank, which frequently anchors funds aimed at bridging finance gaps in the domestic ecosystem. Better Society Capital and Allocator One also support the vehicle, alongside Bootstrap 4F, which is associated with the Invest in Women Taskforce. This coalition of backers highlights Evertrue’s position at the intersection of institutional support and specialized emerging management. The fund leverages a network of operators and GPs to provide founders with access to industry leaders across the UK and US, particularly during the critical period between pre-seed and Seed rounds.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has extensively tracked the British Business Bank’s role in stimulating the UK technology sector. We recently covered how the British Business Bank Injects £180m into UK AI Ecosystem via Six Specialist Funds, a move that aligns with the bank's support for Evertrue’s AI-focused strategy. Our reporting has also highlighted the bank's broader commitments, such as when the British Business Bank Commits £3m to TSP Ventures for UK Resource Resilience. Furthermore, we have examined the impact of their regional initiatives in British Business Bank Regional Funds Bridge Critical Finance Gap for 81% of Backed Firms and their support for specific sectors in British Business Bank Boosts Shawbrook ENABLE Build Facility to £350m for UK Housebuilders.

What this means

The launch of Evertrue Capital signals a shift in the early-stage venture market away from high-volume "spray and pray" tactics toward high-conviction, concentrated portfolios. By targeting the pre-seed stage in AI and frontier tech, Bajela is entering a crowded but often superficial market where "deep problem expertise" is becoming the primary differentiator. This move puts pressure on generalist VCs who may lack the specific technical network to vet frontier tech before it reaches market consensus. The speed at which these startups are moving to the US suggests that for UK-based funds, the ability to provide transatlantic bridges is no longer a luxury but a requirement for survival.