UnternehmerTUM Venture Capital Partners (UVC Partners) closes its second fund with over €82 million for technology-based B2B startups. With the fresh capital, UVC Partners will continue to invest in German-speaking companies in the areas of industrial technologies, enterprise software, and mobility.
For the second fund, a mixed investor base of entrepreneurs, family offices, industrial companies and institutional investors such as the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) also relies on the expertise of the venture capital firm. More capital commitments were received than could be accepted. The original target was €70-80 million, but this has now increased to €82 million.
“The fact that the fund had strong demand and is consequently oversubscribed is a confirmation of our previous investment strategy,”
so Dr. Ingo Potthof, Managing Partner of the fund.
Since the first closing in 2017, five investments have already been made, including in the Munich-based startup Blickfeld, which produces LiDAR sensors for autonomous driving, in the Berlin-based 3Yourmind, which offers software and a platform for industrial 3D printing and recently opened an office in Munich, as well as in the Munich-based start-up Fazuawho are developing an electric drive system for e-bikes.
From FlixBus to Konux
The venture capital firm invests in the seed to early Series B phase, focusing particularly on the founding team, an outstanding technology, or a differentiated business model. Initially, UVC Partners will invest between €0.5 million and €3 million in early-stage B2B startups with the new fund. In subsequent financing rounds, a total of up to €12 million can be provided for successfully growing investments.
The trust of the fund investors is also based on the excellent performance of the first fund: The portfolio includes, for example, successful companies such as the long-distance bus startup FlixBus or the sensor tech startup Konux.
Good access to experts & talent
Those who end up in the UVC Partners portfolio benefit not only from the financial injection but also from the expertise. The investment company is directly connected to the interdisciplinary network of UnternehmerTUM and has access to over 100 industrial corporations and startups, other investors, foundation partners, and a talent pool of over 40,000 alumni.
Startups in the field of artificial intelligence and mobility in particular receive valuable impulses from the “Digital Hub Mobility” or the initiative “AppliedAI“.
“No other fund in Germany can offer such comprehensive support and broad access to industry partners,”
emphasized John of Borries, partner of the fund,
“Nevertheless, we act as an independent investor and are completely free in our investment strategy.”
