The third quarter of 2014 registered the biggest quarterly investment amount since the same three month period in 2001, when €2.7 billion was raised.

Figures from Dow Jones finds that a total of €2.3 billion was invested into 323 businesses during Q3 2014, a 3 per cent growth in value but 17 per cent dip in volume.

When compared with the same period the year before, deal flow is down by 15 per cent but investment value is up by 36 per cent. Total 2014 statistics mean 1089 deals worth €6.1 billion have been closed.

The business and financial services sectors received the most attention during the latest three month period, accumulating €927 million across 76 deals. Consumer services (€680 million from 98 deals) and healthcare (€351 million from 48 deals) were second and third.

The top five deals of Q3 2014

(1) Delivery Hero

• Country: Germany
• Sector: Consumer services
• Date: September 2014
• Amount raised: €259 million
• Investors: Insight Venture Partners, Kite Ventures, Luxor Capital et al

(2) Adaptimmune

• Country: UK
• Sector: Healthcare
• Date: September 2014
• Amount raised: €77 million
• Investors: Fidelity Biosciences, Foresight Capital Management, Merlin Nexus et al

(3) Biocartis

• Country: France
• Date: September 2014
• Sector: Healthcare
• Amount raised: €65 million
• Investors: Hitachi Chemical Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Dev Corp, PMV

(4) Funding Circle

• Country: UK
• Date: July 2014
• Sector: Business and financial services
• Amount raised: €47.52
• Investors: Accel Partners, Index Ventures, Union Square Ventures et al

(5) Cardiorentis

• Country: Switzerland
• Date: September 2014
• Sector: Healthcare
• Amount raised: €45 million
• Investors: HealthCare Royalty Partners

Germany attracted the most investment during the third quarter of 2014, netting €1.2 billion through 60 deals. The nation accounted for 53 per cent of all investment into European VC-backed companies for the quarter. The UK (23 per cent share with 90 deals and €526 million) and Switzerland (6 per cent share and €136 million) were next in line.

Find out more:

• The ten biggest private equity firms in the world
• Ten largest tech VC investments of Q1 2014
• Ten largest tech VC investments of Q2 2014