Founderful
Venture capitalZurich · Pre-Seed–Series A
Also known as Wingman Ventures
Investment thesis
Pre-seed investor in Switzerland backing about 10 top founder teams annually, offering rare campus-based sourcing and training through a student-led VC arm that scouts, supports and trains founders.
What they invest in
from 12 of 12 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×5Cleantech ×5Deep Tech ×3Energy ×3New Materials ×3Climate Tech ×2Developer Tools ×2Enterprise Software ×2
HQs:Switzerland×6Germany×1France×1
Investments · 12 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2025 · 42024 · 12023 · 16 dated
Unbound Potential develops flow batteries for long-duration energy storage, eliminating traditional membranes to enable simpler, more cost-effective manufacturing.
CleantechEnergyHardwareThalwil, CH
Federico Paratore(Founder)
Adaptyv Bio develops technologies for protein engineering that enable the design and testing of new proteins for applications in medicine, industrial enzymes, and functional materials.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechHealthtechLausanne, CH
Julian Englert(Founder)inDaniel Nakhaee-Zadeh Gutierrez(Founder)inRobert KapturGerard AntounSam Burns
Co-investorsHAWKTAILNeer Venture PartnersRheingau FoundersUnruly CapitalY CombinatorACE & Company+2 more
Alpic operates an AI infrastructure platform that lets B2B and DTC companies build AI-native interfaces such as MCP servers and ChatGPT integrations, with built-in security, observability, and distribution, alongside open-source frameworks and developer tools.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingDeveloper ToolsParis, FR
Co-investorsGalion.exeK5 GlobalKima VenturesPartech VenturesEarlybird Venture Capital
Chiral develops electron spin alignment technologies and applications based on the CISS effect to reduce resistivity and overpotential waste, enabling sustainable and higher-performance solutions.
CleantechDeep TechEnergyNew Materials
Andre Butzerin(Founder)in
Co-investorsHCVCLool VenturesQuantonationSC Net Zero Tech VenturesCrane Venture Partners
DePoly develops a chemical recycling technology that converts unsorted, contaminated PET plastic waste into virgin-grade raw materials (PTA and MEG precursors) for producing new plastics without fossil fuels.
Circular EconomyCleantechNew MaterialsSion, CH
Co-investorsBeiersdorf Innovation FundCrane Venture PartnersInfinity RecyclingACE & CompanyAngel InvestBASF Venture Capital GmbH+1 more
Kyan Health provides a workplace mental health platform offering a stepped-care model spanning self-care, coaching, therapy, work-life support, and crisis care, backed by a global network of licensed providers and Kai, a 24/7 AI companion.
Digital HealthHR TechMental HealthZollikon
Vlad Cristian Gheorghiu(Executive Officer, Director)Ignacio Leonhardt(Executive Officer, Director)Alexander Francois Stoeckl(Director)Alec Ross(Director)
BoardVictoria Lietha(Director)
Co-investorsGreyMatterJoyance PartnersnaturalX Health VenturesSwisscom Ventures
Lightly provides tools for AI teams to manage and curate training data more efficiently.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareZürich, CH
Igor Susmelj(Founder)in
Co-investorsSICTICY CombinatorFirst MomentumSoma Capital
Mimic provides enterprise ransomware and cyber extortion defense software for large organizations.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityEnterprise Software
Co-investorsBallistic VenturesMenlo VenturesWing10x Founders2100 VenturesElaia+3 more
Nala provides crop risk intelligence for food and beverage procurement teams, combining satellite data, agronomic research, and weather modelling to deliver early warning of supply disruptions, price outlooks, and parametric insurance against weather-driven ingredient cost increases.
AgTechClimate TechInsurTechBerlin, DE
Nicolas Somogyi(Founder)
Co-investorsIris CapitalKOMPAS VCPale Blue Dot
UniSieve develops advanced gas separation membrane technology for decarbonizing heavy-emitting industries, with applications including carbon capture, olefin separation, and hydrogen purification.
CleantechClimate TechDeep TechNew Materials
Co-investorsAmadeus Capital Partners
Urbio provides an AI-powered software platform for planning and designing district heating networks, combining curated geospatial energy data, a digital twin, scenario design, and automated reporting.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechEnergy
Co-investorsContrarian VenturesKickstart InnovationThird Sphere
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesAlpic · eu-startups.com · Aug 12, 2026
Kyan · medcitynews.com · Aug 2, 2026
Chiral · datacenterdynamics.com · Mar 11, 2026
Mimic · siliconangle.com · Nov 4, 2025
DePoly · s-ge.com · Nov 4, 2025
Adaptyv · ggba.swiss · Oct 27, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Founderful invest at?
- Founderful invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What is Founderful's typical check size?
- Founderful typically writes checks of $108K – $1.6M.
- What sectors does Founderful focus on?
- Founderful focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, B2B Marketplaces, Biotech, Cleantech, Consumer, Deep Tech, Enterprise Software, Media & Entertainment, New Materials, SaaS, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Founderful located?
- Founderful is headquartered in Zurich, CH.
- Does Founderful lead rounds?
- Founderful typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Co-investors · 16
HCVC is a venture capital firm that backs founders working to industrialize scientific and technological progress across deep tech, robotics, and hard science domains.
Earlybird Venture Capital is a European venture capital investor that backs early-stage technology founders with capital, strategic support, and access to an international network.
MassMutual Ventures is the venture capital arm of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, investing in technology companies and supporting their growth with capital, connections, and expertise.
KOMPAS VC is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on enabling technologies for physical industries such as manufacturing, energy, logistics, infrastructure, and the built environment.
Seed-stage ClimateTech venture fund investing in companies that reduce and reverse the effects of climate change. The firm typically wants 10% shareholding.
Contrarian Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on backing climate tech founders, providing full-stack support through initiatives like the Energy Tech Summit, The Climate Brick, and Climate50.
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General Catalyst is a venture capital firm operating as a partnership focused on company building and accelerating the growth of the businesses it backs.
SOSV is a deep tech venture capital firm that makes first-check pre-seed investments and follow-on rounds in startups focused on human and planetary health, providing lab space and hands-on support at its US locations.
Foobar is the investment company of Icelandic entrepreneur David Helgason that focuses on supporting startups and investing in technology to accelerate global decarbonization and sustainability efforts.
A team of analytical investors, traders, and builders employing data-driven and first-principles approaches to identify market trends and solve complex problems across diverse segments.
Playfair Capital is a pre-seed technology investor operating as a generalist fund. The firm focuses on early-stage technology companies.
▶4 more co-investors
Firms observed investing alongside Founderful, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Founderful's recorded portfolio.
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