The term ‘corporate venturing’ encompasses various ways in which startups and established companies can cooperate successfully. Two Hamburg-based funds in this sector were recently successfully closed, each with a volume of 100 million euros.
A network meeting for insiders
The CVC Circle has been active in Hamburg since 2022. The abbreviation CVC previously stood for “Corporate Venture Capital” and now stands for “Corporate Venturing Circle” to better reflect the various models of collaboration between startups and corporations. The network meeting is organised by investor Dr John Lange together with the Hamburg Investors Network. IFB Hamburg and Startup City Hamburg also took part in the most recent event for the first time. Participation is restricted to individuals from companies actively engaged in corporate venturing. Hamburg has developed into a leading location in Germany in this field, explained Dr John Lange. Two recent examples illustrate this clearly.
amberra supports startups that drive the banking sector forward
One of them is amberra, the venturing studio of the Genossenschaftliche FinanzGruppe (GFG), which includes the Volks- and Raiffeisenbanken, amongst others. amberra’s fund has a volume of 100 million euros and pools the innovation capital of around 180 cooperative banks. By 2028, up to 20 strategic investments are to be made in the sectors of housing, health, sustainability and the regional economy. The aim in each case is to expand the traditional banking offering with additional services. In doing so, amberra operates in three areas: direct investment in startups (corporate venture capital), partnerships (venture clienting) and the in-house development of new business models (venture building). The first startup developed autonomously is stroya, a platform for tenant-generated electricity.
Beiersdorf Venture Capital’s new “Skin Care Innovation Fund” also has a fund size of 100 million euros, double that of its predecessor. Beiersdorf, a company that has achieved global success primarily with cosmetic products, has been investing in startups in the fields of life sciences, biotechnology, sustainability and digital health solutions since 2020. It has now made over 15 investments and typically spends between 0.5 million and 5 million euros, preferably in the early growth phase. One success story from the portfolio is S-Biomedic, a Belgian startup that is a leader in microbiome research. It exemplifies two key factors of Beiersdorf’s investment strategy: international reach and a high degree of scientific or technological innovation.
