Ace of Cups
Ace of Cups, led by Roman Sydorenko, invests exclusively in the no & low-ABV specialty beverage space. This includes drinks with unique flavors, complexity, and purpose. Roman invests his own capital initially and may invite like-minded investors to co-invest in deals he's excited about. The firm has a particular interest in no & low-ABV gourmet specialty beverages designed for wine occasions, with a specific focus on single-origin tea expressions, from Mizudashi-style brews to pét-nat teas. The firm aims to back early stage companies building remarkable offerings in this niche. Roman's background as the founder of the dating app PURE, sold in 2022, provides him with experience in building and scaling businesses. This experience likely informs his investment decisions and provides valuable insights to his portfolio companies. He actively shares insights through LinkedIn and is further developing his expertise through writing a book on the subject. The investment thesis centers around the growing demand for sophisticated non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverage options. Roman's focus on beverages designed for wine occasions suggests a targeting of consumers seeking alternatives within established fine-dining and social settings. He intends to release a book on the space that includes profiles of producers and details on techniques and ingredients, which he will use to establish himself as a thought leader in the space.
Acton Capital
Backing companies ready to scale, built to last. Focus on optionality—unicorns or profitably growing ventures—with a long-term, mission-driven approach. Partnering with a select few founders annually to develop tailored growth strategies.
Alpine Space Ventures
Alpine Space Ventures focuses on backing bold founders building the backbone of the space economy, prioritizing execution over hype. They invest in teams solving hard problems with scalable technology, united by a shared mission to advance the space industry. The firm targets startups in the space (enabled) industry, aiming to support critical infrastructure and solutions that drive the industrialization of space. Their investments span across ground segment infrastructure, satellite platforms, and key components manufacturing. They aim to back companies that will reduce launch costs, enhance satellite capabilities, or deliver efficient solutions for space applications. Alpine Space Ventures emphasizes connectivity and advanced technologies as fundamental pillars for expanding the space sector and supporting innovation in both software and hardware.
B2Venture
B2Venture is a European venture capital firm that focuses on backing "the Unique, the Mavericks, the Outliers." They aim to leverage the power of generations to shape tomorrow by investing in the earliest stages of companies with the best ideas and brightest minds. The firm is supported by a community of angel investors spanning both tech and industry, who provide expertise, entrepreneurial experience, and hands-on support to portfolio companies. They invest primarily in the pre-seed and seed stage with the ability to invest in later stages through a Direct Investments track. B2Venture emphasizes its role as a long-term partner for entrepreneurs, providing deep experience, unwavering dedication, and unique expertise to support portfolio companies.
BayWa r.e. Energy Ventures
BayWa r.e. Energy Ventures aims to drive the energy transition by championing renewable energy developments and assisting investors, developers, utility providers, governments, and businesses in embracing sustainability. They focus on accelerating the global shift away from fossil fuels by uniting industry expertise and utilizing the latest technologies. As an integrated global renewable energy project developer and Independent Power Producer (IPP), they work across wind, solar, and battery storage systems, with dedicated expertise in Asset Operations and Energy Trading. They also serve as a global supplier to the solar distribution market, contributing to a mission focused on promoting renewable energies for the planet. Their investment strategy centers around supporting companies involved in various aspects of the renewable energy sector. This includes project development and realization, asset operations (managing and optimizing utility-scale projects), revamping and repowering ageing wind and PV projects, energy trading, power purchase agreements (PPAs), and independent power production (IPP). They aim to be a trusted expert partner for renewable energy goals. They develop renewable energy projects to help investors, developers, utility providers, governments and business drive forward the energy transition. Like their partners, they are on a mission to accelerate the global shift away from fossil fuels. They unite leading expertise from across their industry to effect positive change using the latest technologies.
Blockchain Founders Capital
Blockchain Founders Capital invests in founders building the future of the internet. The firm focuses on early-stage companies within the blockchain and web3 space. They highlight a belief in backing teams that aim to leave a lasting legacy. They provide investments into companies which they believe will revolutionize various sectors, from fintech to creator economies, gaming, and developer tools. They also emphasize staying in the loop with updates on investments, portfolio firms, and events, encouraging subscription to their newsletter, suggesting a proactive engagement with the broader blockchain ecosystem.
Blueworld.Group
blueworld.group invests in visionary capital and strategic insight to turn ambitious, sustainable ideas into transformative realities, empowering pioneers to drive tomorrow’s world with responsible innovation.
DB1 Ventures
DB1 Ventures invests in fintech startups that innovate along the capital markets infrastructure value chain, aiming to drive technological and strategic advancements aligned with Deutsche Börse Group’s core business. The firm provides operational support, industry connections, and minority stakes (5-20%) to help portfolio companies scale through technical and business connectivity.
DTCP
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. Their approach is centered on identifying and investing in transformative sectors, where digital advancements lead to lasting impact and growth. They focus on two primary investment strategies: Infra and Growth. DTCP Infra specializes in digital infrastructure investments within the European mid-market. They target essential assets like data centers, mobile towers, and fiber networks. Their aim is to support the growth of these critical infrastructures, playing a vital role in enabling the modern digital economy. They believe that ESG and sustainability principles are integral to creating value for investors and stakeholders alike by mitigating risks and capturing new opportunities. Proactively addressing ESG matters throughout the investment cycle not only benefits society but also drives value creation and enhances investment outcomes. DTCP Growth partners with top enterprise SaaS entrepreneurs in Europe, the US, and Israel. They focus on growth-stage companies – scale-ups – in Cybersecurity, Vertical SaaS, DevOps, Cloud, AI, and Robotics. Their goal is to drive transformative growth and support their journey toward successful global expansion. DTCP aims to deliver transformative value to its portfolio companies through a team of over 60 professionals with a unique blend of financial acumen and vast operational experience.
DTCP Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners
DTCP operates as a platform focused on specialist investment strategies, driven by the belief that rapid technology adoption fuels innovation, disrupts industries, and unlocks wealth creation. Their investment approach is centered on identifying and investing in transformative sectors where digital advancements lead to lasting impact and growth. They focus on both digital infrastructure and growth-stage enterprise SaaS companies. DTCP aims to play a vital role in enabling the modern digital economy by supporting the growth of critical infrastructures and driving transformative growth in their partner companies, supporting their journey towards successful global expansion. The firm also emphasizes ESG principles as integral to creating value for investors and stakeholders, focusing on environmental sustainability and social responsibility to reduce business risk and enhance financial performance. DTCP's ESG Committee oversees the integration of ESG principles across all aspects of their operations.
DTCP Digital Transformation Capital Partners GmbH
DTCP Digital Transformation Capital Partners 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. Their approach centers on identifying and investing in transformative sectors where digital advancements lead to lasting impact and growth. DTCP operates across two primary investment strategies: Infra and Growth. DTCP Infra specializes in digital infrastructure investments within the European mid-market. They focus on developing and operating essential assets like data centers, mobile towers, and fiber networks, supporting the growth of critical infrastructure for the modern digital economy. DTCP Growth partners with top enterprise SaaS entrepreneurs in Europe, the US, and Israel. They concentrate on growth-stage companies (scale-ups) in Cybersecurity, Vertical SaaS, DevOps, Cloud, AI, and Robotics, aiming to drive transformative growth and support their journey toward successful global expansion. DTCP's ESG and sustainability principles are integral to their value creation process. They believe proactively addressing ESG matters throughout the investment cycle not only benefits society but also drives value creation and enhances investment outcomes. They are committed to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Expedite Ventures
Expedite Ventures is a business angel group of CTOs and CPOs focused on investing in and mentoring tech founders, with a particular emphasis on creating sustainable businesses. They provide both capital and in-depth, hands-on mentorship derived from decades of collective experience in building and scaling technology companies, which they believe is at least as valuable as funding. They prioritize supporting underrepresented groups in tech, including female and immigrant entrepreneurs. They are particularly interested in DevTools that promote cross-functionality, bridging gaps between developers and other creative colleagues. The firm looks for founders who identify and address real problems with innovative solutions. They value teams with industry expertise, unique access to data or resources, and a combination of smart technological implementations. They also invest in companies that combine AI, document management, and payments to tackle inefficiencies in the fintech and legaltech spaces. Their investment strategy involves partnering with founders and teams who demonstrate a clear vision, an innovative use of state-of-the-art technology, and the potential to disrupt their respective industries. They emphasize hands-on support to the companies they invest in and provide mentorship to ensure success.
First Momentum Ventures
First Momentum Ventures invests in pre-seed deep tech startups with highly ambitious teams addressing complex technical challenges. The firm provides comprehensive support from fundraising to recruiting, leveraging its team of engineers and scientists to understand technical products, teams, and markets deeply. They focus on building strong foundations for sustainable growth and act as dedicated partners, offering resources, networks, and expertise to navigate the complexities of early-stage startup development.
Foundamental
Foundamental invests in exceptional founders reimagining the project economy globally, focusing on CapEx-heavy verticals like infrastructure, AEC, heavy supply chains, and niche manufacturing (e.g., shipbuilding, aerospace). Their thesis centers on category-creating firms navigating adversity in their early years, leveraging deep local-market knowledge and global cross-border collaboration for unfair advantage.
Futury Venture
Futury Capital invests in promising, high-growth technology companies across all stages, focusing on technology, responsibility, and entrepreneurial thinking. They prioritize companies creating real value for the key industries in the Rhein-Main and Saar regions of Germany. Their investment philosophy emphasizes sustainable, customer-focused, and entrepreneurial approaches, rather than short-term gains, image, or exit-fixation. They aim to build a sustainable ecosystem by connecting research, industry, and capital in the Frankfurt hub. Futury Capital believes that real values are the foundation for lasting value creation and seek to empower startups with a vision and ideas that shape the future. Futury Capital is deeply rooted in the Rhein-Main and Saar regions, providing access to a rich ecosystem. This includes access to talent from >100,000 students and >11,000 researchers, a supportive political environment, industry partners for co-creation and scaling, and co-investors like Headline & Angels for market access and follow-on funding rounds. They emphasize values that create trust, supported by a values-foundation, which lends credibility to their portfolio companies. The firm's approach is characterized by a focus on sustainability rather than purely profit-driven motives, customer focus instead of solely chasing image, and an entrepreneur-mindset instead of only concentrating on exits. They aim to nurture startups with a vision and ideas that define the future. They seek to support companies that will grow from the Rhein-Main area to throughout Europe.
High-Tech Gründerfonds
HTGF invests in European tech founders building transformative technologies (Deep Tech, Life Sciences, Digital Tech, Industrial, Climate & Chemistry). As a multi-stage VC platform, they provide capital, mentorship, and network support from early-stage funding to growth rounds, aiming to create global tech champions and foster a new economic miracle in Germany/Europe.
Hitachi Ventures
Hitachi Ventures invests in founders building world-changing innovation across four core themes: **Digital** (AI, advanced computing, data infrastructure), **Industrial** (Industry 4.0, sustainable productivity), **Environment** (sustainability, circular economy, decarbonization), and **Healthcare** (techbio, patient outcomes). They partner with ambitious founders to drive enterprise transformation and global impact through strategic capital, operational support, and Hitachi’s ecosystem access.
Hubraum
Hubraum is the tech incubator of Deutsche Telekom, focusing on fostering innovation transfer and creating business opportunities by connecting startups, developers, ecosystem partners, and Deutsche Telekom. Their strategy involves offering access to cutting-edge innovation labs in Berlin and Krakow, equipped with telco assets like 5G tech, connectivity APIs, and Wi-Fi Sensing. They run various programs like the Security Co-Creation Program, Tangible Tomorrow, and the First Mover API Program to support startups. Hubraum also provides physical workspaces with amenities and access to tech expertise. They actively showcase successful collaborations with startups, highlighting how they accelerate growth and facilitate market entry.
Join Capital
Join Capital focuses on investing in early-stage deep tech companies that are building foundational technologies to solve critical problems and create strategic strongholds. They prioritize companies with the potential to lead, scale, and last, aiming to support ventures that can address the world's toughest challenges. Their investment approach centers on providing close support to founders, leveraging deep expertise from industry, enterprise, and venture capital to transform breakthrough ideas into scalable solutions. They target areas where the next industrial edge isn't flashy but fundamental, such as defense, space, enterprise, AI & cybersecurity, industrial advanced materials and autonomous systems.
LEA Partners
LEA Partners is a venture capital and private equity firm based in Karlsruhe, Germany. Their investment strategy focuses on B2B software and technology companies in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and other parts of Europe. They target both early-stage and buy-out opportunities, aiming to partner with companies demonstrating strong market positions or the potential to achieve market leadership. LEA Partners leverages its deep understanding of the B2B software landscape to support its portfolio companies through strategic guidance, operational expertise, and access to a network of industry experts. They look for companies with scalable business models, recurring revenue streams, and strong management teams.
MIG Capital
MIG Capital's core philosophy revolves around "Aus Visionen Werte schaffen" which translates to "Creating value from visions". The firm focuses on partnering with entrepreneurs to shape the companies of tomorrow. Although the specific investment thesis isn't explicitly detailed on the homepage, the numerous portfolio companies and their exit data suggest a strong interest in innovative technology and healthcare companies. Their strategy seems to involve identifying promising early-stage ventures, providing capital and support for growth, and ultimately achieving successful exits through acquisitions or IPOs.
Matterwave Ventures
Matterwave Ventures is a European VC firm focused on backing hardware and software companies in the Industrial Technologies space. They aim to empower early-stage companies to reshape industrial value chains and become global leaders. The firm's core belief centers around funding companies that contribute to a sustainable, sovereign, and digitalized European industry. Their investment strategy revolves around three key areas: Industrial Tech, Deep Tech, and Climate Tech. In Industrial Tech, they support the digital transformation of industry to create upskilled local workforces, globally competitive, high-value exports, and superior industrial products. For Deep Tech, they back global champions in frontier technologies, building resilient supply chains and sovereign dual-use capabilities for long-term industrial autonomy. In Climate Tech, they invest in technologies driving smart industrial decarbonization, enabling global winners in novel climate solutions, and delivering proven climate impact at scale. They are particularly interested in companies that address the challenges and opportunities within the European industrial landscape. This includes fostering technological independence, promoting sustainable practices, and driving the adoption of digital solutions across various industrial sectors. They aim to create a future where European industries are competitive on a global scale, while also remaining environmentally conscious and socially responsible. Matterwave Ventures seeks companies demonstrating groundbreaking innovations that can have a significant impact on the European industrial ecosystem. They are dedicated to supporting the growth and development of these businesses, with a focus on enabling them to become market leaders and contribute to the overall advancement of European industry.
NRW.BANK
NRW.BANK supports companies, individuals, and municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia by providing financing solutions (loans, equity, grants), consulting, and networking to foster innovation, sustainable development, affordable housing, and digital transformation in the region.
Occident Group
Occident Group is an owner-managed venture capital investor focused on financing spin-offs from scientific research. They invest in deep-tech startups with the aim of translating scientific research results into real-world applications. Their investment decisions are guided by the potential for sustainable success and align with their values of innovation, meaningfulness, expertise, partnership, and integrity. They invest their own money, make decisions based on the sustainable potential for success, and enable founding teams to achieve outstanding results. The firm emphasizes long-term relationships with their portfolio companies, providing not only financial support but also extensive experience and an entrepreneurial mindset.