COI Partners
COI Partners positions itself as a growth equity investor with an entrepreneurial spirit, primarily focusing on companies in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). They aim to invest in ventures where the combination of skills and resources leads to significant achievements and impactful growth. Their strategy involves finding, evaluating, and developing companies with ambitions, supporting entrepreneurs in growth phases, and safeguarding the interests of investors. They emphasize a partnership approach, characterized by active listening, open communication, and a collaborative atmosphere, ensuring they are not just passive capital providers but engaged contributors to the growth journey of their portfolio companies. They seek to foster growth through direct equity investments, believing this approach provides the best support for companies during critical phases of development. Since its founding in 2001, COI Partners has focused on enabling companies with a strong entrepreneurial drive. They look beyond merely providing capital, actively working to help companies achieve their goals and scale operations. They target companies demonstrating a clear vision and the will to achieve greatness. COI Partners' extensive experience, derived from a management team with a background of 40+ exits, 110+ initial and follow-on investments, and 25+ advisory and supervisory board mandates, provides a solid foundation for their investment decisions and portfolio support. Furthermore, COI Partners values long-term relationships and aims to create a win-win scenario where they grow by contributing to the success of others. This approach is evident in their emphasis on supporting entrepreneurs through growth phases. They position themselves as more than just investors, as partners who actively engage with the management team to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. The firm underscores the importance of creating a collaborative environment where open dialogue and mutual respect drive decision-making and strategic planning. This holistic approach makes them a sought-after partner for entrepreneurs with a strong vision. COI Partners considers Unternehmertum (entrepreneurship) as the most important key success driver in a company.
Campus Founders Ventures
Campus Founders Ventures operates as a startup and co-innovation hub with the vision of becoming an international center of gravity for entrepreneurship. They aim to inspire, inform, empower, and connect energetic creators, guiding them through their entrepreneurial journeys. They empower early-stage startups through programs that combine practical experience, cutting-edge innovation, founder-friendly values, financial support, and a global network to help them achieve rapid progress and fuel their international growth. The organization fosters an active community spirit and curated platforms to build valuable relationships within their innovation ecosystem. Their regional roots, international mindset, and sustainable actions play a significant role in their operations.
Capital 49
Capital 49 is a venture capital firm that focuses on backing exceptional founders who are building innovative products that challenge the status quo and change the way the world works. The firm is backed by the founders of Airwallex and aims to provide founders with capital and access to a global network. Their investment strategy is rooted in their own experience building Airwallex from the ground up, giving them unique insights into the challenges of hypergrowth. Capital 49 strives to be an unfair advantage for its portfolio companies by providing access to the Airwallex network of potential customers, providers, and advisors, as well as the team's experience in building successful startups. The firm's investment philosophy seems to favor companies that are creating the "economy of the future," with a particular interest in fintech, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and B2B software. Capital 49 aims to support entrepreneurs in navigating the complexities of scaling their businesses by sharing knowledge acquired from growing Airwallex, which now processes $100 billion of payments across 130 countries annually. Capital 49's team brings a wealth of experience from building and scaling startups as well as working in investment banking, private equity, and venture capital. This diverse background provides them with a broad understanding of the challenges and opportunities that founders face. The team's experience at companies like Airwallex, Boston Consulting Group, Bertelsmann Asia Investments, Softbank's Vision Fund, Obvious Ventures, and Monzo provides portfolio companies with access to a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Cipio Partners
Cipio Partners, founded in 2003, focuses on providing growth capital and minority buyout solutions to European technology companies that have outgrown the venture stage. They aim to support companies scaling their businesses ahead of a liquidity event. As a financial investor, Cipio Partners not only provides capital but also brings decades of experience as tech company investors, owners, and operators. They are particularly interested in complex transactions that offer liquidity solutions to existing shareholders while also providing growth capital to create near-term liquidity events. The firm operates as an independent and partner-owned entity with a global technology industry background. Cipio Partners emphasizes a collaborative approach with entrepreneurs, allowing for quick decision-making. They have supported over 50 technology businesses through their growth stages, successfully guiding them to exits. Cipio Partners targets companies in the information technology industry, focusing on sectors like software, technology-enabled B2B products & services, components, and consumer internet. They invest in European companies with proven products, business models, meaningful revenues, and a clear path to profitability. The firm's capital enables companies to accelerate growth, build substantial businesses, realign shareholder bases, and provide liquidity options for early investors. They seek companies with over €10 million in annualized revenue and fast growth and are interested in companies with a European base and global ambitions.
Companisto
Companisto is an investment network focused on connecting startups and growth companies with business angels and investors. They facilitate venture capital investments in innovative companies and ideas, operating as a fintech company emphasizing lean processes, specialized knowledge, and efficient solutions in online corporate finance. They aim to promote a founding culture in Germany and Europe by partnering with pioneers who demonstrate the urge and determination to explore new paths to success, recognizing that these pioneers often take risks to create great things. Companisto provides a platform where everyday individuals can participate in funding rounds with smaller investment amounts, alongside more significant angel investments.
Companisto Business Angel Network
Companisto operates as an equity crowdfunding platform and business angel network for startups and growth companies. They enable individuals to invest in early-stage companies, focusing on innovation and promising business ideas. Companisto aims to democratize venture capital by allowing investments starting from as little as €250, and they also cater to financially stronger investors through their Angel Club, requiring a minimum investment of €10,000. Their investment approach emphasizes lean processes, specialized knowledge, and efficient solutions in the field of professional online corporate finance. They aim to support the founding culture in Germany and Europe, partnering with pioneers who demonstrate the drive to explore new paths to success. They invest in teams with outstanding ideas, creativity, and the ability to translate ideas into product or process innovations, opening up new markets.
Crosslantic Capital
Crosslantic Capital invests in indispensable, profitable middle-market companies, focusing on consolidating fragmented markets and leveraging AI to drive growth. They target companies that are essential in everyday life and have the potential to become market leaders in their respective industries.
D11Z Ventures
D11Z Ventures is a European family office based in Heilbronn specializing in early-stage investments in digital entrepreneurs. Their investment strategy focuses on backing exceptional digital entrepreneurs with groundbreaking ambitions. They aim to unlock potential, redefine industries, and shape the future. The firm emphasizes providing patient, passionate, and smart capital to guide and support digital pioneers across Europe. As an evergreen fund, D11Z offers sustained support to its existing portfolio companies without a fixed expiration date. They are committed to advancing groundbreaking technologies that disrupt industries, foster exponential growth, and shape the future of the global economy. D11Z Ventures prides itself on being a data-driven VC fund, actively utilizing AI technologies to guide and improve their deal flow. By leveraging sophisticated scraping and AI providers, they expand their access to promising start-ups, identifying opportunities early and making data-driven investment decisions. This approach allows them to identify companies with the potential for exponential growth in B2B digital solutions across various sectors. The firm's value proposition extends beyond capital investment, offering added value through the D11Z academy, where top-notch experts help founders with their current challenges and support them in relevant aspects like sales, HR, fundraising, marketing, and exit strategies. They also provide pro bono access to secure European cloud infrastructure (STACKIT), enabling portfolio companies to leverage reliable, GDPR-compliant services for their digital operations. Furthermore, D11Z leverages its extensive network to connect founders with key companies across their industries and link them to follow-up investors. D11Z's investment focus is centered around finding founders with the imagination for groundbreaking new solutions and the skill to turn these ideas into reality. They primarily target early-stage companies and are prepared to provide follow-on funding to successful ventures. Their geographic focus is exclusively in Europe. The firm invests in B2B tech companies.
DBAG
Based on the limited website content provided, it's difficult to formulate a comprehensive investment thesis. However, DBAG appears to be a private equity firm that invests in medium-sized companies, primarily in the German-speaking region and Italy. They seem to focus on established businesses with growth potential, often involving succession solutions or expansion financing. Their investment strategy involves partnering with management teams to enhance the value of their portfolio companies through operational improvements and strategic development. They are also publicly listed, indicating a focus on shareholder value and corporate governance.
DI Capital
DI Capital, operating under the name Capmont, positions itself as an entrepreneurial private capital investment manager. The firm pursues a strategy of acquiring and building businesses, focusing on both Private Equity and Special Opportunities. The Private Equity strategy appears to revolve around creating pan-European platforms through strategic acquisitions and add-on acquisitions to generate synergies and build larger entities. This is exemplified by the Binetti Cablaggi acquisition and subsequent add-ons in Germany. The Special Opportunities strategy targets unique situations, as demonstrated by the acquisition of Deutsche Fertighaus Holding AG, the German market leader in prefabricated housing. Capmont also seems to be involved in the healthcare sector, as evidenced by ITM's positive Phase 3 trial results. This suggests a possible interest in targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies and the broader healthcare industry. The firm's investment approach involves partnering with co-investors, such as RIO Family Office, indicating a collaborative investment strategy. They also focus on acquiring established companies with strong market positions, such as Rockfin, a global Tier 1 supplier to the energy sector, and Quad/Graphics Inc.’s European operations. In summary, Capmont's investment thesis is based on identifying and acquiring companies with growth potential, building pan-European platforms, and pursuing special opportunities across various sectors, including manufacturing, energy, and healthcare.
DeepTech & Climate Fund (DTCF)
DeepTech & Climate Fund (DTCF) invests in visionary companies driving breakthrough innovation and the transformation of the economy. As a long-term investor, they partner with entrepreneurs and other investors to back the technology champions of tomorrow. They focus on companies with long development cycles, deep technology roots, and bold visions, aiming to strengthen Europe's global competitiveness. DTCF provides capital, expertise, and strategic support to navigate complex growth journeys and reach international markets. They build bridges between high-tech startups, SMEs, and long-term-oriented investors to drive sustainable success. The fund's goal is to be a long-term partner for transformative innovation throughout every growth stage, supporting companies to scale through buy-and-build strategies, enter new markets, and design future-ready exit paths.
Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG)
Based on the provided website content, it is difficult to definitively construct a complete investment thesis and strategy description. However, we can infer aspects of their approach. Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG) appears to be a private equity firm based in Germany (with an Italian presence). They invest in established, mid-sized companies across various sectors. They likely focus on companies with the potential for growth and operational improvement. They seem to have a buy-and-build strategy, as evidenced by their portfolio company Cloudflight, which has acquired several other companies. Their investment strategy emphasizes sustainability and responsible investing, and they provide transparency around corporate governance. DBAG's approach involves not only providing capital but also actively supporting their portfolio companies. This includes strategic guidance, operational expertise, and access to their network. Their success stories highlight exits that suggest they are adept at enhancing company value and achieving profitable returns for their investors. Their emphasis on shareholder relations indicates a commitment to transparency and value creation for their own shareholders as well. The firm appears to have a long history and a proven track record, given the number of funds they have raised over the years. Their listed funds show an evolution of their investment strategy and focus over time. The share buyback program and convertible bonds also suggest they are actively managing their capital structure to optimize shareholder value. DBAG seems to be focused on long-term value creation through active ownership and operational improvements in their portfolio companies. In conclusion, DBAG's investment thesis appears to be centered on investing in stable, mid-sized companies with growth potential, adding value through operational improvements and strategic guidance, and achieving successful exits. They prioritize sustainability and responsible investing while also maintaining a strong focus on shareholder relations and value creation.
Dieter von Holtzbrinck Ventures
Dieter von Holtzbrinck Ventures (DvH Ventures) is an early-stage investor in Europe, focusing on partnering with passionate founders who are disrupting industries. Since 2014, they have positioned themselves as active investors, managing multiple venture capital funds from their Cologne office. Initially, DvH Ventures focused on publishing-related digital business models, leveraging the media reach of Handelsblatt, Tagesspiegel, and DIE ZEIT publishing groups to support their portfolio companies. They then expanded into fintech and insurtech investments, building a successful portfolio in those sectors. Today, DvH Ventures operates two independent early-stage investment funds. Their Digital Tech Fund (DvH Ventures Fund III) invests primarily in deep tech and education startups. In 2020, they launched a Digital Health Fund (DvH Ventures Fund IV) with a first closing of €70 million, targeting technologies that solve future healthcare challenges across Europe. DvH Ventures acts as a partner with strong entrepreneurial passion, providing expertise and networks to their portfolio companies and founders. They emphasize close and trusting interactions. Their investment approach involves taking lead positions in early-stage rounds, providing not only financial resources but also management expertise and an international investor network. Additionally, DvH Ventures offers a media-for-equity program, granting access to brands like Handelsblatt, WirtschaftsWoche, DIE ZEIT, and Apotheken Umschau to provide portfolio companies with significant reach into target markets. They are always seeking innovative ideas, even outside their defined focus areas, from compelling entrepreneurs. DvH Ventures focuses on building successful investment clusters, including digital health, education, and financial services, while remaining open to digital innovation in areas like artificial intelligence, enterprise software, the Internet of Things, big data, mobility, energy, and the future of work. The firm culture emphasizes working at eye level with founders, celebrating successes, overcoming challenges together, and operating in a fast, unbureaucratic, and highly professional manner. They commit to providing hands-on support for the growth of their portfolio companies with full entrepreneurial commitment.
Digital Transformation Capital Partners (DTCP)
Digital Transformation Capital Partners (DTCP) is a platform focused on specialist investment strategies, driven by the conviction that rapid technology adoption fuels innovation, disrupts industries, and unlocks unprecedented wealth creation. DTCP's approach is centered on identifying and investing in transformative sectors, where digital advancements lead to lasting impact and growth. They operate across two primary investment strategies: Infra and Growth. DTCP Infra specializes in digital infrastructure investments within the European mid-market, with a focus on developing and operating essential assets like data centers, mobile towers, and fiber networks. They aim to play a vital role in driving innovation and enabling the modern digital economy by supporting the growth of these critical infrastructures. DTCP Growth partners with top enterprise SaaS entrepreneurs in Europe, the US, and Israel, focusing on growth-stage companies – scale-ups – in Cybersecurity, Vertical SaaS, DevOps, Cloud, AI, and Robotics. They aim to drive transformative growth and support their journey toward successful global expansion. DTCP also prioritizes ESG and sustainability principles, believing they are integral to creating value for investors and stakeholders by mitigating risks and capturing new opportunities. They actively address ESG matters throughout the investment cycle, adhering to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and reinforcing their commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their ESG Committee oversees the integration of ESG principles across all aspects of their operations.
Direkt Gruppe
Based solely on the provided website content, Direkt Gruppe's investment thesis is not explicitly stated. However, the website features Skaylink, a cloud solutions and digital transformation company. It appears Direkt Gruppe's strategy may involve investing in and supporting companies that provide cloud strategy, security, compliance, and managed services. Skaylink's focus is on helping businesses navigate their cloud journey, offering expertise in infrastructure, application development, migration, modernization, and workforce empowerment. They work across various hyperscaler platforms and geographic regions. The mention of case studies involving Henkel, BMW Group, KWS, and Continental suggests a focus on helping large enterprises with their digital transformation initiatives using cloud technologies. Skaylink emphasizes security and compliance as integral to innovation. Without additional information, it's impossible to definitively assess the broader Direkt Gruppe investment approach. The partnership with Skaylink signals that Direkt Gruppe values companies with strong technical expertise, a global reach, and a commitment to helping businesses leverage cloud technologies for growth and innovation.
Discovery Ventures
Discovery Ventures is a healthcare-focused venture capital firm with a 15+ year history of investing in and partnering with the next generation of biotech and healthcare leaders. They aim to accelerate biomedical innovation by combining deep technical expertise, smart capital, and a global network. The firm focuses on groundbreaking biotech companies with the potential to drive life-changing healthcare innovations and exceptional growth. They provide both capital and strategic guidance to help scale next-generation technologies in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Gene Therapy, Nanotechnology, and Bionics. They emphasize their ability to navigate the unique challenges of Next Generation Biotechnology and AI-driven discovery, citing their legacy of clinical success and long-term approach to building enduring companies. They have established partnerships with leading biotech venture capital firms across the US and Europe, leveraging expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Gene Therapy, Advanced Cell therapy, Bionics, Tissue Engineering, and Nanotechnology.
Döhler Ventures
Döhler Ventures, while not explicitly stated on the crawled pages, can be inferred to focus on investing in companies related to the food, beverage, and life science & nutrition industries. Given Döhler's core business as a global producer, marketer, and provider of technology-driven natural ingredients, ingredient systems, and integrated solutions within these sectors, it's likely Döhler Ventures aims to support innovation and growth in areas complementary to Döhler's existing operations. This may include companies developing novel ingredients, sustainable production methods, innovative food technologies, or disruptive distribution models within the food and beverage ecosystem. The investment strategy likely aligns with Döhler's commitment to sustainability, quality, and food safety. This suggests a preference for companies demonstrating a strong focus on ethical and environmentally responsible practices. Furthermore, Döhler's global presence and market expertise across 160+ countries indicate a potential interest in companies with international growth potential or those seeking to leverage Döhler's existing global network. Given Döhler's extensive experience in product development, sensory science, and market intelligence, Döhler Ventures could provide portfolio companies with valuable insights into consumer preferences, market trends, and regulatory landscapes. Their extensive R&D capabilities and application centers worldwide could also offer portfolio companies unique access to product development expertise and testing facilities. It is reasonable to believe that Döhler Ventures would prioritize investments where Döhler can create synergies using its existing expertise, global reach, and established customer base. The firm emphasizes long-term partnerships, sustainability, quality assurance, and ethical conduct. It expects business partners to adhere to its Code of Conduct, suggesting a preference for companies with strong corporate governance and a commitment to ethical and legally compliant behaviour.
Döpfner Capital
Döpfner Capital invests in early-stage deep-tech startups like advanced drone systems with high-growth potential.
EMH Partners
EMH Partners is an entrepreneurial-led and visionary growth equity firm focused on partnering with outstanding entrepreneurs and management teams in the European Mittelstand (medium-sized businesses). Their strategy is based on an entrepreneurial approach, digital competence, and experience as investors to close the gap between venture capital and classic buyout funds. They aim to enable entrepreneurs to think bigger, overcome limitations, and realize their full potential by providing strategic capital, deep industry expertise, and a shared vision for growth. EMH emphasizes building strong partnerships based on entrepreneurial thinking, empathy, and a down-to-earth attitude. They believe in creating a network that delivers sustainable benefits, combining the expertise of investors, entrepreneurs, and experts. EMH's approach extends to incorporating ESG best practices into their investment strategy, focusing on driving ESG data convergence and benchmarking their portfolio's performance.
Emeram Capital Partners
EMERAM Capital Partners is a leading independent investment firm focusing on medium-sized companies in the German-speaking region. Their investment strategy centers around being a "Business Development Partner," providing both capital and expertise to foster long-term, sustainable growth within their portfolio companies. They aim to support the continuous development of businesses, assisting them in growing both organically and inorganically, such as through add-on acquisitions or the expansion into new markets and target groups. Their primary investment focus lies within the areas of Digital Transformation, Health & Wellbeing, and Energy Transition. The firm seeks to help companies reach a new "weight class" by leveraging their extensive experience in investment management and a team specialized in supporting growth initiatives. EMERAM emphasizes a collaborative approach, fostering a team spirit characterized by entrepreneurial thinking, trust, and a long-term perspective. EMERAM's strategy includes actively supporting portfolio companies in improving their processes, implementing new controlling and reporting systems, and establishing strong leadership with effective local management. They are committed to creating value by providing active support to their portfolio companies to accelerate growth, enhance operational efficiency, and achieve sustainable success in dynamic markets.
European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF VC)
ECBF is a venture capital impact fund exclusively dedicated to the (circular-) bioeconomy, aiming to catalyze the transition towards a sustainable future. The fund invests in growth-stage companies that contribute to the shift from a fossil-based to a circular bio-based economy, aligning with the European Green Deal goals to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. They focus on building pan-European market leaders by supporting passionate and visionary entrepreneurs with high potential for innovation, favorable returns, and sustainable impact. ECBF's investment strategy involves providing flexible financing tools, ranging from equity to mezzanine, in syndicates with private and public investors. The fund's team brings over 100 years of VC and industry experience, possessing international networks of investors, companies, industry experts, and regional organizations within the bioeconomy. With a diverse team spanning 14 nationalities, ECBF combines economic and scientific expertise, long-standing experience in various fields, and an entrepreneurial spirit. The fund believes that impact and return go hand-in-hand, emphasizing that a corporate strategy aligned with ESG criteria is crucial for companies seeking a competitive advantage. They support founders whose technologies are revolutionizing industries, improving lives, and benefiting the environment. ECBF dives deep into specific areas of the bioeconomy, such as precision fermentation, biodegradable bioplastics, mycelium-based products, and autonomous farming technologies, seeking companies driving innovation in these spaces. Ultimately, ECBF aims to mobilize private capital for bioeconomy start-ups, fostering growth and sustainability within the sector. They actively monitor and report on the impact of their investments, showcasing their commitment to creating a positive environmental and social impact alongside financial returns.
Fly Ventures
Fly Ventures is a first-check VC firm that focuses on investing in technical founders across Europe. They aim to partner with founders who are highly sought after but may face challenges securing initial funding. The firm prides itself on being a part of the "zero to one" journey of their portfolio companies, demonstrated by the significant follow-on funding their companies have secured from leading global VCs. Their success is highlighted by the impressive track record of their portfolio companies, with more than 60% going on to raise follow-on rounds from top-tier US or European venture capital firms. This achievement underscores Fly Ventures' ability to identify and support promising early-stage companies with substantial growth potential. Fly Ventures is featured as an early investor in companies building breakthrough technologies in areas like AI, materials science, and cybersecurity. Their involvement in early rounds enables them to contribute significantly to the strategic direction and growth of these companies, positioning them for future success and attracting later-stage investment. Their hands-on approach and deep understanding of technical complexities likely allows them to add value beyond capital, helping companies navigate the challenges of building disruptive technologies.
Freistaat Sachsen / Sächsische Aufbaubank (SAB)
The Sächsische Aufbaubank (SAB), the development bank of the Free State of Saxony, focuses on promoting the economic, social, and environmental development of Saxony through a variety of funding programs and initiatives. The bank's strategy revolves around providing financial support and resources to businesses, municipalities, and individuals to foster innovation, growth, and sustainability. Specific areas of focus include promoting renewable energy, supporting sustainable municipal development, facilitating business start-ups and expansions, and encouraging regional economic growth. The SAB's approach involves offering a range of financial products, including loans with attractive conditions, grants, and guarantees, tailored to the specific needs of its target beneficiaries. By strategically deploying these financial instruments, the SAB aims to stimulate investment in key sectors, create jobs, and improve the overall quality of life in Saxony. The bank also emphasizes the importance of collaboration and partnerships with other stakeholders, such as government agencies, industry associations, and research institutions, to maximize the impact of its programs. Furthermore, the SAB actively promotes innovation and the adoption of new technologies to enhance the competitiveness of Saxon businesses. The bank supports research and development projects, facilitates technology transfer, and provides assistance to companies seeking to commercialize new products and services. By fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, the SAB contributes to the long-term economic prosperity of Saxony. The Jubilee celebration highlights a focus on shaping the future of Saxony through their work over the last 30+ years.
Future Energy Ventures
Future Energy Ventures (FEV) believes the future of energy involves the convergence of multiple sectors to deliver decarbonized, digitalized, and democratized energy access. They aim to drive the energy transition by investing in innovative companies creating digital and digitally-enabled technologies that redefine the energy landscape. FEV goes beyond traditional energy investments, recognizing the need for convergence with sectors like cities and frontier technology. They seek companies solving problems in urban environments and building advanced technologies that can impact the energy sector. FEV's strategy focuses on supporting startups transforming the energy ecosystem and pioneering the future of energy. They look for digital, scalable, and asset-light companies with demonstrated product-market fit seeking Series A and beyond funding. They provide not only financial capital but also mentoring and access to a network of partners and an integrated collaboration platform to accelerate growth. FEV's investment decisions are guided by a desire to accelerate the transition to a net-zero-carbon energy system and contribute to a sustainable and prosperous future. Their sourcing strategy spans across energy, cities, and frontier technologies. Within energy, they target solutions for energy storage (VPPs, distributed generation), distribution (smart grids, microgrids, ancillary services), and management (demand response, P2P trading, energy monitoring). Their focus on cities includes smart buildings (property management systems, smart meters), future mobility (electric mobility, charging infrastructure, V2X), and connected urban infrastructure (decentralized energy, smart lighting, smart traffic control).