German Deep-Tech investor, Freigeist, and Climate-KIC are growing a fruitful relationship across a number of areas with a view to accelerating dealflow.
“Freigeist sees the Climate-KIC Investor Marketplace as one of the most valuable platforms for energy and cleantech start-ups in Europe. We have sourced deals, such as Lilium Aviation and Kraftblock Energy Storage and appreciate the supportive collaboration a lot.“ said Niklas Hebborn, Junior Partner at Freigeist.
Based on the quality of investment opportunities and the quantity of emergent start-ups there are in the DACH region, Freigeist is investing the relationship earlier in the cycle by providing selection feedback to Climate-KIC and by also being actively participating in Climate-KIC main events in the DACH region: Investor Dinner and Demo Day. By being exposed to promising start-ups early, Freigeist can not only offer funding, but also over 20 years’ worth of experience to help support start-ups in building teams, products, and long-term strategies, playing the role of investor alongside to the one of co-founder into some extent.
Climate-KIC welcomes the development of closer ties with the investment community and Adriano Bürgi, Climate-KIC’s Regional Startup Programme Lead in the DACH region sees fruitful relationships emerging:
“The Climate-KIC Investor Marketplace has been validated by the investment community focusing on climate impact and innovation as a valuable and high-quality deal-flow platform with well curated and new financing rounds being listed every month. Some investors are also eager to get involved with teams even before their financing rounds are listed in the web-platform, as well as learn more about the profile of start-ups applying to Climate-KIC’s Accelerator Programme by joining and supporting the selection process. Only in the DACH region, around 500 applications are being analysed each year by Climate-KIC.”
Freigeist sets out to embrace new technology to improve quality and sustainability of life. The team consists of entrepreneurs themselves investing their own money. The focus of Freigeist is on long-term oriented companies based on fundamental technology. In contrast to other investors, Freigeist aims to invest in 2-3 companies per year and follows an active institutional co-founder approach. Accordingly, they support their portfolio companies 360° ranging from operations, HR, business development and eventually fundraising over the next rounds. CEO of Freigeist, Frank Thelen, is a serial founder and seed investor whose products has reached over 100 million consumers in 60 countries. He is known as a medial public figure and as advisor of the German government.