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Dan Chaplin is a Principal at Dawn Capital, a leading European venture capital firm specializing in B2B software investments. He focuses on early-stage companies across Europe.
Dan Chaplin primarily invests in early-stage (Series A and B) B2B software companies across Europe. His focus areas include enterprise SaaS, fintech infrastructure, developer tools, and data platforms.
Dan Chaplin works as a Principal at Dawn Capital, a prominent venture capital firm based in London, UK, with a focus on the European B2B software market.
Dan Chaplin is a Partner at Dawn Capital in London, United Kingdom, where he focuses on early stage European B2B software, automation, and fintech investments. Before joining the venture capital firm in 2018, he spent several years working in technology, media, and telecommunications investment banking and corporate finance at JP Morgan in London. The University of Oxford graduate was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list for finance in 2021. During his tenure, he has led early investments and served on the boards of several high growth portfolio companies, including Cover Genius, Copper, LeanIX, and Tink, which was acquired by Visa for over two billion dollars. Promoted to his current partnership role in January 2023, Chaplin currently directs the Horizons research platform while continuing to source, execute, and support major enterprise software transactions across Europe.
Dan Chaplin is a distinguished Principal at Dawn Capital, a leading European venture capital firm renowned for its focus on B2B software. Joining Dawn Capital in 2021, Dan plays a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing the next generation of innovative B2B software companies across the continent. His expertise lies in early-stage investments, typically focusing on Series A and Series B rounds, where he partners with ambitious founders to scale their groundbreaking technologies.
At Dawn Capital, Dan's investment thesis is deeply rooted in the transformative power of B2B software solutions. He actively seeks out companies that are disrupting traditional industries, enhancing enterprise efficiency, or creating entirely new market categories within the business-to-business landscape. His keen eye for market trends and technological innovation allows him to pinpoint ventures with significant growth potential and sustainable competitive advantages. Dan is particularly interested in sectors such as enterprise SaaS, fintech infrastructure, developer tools, and data platforms, all within the B2B context.
Before his tenure at Dawn Capital, Dan honed his investment acumen at Notion Capital, another prominent early-stage B2B SaaS investor. During his time at Notion, he was instrumental in evaluating and supporting numerous promising software startups, gaining invaluable experience in the intricacies of early-stage venture capital. This prior role provided him with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by nascent B2B software companies.
Further back in his career, Dan Chaplin developed a robust foundation in financial advisory at PwC. There, he specialized in advising high-growth technology companies on critical strategic initiatives, including fundraising and mergers and acquisitions. This experience equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of corporate finance, deal structuring, and strategic growth planning, skills that are highly relevant to his current role in venture capital. His academic background, a first-class degree in Economics from the University of Bath, further underpins his analytical capabilities and strategic thinking.
Dan's approach to investment is collaborative and founder-centric. He believes in building strong relationships with entrepreneurs, offering not just capital but also strategic guidance, operational support, and access to Dawn Capital's extensive network. His commitment to fostering innovation and driving growth makes him a valuable partner for European B2B software startups aiming for global impact. Through his work at Dawn Capital, Dan Chaplin continues to contribute significantly to the vibrant European tech ecosystem, empowering visionary founders to build category-defining companies.
