Earlybird Venture Capital

FOCUS

STAGES

Pre-SeedSeedSeries AGrowth

SECTORS

Artificial IntelligenceSoftware & SaaSDeep TechFintechSpaceClimate & Energy

ASSET MIX

Venture capital

GEOGRAPHY

Europe

WHAT IT IS

VC Fund. A fund manager investing capital raised from limited partners into startups.

• Earlybird Health
  Separately branded health-focused fund stream of the Earlybird group.
• Earlybird Digital East Fund
  Fund stream investing in Central and Eastern Europe and Turkey (e.g. UiPath, Peak Games).
• Earlybird Growth Opportunities
  Growth fund stream (Earlybird Growth Opps V); Earlybird Growth Management GmbH & Co. KG is one of the group's ManCos listed in the SFDR disclosures.
• Earlybird Vision Lab
  VC incubator and impact fund for pre-seed startups founded by entrepreneurs with a migration background.
• E2D
  €500m European dual-use and defence growth fund launched with AVP in June 2026; Earlybird and AVP act as advisors; Airbus Defence and Space anchor LP, first investment Alta Ares (July 2026).

ABOUT

Earlybird is a European venture capital investor founded in 1997 and headquartered in Berlin, with offices in Munich, London and Milan. It reports €2.5bn of assets under management, initial tickets up to €12m and a stage mix of roughly 20% pre-seed, 60% seed and 20% Series A, investing in AI applications, software infrastructure and foundation models, and deep tech. Its funds are run by several German management companies registered under the KAGB and/or the EuVECA Regulation, and Earlybird GmbH & Co. KG holds a full BaFin licence (noted in its SFDR disclosures revised 1 July 2025). In April 2026 it closed its oversubscribed €360m early-stage Fund VIII, the largest in its history; past investments include N26, UiPath, Snyk, Aleph Alpha, Black Forest Labs and Isar Aerospace.

INVESTMENT THESIS

Backs European founders from Day One, often before a category is widely understood, across AI applications, software infrastructure and foundation models, and deep tech; mostly seed, with pre-seed and Series A, and follow-on support including a growth-opportunity fund stream.

PORTFOLIO (120)

• 6 Wunderkinder GmbHNOTABLE
  Software & SaaS · since 2012 · Exited
• AivenNOTABLE
  Software & SaaS · since 2019
• Aleph AlphaNOTABLE
  Artificial Intelligence · since 2021
• Black Forest LabsNOTABLE
  Artificial Intelligence · since 2024
• InterhypNOTABLE
  Fintech · since 1999
• Isar AerospaceNOTABLE
  Space · since 2019
• Marvel FusionNOTABLE
  Climate & Energy · since 2022
• N26NOTABLE
  Fintech · since 2014
• NFON AGNOTABLE
  since 2010
• Peak GamesNOTABLE
  Media & Entertainment · since 2011
• SennderNOTABLE
  Mobility & Logistics · since 2017
• SnykNOTABLE
  Software & SaaS · since 2020
• SocialbakersNOTABLE
  since 2011
• Tipp24 AGNOTABLE
  since 1999
• UiPathNOTABLE
  Software & SaaS · since 2015
• UpvestNOTABLE
  Fintech · since 2020
• abaXX Technology AG
  Software & SaaS · since 1999 · Exited
• Aiperia
  Software & SaaS · since 2022
• Arago
  Deep Tech · since 2025
• Aris Machina
  Software & SaaS · since 2025
• Avrea
  Artificial Intelligence · since 2025
• B2X GmbH
  Software & SaaS · since 2012
• Bayshore
  Software & SaaS · since 2026
• BigChainDB
  Artificial Intelligence · since 2015
• Brandback
  Software & SaaS · since 2025
• BridgeCo
  Software & SaaS · since 2000 · Exited
• Briefcase
  Software & SaaS · since 2024
• Carpooling.com
  Software & SaaS · since 2009 · Exited
• CartoDB Inc
  Artificial Intelligence · since 2014
• Ceartas DMCA Ltd
  Software & SaaS · since 2024
• Celus
  Software & SaaS · since 2022
• Certivity
  since 2022
• Colibri
  since 2022
• conjectAG
  since 2000
• ConxAI
  since 2021
• CrossEngage
  since 2018
• CrossLend GmbH (The Thing GMBH)
  since 2018
• Ctrl
  since 2023
• dcs travel technologies
  since 2014
• DeepCode
  Artificial Intelligence · since 2019 · Exited
• dooyoo.de AG
  since 1999
• Edyoucated
  since 2021
• element 5 AG
  since 1999
• eleQtron
  Deep Tech · since 2021
• Korial
  since 2021
• Ethon AI
  since 2023
• eyva
  since 2024
• finmid
  Fintech · since 2021
• fintechOS
  Fintech · since 2019
• FiteTV
  since 2014
• Flanks
  since 2023
• Freeverse
  since 2020
• Getsafe
  Fintech · since 2019
• Deed
  since 2021
• Goodlegal
  since 2022
• Greenlyte
  Climate & Energy · since 2023
• Hakuna
  since 2022
• HiveMQ
  since 2021
• Hive Technologies
  since 2021
• Identify Software Ltd.
  since 2001
• Inkitt GmbH
  since 2015
• Involve Space
  Space · since 2024
• Junto Education GmbH
  since 2022
• Keel
  since 2024
• Kiwilogic.com AG
  since 1999
• Koppla GmbH
  since 2021
• Lexoo Ltd.
  since 2018
• Liquid M, Inc.
  since 2013
• M0
  since 2022
• Matchory
  since 2022
• minit
  since 2017
• Mona AI
  since 2024
• Mostly AI
  since 2020
• Myriad AG
  since 2001
• NcodiN
  since 2024
• Neotaste
  since 2024
• Neuracore
  Artificial Intelligence · since 2025
• Nortech
  since 2023
• Nosh.bio
  since 2023
• Obligate (ex FQX)
  since 2021
• OneFootball
  Media & Entertainment · since 2013
• OneShield
  since 1999
• ORis
  since 2026
• Ottonova
  HealthTech · since 2021
• PARIMA
  since 2021
• peopleIX
  since 2025
• Photoneo
  Deep Tech · since 2018
• Pillar
  since 2026
• Pointee
  since 2022
• Porters
  since 2025
• QuantumDiamonds
  Deep Tech · since 2023
• RapidMiner
  since 2013
• Recursive
  since 2026
• remberg GmbH
  since 2022
• Riiico
  since 2022
• Ripe
  since 2022
• Rivia
  HealthTech · since 2025
• Scoreloop AG
  since 2009
• Service Partner One GmbH
  since 2011
• Sessions
  since 2022
• ShapeShift
  since 2017
• Sikoia
• Simr
  since 2017
• Simscale
  since 2014
• Sintra
  Artificial Intelligence · since 2025
• SLNG
  since 2025
• smava
  Fintech · since 2007
• spAitial Ai
  Artificial Intelligence · since 2025
• Tasty Urban
  since 2023
• Terralayr AG
  since 2023
• The Interaction Company of California
  since 2025
• ThingsThinking
  since 2021
• TILT
  since 2022
• TopK
  since 2025
• Ubitricity GmbH
  Climate & Energy · since 2010
• urbia.com
  since 1999
• videdressing
  since 2013
• Wallet Studio
  since 2024
• Workist GmbH
  since 2022
• Xayn AG
  since 2018

TEAM

• Dr. Christian Nagel
  Co-Founder and General Partner; managing director (Impressum) · source
• Dr. Hendrik Brandis
  Co-Founder and General Partner; managing director (Impressum) · source
• Dr. Andre Retterath
  General Partner; managing director (Impressum) · source
• Paul Klemm
  General Partner; managing director (Impressum) · source
• Tim Rehder
  General Partner; managing director (Impressum) · source
• Johannes Ziegler
  Managing director of Earlybird GmbH (Impressum) · source
• Jochen Küst
  Managing director of Earlybird GmbH (Impressum) · source
• Akash Bajwa
  Principal · source
• Laura Waldenstrom
  Principal · source
• Dr. Moritz Belling
  Principal · source
• Nina Mayer
  Principal · source
• Alina Bassi
  Principal · source
• Hemini Mistry
  Principal, Investor Relations (joined August 2026) · source
• Roland Manger
  Co-Founder · source

LINKS

• Website
• Official contact page

FAQ