Index Ventures has its origins in a Swissbond-trading firm called Index Securities, founded by Gerald Rimer in 1976.[7][8] In 1992, Rimer recruited his son Neil to join the firm, launching a technology investment arm that evolved into Index Ventures.[8][9][10]
Index Ventures was officially founded in 1996 by Neil Rimer, David Rimer and Giuseppe Zocco.[11] It began investing in Israel in 2003, and by 2005 raised €300 million for its third fund. Two years later, it raised an additional €350 million for its fourth found, which focused 15 to 20 percent on investing in Israeli companies.[12] The sixth fund raised €350 million from investors in 2012 and focused on investments in Europe, the U.S., and Israeli tech startups.[13]
In 2017, it raised €400 million for its seventh fund, focusing on companies in Europe, the U.S., and Israel.[14]
From early on, the firm launched a life sciences practice, which in 2016 it spun off as an independent venture capital firm, Medicxi Ventures.[15][16] Index Ventures' dual headquarters in San Francisco and London were opened in 2011 and 2002, respectively.[17][18]
