Europe's largest fund of venture capital funds prepares for asset class expansion.

Richard Pelly, chief executive of the European Investment Fund (EIF), an asset management arm of the European Union and the largest investor in venture capital funds in the continent, said he was preparing to expand its operations into direct investing and microfinance as well as working more closely with corporate venturing units.

Pelly, who has been chief executive of the fund that commits about €1bn per year in venture and growth equity and mezzanine debt since 2008, said it might…