For the very first time, top representatives of this legendary fund will appear in the Czech Republic—on September 16 at a conference organized by the business and investors’ club ONE FAMILY OFFICE together with the law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS.
With hundreds of investments, more than one hundred unicorns—companies valued at over USD 1 billion—and billion-dollar exits, Accel has established itself as a long-term pace-setter in the technology business. In Q2 2025, Accel led more investment rounds than any other VC firm worldwide and also holds the record for the highest number of unicorn investments in Europe.
“Accel was founded in 1983, and most of our partners have worked side by side for more than a decade. This depth of experience shapes our investment approach—with care, discipline, and the ambition to be the first choice for exceptional founders. We start with ideas and outstanding people, and we build with them,” the fund explained to ONE FAMILY OFFICE.
Accel cemented its place among the global elite 20 years ago. Leveraging two decades of experience in knowing who wins and who loses in Silicon Valley, and understanding its cycles, the fund invested USD 12.7 million into a student startup valued at USD 98 million. While most investors saw Facebook only as a project with moderate growth potential, Accel correctly identified its capacity to become infrastructure for billions of users. The result was not only a phenomenal return but also confirmation of Accel’s philosophy: to identify leaders before they become leaders.
“Our portfolio reflects the ambition that draws us: breakthrough ideas that have redefined industries and technologies that shape the future. This includes companies like Facebook, Spotify, Atlassian, and Crowdstrike. No two startup journeys are alike, but what we truly excel at is finding founders ready to build—and working with them to ensure they can tackle the industry’s toughest challenges and scale at every stage.”
Accel is not just a money machine but also a partner: helping companies with team building, business strategy, expansion, fundraising, and PR. Many of its partners have startup experience themselves and actively support founders in growth while building a strong network of contacts.
So, which industries and technologies does Accel see as most promising today, and why? “We continue to focus on the areas we have long believed in: security, developer tools, automation, remote work, fintech, and consumer. Today, we are closely watching how AI is transforming each of these areas—both in the short-term shifts and the long-term potential. As always, we remain disciplined in our approach and invest in what we believe are the strongest opportunities.”
The Prague conference featuring Accel’s top leadership will present the world of venture capital investing in the Silicon Valley environment at the very highest level. It is also a unique opportunity to connect Czech and Central European investors with the capital and expertise of a global top-tier fund—strengthening the role of our region in the international venture capital ecosystem.
The conference will be opened by Jaroslav Havel, founder and investor at ONE FAMILY OFFICE. Other speakers include Ondřej Bartoš, general partner of Credo Ventures and the most successful local VC investor, as well as international voices such as Steven Yang, a senior representative of British asset manager Schroders. Schroders has been investing in VC since 1997 and has developed its own global benchmark to select funds.
“Venture capital is often said to be highly risky because 25–30% of companies fail. Yet it is possible to build a successful portfolio that generates strong performance across market cycles and provides diversification,” says Steven Yang, who serves as Head of Global Venture Investments at Schroders.
To balance risk and return across a VC portfolio, Yang highlights five key factors—from a global perspective and investing in future-shaping themes like AI, gene editing, and digital health, to discipline and caution during overheated late-stage unicorn rounds.
Accel has built its own impressive portfolio with a similar philosophy: patiently sticking to a clear strategy, trusting strong startup founders, and focusing on products with global reach. Its “Prepared Mind” philosophy—inspired by Pasteur’s “fortune favors the prepared”—has evolved into a method combining systematic mapping of industries five to ten years ahead, close contact with engineers and product leaders, and a keen sense for customer signals. This approach has brought Accel to the very top of the venture capital world.
