Munich Startup: Please introduce Superangels briefly!
Franzi Majer, co-founder of Superangels: Alex Brand, Flo Gottschaller and I founded Superangels in March 2023. We are a “business angel matching fund” and invest early-stage in tech startups across various industries – from deep tech to SaaS, AI to climate tech. What makes us special is that we always and exclusively match the investments of our business angels. We personally selected our 20 experts – our “all-stars” – from a total of more than 100 business angels. The selection is based, among other things, on historical performance and investment strategy.
Everyone who made it into the network is an expert in their field because they have already founded and sold a company in that area and/or have been investing in the field for years. In total, Superangels thus has a historical portfolio of over 350 investments that our angels and we have made in the past.
If one of our experts decides to make an investment, we automatically match it with the same amount – without exception. This enables us to identify the most promising startups from the most diverse sectors and invest early-stage in the best ones. The advantages for startups: Through our investment, they receive additional capital from a passive investor. At the same time, we have sufficient capital in the background to join follow-up rounds as well. In addition, startups gain access to our entire network of “business angel all-stars” and their expertise. And of course they can always rely on our substantive support, whether through introductions to other VCs, help accessing potential customers and much more.
Now, after BaFin registration, we are opening our “matching fund” for the first time to family offices and private investors as well.
Superangels: Everything around bits & bytes
Munich Startup: What do you prefer to invest in?
Franzi Majer: We have no preference whatsoever here. As soon as one of our experts is convinced after their due diligence and decides to invest, we join in. However, it always has to have something to do with tech, but broadly here. In other words: everything around bits & bytes.
Munich Startup: Do personal preferences ever influence investments?
Franzi Majer: That is 100 percent excluded due to our investment strategy alone. The decision is always made by our expert for themselves and their own money. Once that decision is made, we match it with the same amount.
How to best benefit from investors
Munich Startup: Do startups have to fear that you will get too involved?
Franzi Majer: We are on the cap table (= “capitalization table” showing shareholdings in the company – editor’s note), but otherwise silent investors. If any of our portfolio companies need help, we’re always there – but only at the founders’ request. The three of us have already founded several companies ourselves and know how founders can best benefit from their investors and what is rather counterproductive.
Munich Startup: To be successful, a startup must …
Franzi Majer: … be good at sales!
Munich Startup: Tell us the knockout criterion in the pitch!
Franzi Majer: When founders don’t have their own numbers under control. And when you notice that there are differences between the founders.
Munich Startup: The trend of the year is …?
Franzi Majer: Artificial intelligence.
Attractive combination of innovation, talent pool and support
Munich Startup: What does the Munich startup scene do right from investors’ perspective?
Franzi Majer: In my opinion, the Munich startup scene is particularly exciting for tech investors because it offers a variety of innovative companies and technologies. Munich is a major technology hub with top-tier universities, research institutions and established industries. This environment promotes the emergence of new ideas and provides access to highly qualified specialists. In addition, there is a well-developed infrastructure for startups, including incubators, accelerators and venture capital funds.
Munich is also internationally recognized and attracts investors from around the world. Overall, the Munich startup scene offers an attractive combination of innovation, talent pool and support that attracts investors from around the globe.
Munich Startup: What could it do better?
Franzi Majer: For all its appealing restraint, and here we’re back to the sales topic from before: one could be a bit more aggressive overall! Munich has a fantastic startup scene that doesn’t need to hide, quite the opposite.
Munich Startup: Who should startups approach if they want to get in touch with you?
Franzi Majer: Always best to approach one of our 20 business angels – an overview will be available very soon on our new homepage (launch planned for mid-July – editor’s note) and until then via LinkedIn.
