Key Takeaways
- • Sequoia Capital has closed its London office as part of a broader restructuring, saying it no longer sees the need for a physical European presence, according to EU-Startups.
- • The firm confirmed it has raised €8.89 billion ($10 billion) in new funds.
- • Three of four London-based partners, Luciana Lixandru, Julien Bek and George Robson, have chosen to remain in Europe rather than relocate to California; Anas Biad will relocate to the United States.
- • Sequoia is simplifying the Sequoia Capital Fund, sunsetting its Arc and Scouts programmes, merging its Early and Growth stages, and dropping its Monday partner meeting cycle.
- • The move follows Andreessen Horowitz's early-2025 closure of its London office, leaving European founders facing a less accessible Sequoia.
Summary
Sequoia Capital, one of Silicon Valley's oldest and most prominent venture capital firms, has closed its London office as part of a broader restructuring announced under the title "The Sequoia of Tomorrow." The firm confirmed it has raised €8.89 billion ($10 billion) in new funds, according to EU-Startups, which reported the announcement. The firm stated that it no longer sees the need for a local European presence, saying it believes Europe will continue to produce outlier founders and companies and that it can continue to provide support from its Bay Area base. Several staff will leave as a result of the closure, though the firm said this is "not about the team."
Three of the four London-based partners, Luciana Lixandru, Julien Bek and George Robson, have opted to stay in Europe instead of relocating to San Francisco, as offered. Anas Biad is the only London-based partner who has confirmed he will relocate to the United States and remain with Sequoia. Lixandru, who joined Sequoia in 2020 as its first European partner and has backed Trade Republic, Pennylane and Rillet, said on LinkedIn that she will remain a partner, continue serving on portfolio boards and invest personally in the next generation of European founders. Bek, who spent a decade investing in European founders through Sequoia and backed Revolut, Miro, Attio and Dust, said he will continue supporting his founders and serving on his boards.
The restructuring also simplifies the Sequoia Capital Fund, sunsets the Arc and Scouts batch accelerator programmes, and streamlines operational and investing teams. The firm is eliminating the distinction between its Early and Growth stages, consolidating into a single team, and ending its Monday partner meeting cycle. The firm described the changes as a return to its core focus on high-conviction, highly selective venture capital investing after roughly 20 years of expansion across multiple geographies.
The closure follows a similar move by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), which shut its London office in early 2025, less than two years after opening its first international outpost in the UK. According to EU-Startups, European founders now face a phase in which Sequoia may be harder to reach without a local partner, and the ecosystem will watch the decisions of the UK-based partners who chose to stay.
Three of the four London-based partners, Luciana Lixandru, Julien Bek and George Robson, have opted to stay in Europe instead of relocating to San Francisco, as offered. Anas Biad is the only London-based partner who has confirmed he will relocate to the United States and remain with Sequoia. Lixandru, who joined Sequoia in 2020 as its first European partner and has backed Trade Republic, Pennylane and Rillet, said on LinkedIn that she will remain a partner, continue serving on portfolio boards and invest personally in the next generation of European founders. Bek, who spent a decade investing in European founders through Sequoia and backed Revolut, Miro, Attio and Dust, said he will continue supporting his founders and serving on his boards.
The restructuring also simplifies the Sequoia Capital Fund, sunsets the Arc and Scouts batch accelerator programmes, and streamlines operational and investing teams. The firm is eliminating the distinction between its Early and Growth stages, consolidating into a single team, and ending its Monday partner meeting cycle. The firm described the changes as a return to its core focus on high-conviction, highly selective venture capital investing after roughly 20 years of expansion across multiple geographies.
The closure follows a similar move by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), which shut its London office in early 2025, less than two years after opening its first international outpost in the UK. According to EU-Startups, European founders now face a phase in which Sequoia may be harder to reach without a local partner, and the ecosystem will watch the decisions of the UK-based partners who chose to stay.
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