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Private Equity FundPuts its own capital into companiesActive · deal in last 18 monthsLAST VERIFIED Oct 2026 · 3 SOURCES

EKK & Co.

Also known as EKK & Co. Management GmbH, ENGELHARDT KAUPP KIEFER & Co. Investment GmbH, Engelhardt Kaupp Kiefer & Co.

Stuttgart early-growth investor (EKK & Co. Management GmbH, active since 2001) backed by founder families and private investors; €0.5–2m stakes in post-product-market-fit companies, sector-agnostic.

HEADQUARTERS
Stuttgart, Germany
FOUNDED
2001
AUM
—
OUTSIDE CAPITAL
Yes
TEAM LISTED
9 people

Focus

STAGES
Growth
SECTORS
Software & SaaSConsumer & E-commerceMedia & EntertainmentFood & Agriculture
ASSET MIX
Private equityDirect investments
GEOGRAPHY
GermanyAustriaSwitzerland

Overview

EKK & Co. is a Stuttgart-based early-growth investor with more than 25 years of experience, named after its founders Engelhardt, Kaupp and Kiefer. It backs companies that have reached product-market fit and are ready to scale, without sector limits, aiming for founders to keep the majority through exit, and describes its approach as 'Holistic Growth Investing'. Its BVK profile lists family vehicles and a family office as shareholders, private persons and family offices as investors and two funds. Past holdings include esports organiser ESL (invested 2001); in April 2026 it made a mid seven-figure growth investment in smartvillage.

Investment thesis

Early growth: companies that have found product-market fit and are ready for the next big growth step, with fast-scaling models in growing markets; finances both growth and the path to profitability rather than thinking in Series A/B/C; sector-agnostic, team-focused; founders should hold the majority at entry and exit.

PORTFOLIO (20)

  • ESLNOTABLE
    Media & Entertainment · since 2001 · Exited
  • Actiro
    Software & SaaS · Exited
  • ajando
    Software & SaaS · Exited
  • Alex & Gross
    Exited
  • Ase
    Industrial & Manufacturing · Exited
  • CopalTec
    HealthTech · Exited
  • CTC
    Mobility & Logistics · Exited
  • Data Collect
    Mobility & Logistics
  • DORTEN
    Exited
  • freshtaste
    Food & Agriculture
  • Happy Sprinkles
    Food & Agriculture
  • Jonny Fresh
    Consumer & E-commerce
  • Odoscope
    Software & SaaS · Exited
  • Plitch
    Media & Entertainment
  • Probis
  • Sabio
    Software & SaaS · Exited
  • Solutronic
    Climate & Energy · Exited
  • tradingtwins
    Software & SaaS
  • Xpln
    Exited
  • smartvillage
    since 2026

People

  • Dr. Tobias Engelhardt
    Founder & Chairman · source
  • Karl-Friedrich Kaupp
    Founding Partner · source
  • Georg Kiefer
    Founding Partner · source
  • Roman Loch
    Managing Partner; managing director (Impressum) · source
  • Moritz Reck
    Managing Partner; managing director since 2026 (Impressum) · source
  • Harald Matzke
    Chief Financial Officer (since October 2025) · source
  • Lukas Besel
    Investment Analyst · source
  • Carolin Hackl
    Operations Manager · source
  • Maxi Zimmermann
    Finance Manager · source

Links

Frequently asked questions

EKK & Co. is a private equity fund based in Stuttgart, Germany, founded in 2001.

Yes. EKK & Co. invests its own capital in private companies.

EKK & Co. invests at Growth stage in Software & SaaS, Consumer & E-commerce, Media & Entertainment and Food & Agriculture.

EKK & Co.'s stated ticket size is €500K–€2M.

Key people at EKK & Co. include Dr. Tobias Engelhardt (Founder & Chairman), Karl-Friedrich Kaupp (Founding Partner), Georg Kiefer (Founding Partner) and Roman Loch (Managing Partner; managing director (Impressum)).

EKK & Co.'s investments include ESL, Actiro, ajando, Alex & Gross, Ase, CopalTec, CTC and Data Collect, among others.

The most recent publicly reported investment by EKK & Co. is smartvillage (First growth financing (mid seven-figure EUR)), announced in Apr 2026.

EKK & Co. states that it accepts submissions through its official contact page.

Yes. EKK & Co. manages capital from outside investors.