Earlybird Venture Capital

Co-founded Earlybird in 1997 and has over 27 years of entrepreneurial and investment experience, focusing on FinTech, InsurTech, and FoodTech. Previously chaired Tipp24 AG and Interhyp AG (both taken to IPO) and worked as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey; holds an industrial engineering degree from TU Hamburg and a PhD in Management from the University of St. Gallen.

Co-founded Earlybird in 1997 and has over 27 years of investment, operational, and entrepreneurial experience, focusing on DeepTech. He sits on the boards of Marvel Fusion, Isar Aerospace, Greenlyte, Aiven, Onefootball, Simscale, and eleQtron. Previously a Partner at McKinsey, he holds a Dipl.Ing. and PhD in Aerospace Engineering.

Supported Aleph Alpha's Series A investment in 2021, providing strategic perspective and deep technical understanding of generative AI.

Andre Retterath joined Earlybird's Munich office in 2017 to launch and lead the firm's AI and infrastructure investment practice, concentrating on frontier models, databases, and developer, design, and automation tools, along with the intersection of AI, media, and content creation. He also leads Earlybird's Flywheel team covering engineering, marketing, community and events, and portfolio acceleration. Prior to Earlybird he spent over five years as a process automation engineer at ThyssenKrupp and worked as a management consultant at GE North America, and he earned a PhD from the Technical University of Munich on machine learning and the value of data in venture capital, along with an MSc in Management and a BEng in Mechatronics Engineering.

Key advisor to smava, providing expertise that helped establish the platform as Germany's leading consumer finance provider.

Dan co-founded the Earlybird-licensed Digital East Fund (DEF I/II) in 2012, focusing on the CEE region, and is now a Venture Partner at Earlybird investing in CEE tech startups. He has a background in computer science and finance, with prior roles in equity research, private equity, and as a Director at Intel Capital, where he invested in UiPath.

Long-term partner with founder of Marvel Fusion, leading Series A investment and continuing support through subsequent rounds in fusion energy technology.

Joined Earlybird in 2017 and co-leads the Enterprise Software vertical, focusing on infrastructure and verticalized SaaS investments. Based in Munich but active in the Nordics; previously an investment analyst at Monkfish Equity and in HSBC's family office, with an MSc in Management from HHL Leipzig.

Early investor and ongoing supporter of Hive Technologies, providing sustained partnership from inception.

Tim Rehder joined Earlybird's Berlin office in 2018 to expand the fund's coverage in fintech and Web3, and sits on the boards of companies including Upvest, Hive Tech, finmid, Flanks and M^Zero Labs. Before Earlybird he founded and led a European crypto exchange, was a CFO for a social gaming venture in Asia, and worked in M&A at Jefferies; he studied at Maastricht and holds an MSc in Finance from St Andrews.

Moritz Belling joined Earlybird in 2021 and is a Principal based in Berlin, focusing on early-stage investments in energy technologies, B2B software, and DeepTech, and covering the Nordics. He previously worked as a consultant at BCG advising entrepreneurs and SMEs on strategy.

Moritz Belling joined Earlybird in 2021 as a Principal, focusing on early-stage investments in energy technologies, B2B software, and DeepTech, and represents the firm in the Nordics. Before Earlybird, he worked as a consultant at BCG, advising entrepreneurs and SMEs on strategy and disruption topics.

Nina Mayer joined Earlybird in 2019 and is a Berlin-based Principal focused on early-stage FinTech, InsurTech, and enterprise software investments, working with companies such as Upvest, Finmid, Flanks, Voyfai and Hakuna. She previously worked at startups Celonis and Forto, began her career in academia at LMU, and holds an LL.M. in IT Law from King's College London plus a First State Examination from LMU.

Laurin Class joined Earlybird in 2021 and works out of the Munich office, focusing on developer, data, and cyber investments. Before investing he was a strategy consultant, a later-stage private equity investor, and a technical product manager at a Series B startup, and holds a Master's from the London School of Economics.