OpenseedVC, run by Europe’s first Black solo general partner, has raised $10 million in its first close.

Per its LinkedIn, the London, England-based firm exists to invest dollars in operators, those previously involved in daily operations of a startup, who are launching new technology companies across Africa and Europe.

“We exist to back the most talented and experienced operators from day zero,” OpenseedVC Founder Maria Rotilu wrote on LinkedIn. “As an angel-style fund, we are designed for one founder profile. Operators just as they take the leap to start their tech companies. We are driven by *pure merit* (hence the name OpenseedVC), and our goal is to back the most experienced operators and builders as first investors, especially at a time where the need to build truly groundbreaking and impactful solutions is critical.”

She continued, “It is a tough fundraising climate, for funds and startups alike. However, we believe this is the best time to invest in the most visionary and ambitious operators solving painful problems, building venture backable technology companies in the process.”

The announcement is particularly timely since only 8% of VC firms in Europe and Africa are run by former operators, a stark contrast to the almost 50% in the United States, TechCrunch reports. To aid operators in their efforts to innovate, OpenseedVC will provide them with VC funding and access to a network of more than 50 experienced operators for additional support.

“If you’re supporting operators that have identified a problem and are making the leap into building their technology, you’ve likely recognized a common challenge: the need for capital and guidance from other experienced individuals. To address this, we focus on enhancing the operator network in four key areas,” Rotilu told TechCrunch. “In the early stages, expertise in software engineering is crucial. You’d need someone who’s recruited technical talent, built teams and understands infrastructure design, offering invaluable firsthand experience. So if that’s the common thread, I would say firsthand experience is what we optimize for across software engineering, product, go-to-market and people and talent.”

Looking ahead, OpenseedVC plans to invest in at least 60 startups. Additionally, fundraising remains in progress and the final close will be within a year, according to Rotilu.