These are the most important VCs in Germany
Money from large venture capital companies is still an important turbo for the growth of startups. Even if VC managers are currently acting very cautiously: Founders, especially in the tech sector, can hardly avoid professional capital managers.
According to the latest figures from consulting firm EY, the three largest VCs on the German market are
Atomico from London with a current managed investment volume of 4.5 billion euros.
Eurazeo from Paris with a volume of 3.2 billion euros.
Index Ventures, based in San Francisco and London. Assets under management (AUM) totalled 3.1 billion euros.
German VC companies are now also among the largest in the sector. The AUM of many of them is already well above the billion euro threshold. It may be worth taking a look at the domestic market leaders.
HV Capital
In EY's statistics, HV Capital from Munich ranks fifth among the VCs active on the German market. With AUM totalling 2.8 billion euros, the company, which was founded in 2000, is the largest VC in Germany in terms of volume. HV Capital invests from seed to late in all growth phases and has a broad mix across numerous sectors in its portfolio. The 225 startups in which the Munich-based company has invested to date include well-known names such as Delivery Hero, Hello Fresh, Zalando, Flixbus, Scalable Capital and Rabot Charge from Hamburg.
High-Tech-Gründerfonds
As a public-private partnership, the High-Tech-Gründerfonds (HTGF) in Bonn occupies a special position on the VC market. In addition to major DAX companies such as SAP, BASF and Deutsche Post, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection and KfW Bank are also involved as investors. With assets under management totalling 1.4 billion euros, HTGF, which was founded in 2005, ranks in the top league. "As a seed investor, we have already financed over 750 startups in the fields of industrial tech, digital tech, life sciences and chemistry. Anyone who founds a company with us has an experienced partner at their side,’ the Bonn-based company announces on its website.
Its current portfolio includes numerous startups from Hamburg, such as the software developer Attenio, the industrial biotech company Colipi, the fintech Etvas and Traceless Materials. Startups based in Germany that wish to receive an investment or a loan from HTGF must be no more than three years old and must belong to a high-tech sector as defined by the EU's definition of SMEs.
Earlybird Venture Capital
Earlybird Venture Capital is one of the most experienced VCs. The investment company was founded in Munich in 1997 and, with its 81 employees, manages an asset volume of two billion euros with investments in 120 startups in its current portfolio. The Munich-based managers focus on founders in the seed and later stages from almost all high-tech fields. Digital innovations, AI and biopharma are among the target sectors, as are mobility and medical devices. Earlybird also invested in the well-known fintech N26, as well as the lottery platform Tipp24 and the media site Urbia. ‘In addition to generating financial returns, we clearly see our own corporate responsibility for the environment and society and endeavour to make a positive contribution to solving the global climate crisis,’ explains the VC on its homepage.
Point Nine
Point Nine from Berlin is an early-stage VC and is primarily involved in seed financing. Pre-seed, seed II and early series A investments are also part of the business area. The industry spectrum includes SaaS, enterprise software and B2B marketplaces. According to information on Pitchbook, Point Nine was founded in 2011 and manages 104 investments in its portfolio following 88 completed exits. The most recent online reports put the capital under management at 315 million US dollars in 2022. Point Nine itself is sparing with information on its website. Point Nine has reportedly been involved in Tier Mobility, the neobank Revolut and Delivery Hero.
Wellington Partners
Wellington Partners' success story is adorned with famous names: Xing, Spotify, Immobilienscout and Free Now from Hamburg. However, the Munich-based VC firm focuses on the biotechnology, medical/pharmaceutical, life science and healthcare sectors. Wellington Partners was founded in 1998 and currently manages 26 investments in its portfolio. According to figures from the German Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVK), the AUM is 800 million euros.
b2venture
The Berlin-based VC was founded in 2000 under the name btov. It was renamed b2venture last year. According to the figures on Startbase, the VC manages an asset volume of 510 million euros and focuses on B2C and B2B-oriented companies in the fields of AI, SaaS, fintech, logistics, digital health and marketplaces with its Digital Tech Fund. Its most prominent investments include 1Komma5, Raisin DS, Blacklane, DeepL and SumUp.
Planet A
The name says it all. Planet A is about protecting the planet, climate protection, environmental protection and sustainable, ecological business practices. ‘When our founders benefit, the planet benefits too,’ says the programme of the VC, which was founded in Hamburg in 2020. The 22 investments in the portfolio include companies such as Sunhero (solar energy), Paleo (meat substitute products) and Traceless Materials, the Hamburg-based startup with compostable bioplastics. ‘Our scientists and entrepreneurs work closely together to assess the ecological innovation potential of a start-up,’ writes Planet A on its website. In 2022, Planet A left the Hanseatic city and relocated to Berlin. The AUM is currently valued at 160 million euros.
Picus Capital
With the founding of Picus Capital in Munich in 2015, serial founder Alexander Samwer created another VC vehicle in his corporate history. He and his brothers Oliver and Marc rose to fame when they founded the ringtone provider Jamba in 2000. Seven years later, the Samwer brothers returned to the big stage with Rocket Internet. Their VC company Global Founders Capital, which was founded later, has since become one of the top German providers. However, according to press reports, no new funds have been launched since 2022 and the team has been downsized.
Alexander Samwer remains active in the VC business with Picus Capital. The investment company has provided 170 startups with capital to date. The portfolio currently includes Personio, Enpal, Thermondo, Hive and Home24. "We invest in early-stage technology companies with a focus on energy & climate, fintech, enterprise infrastructure, generative AI, cybersecurity and enterprise applications. Picus invests predominantly in pre-seed, seed and Series A companies,’ the homepage states.
