What stage does Freigeist Capital invest at?

Freigeist Capital invests at the Seed, Series A stages.

What is Freigeist Capital's typical check size?

Freigeist Capital typically writes checks of $550K – $2.2M.

Where is Freigeist Capital located?

Freigeist Capital is headquartered in Bonn, DE.

Does Freigeist Capital lead rounds?

Yes, Freigeist Capital leads investment rounds.

Freigeist Capital

Venture capital

Bonn · Seed–Series A · 7 people tracked

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✨ Fox Verdict

Investment thesis

Freigeist invests its own capital in a small number of companies each year (typically 1-2) to offer full hands-on support at the Seed and pre-Series A stages. The firm positions itself as a long-term partner with a decades-long horizon rather than seeking quick exits, and is willing to write the first check for bold, purpose-driven missions even when other investors decline. Being serial founders themselves, the team offers 360-degree support across product, coding, business development, sales, operations, finance, and HR, and works with founders on a 12-24 month roadmap to prepare startups for a strong Series A. The firm favors technology-driven innovations aimed at solving global challenges.

Invests inAdvanced Manufacturing Biotech Data & Infrastructure Deep Tech Enterprise Software Hardware Impact & Social Good Mobility & Transportation SaaSEuropeGermany

Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.

Stage

Seed–Series A

Check

$550K – $2.2M

Bonn, DE

Leads rounds

Leads

Instruments

Equity

Founded

2010

Tracked investments

Team · 7 people

from the firm's website & public directories

Alex Koch· Founder & CTO· Cologne Bonn Regionin

Co-founder and CTO of Freigeist Capital, focused on technology and tech teams.

Frank Thelen· Managing Director· Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germanyin 𝕏

Frank Thelen is a German serial entrepreneur, technology investor, and TV personality who has founded and led over 10 technology and design-focused companies since 1994. He was a judge on the German version of 'Shark Tank' for seven years, authored two bestselling books, and supports founders on technology, design, team, sales, media, and fundraising.

f•••@freigeist.comreveal

Marc Sieberger· Managing Director· Germanyin

Marc Sieberger oversees operations, finance, and legal at Freigeist, having built and run these functions across several companies and led over fifty financing and M&A deals across multiple geographies. He holds a double degree (Dipl. Kfm. and MBA) from WHU and supports founders on operations, finance, marketing, and fundraising.

m•••@freigeist.comreveal

Domenico Cipolla· Partner· Munich, Bavaria, Germanyin

Domenico Cipolla brings two decades of experience in venture capital, angel investing, and advising early-stage growth companies. He previously scaled home24 from 20 to over 1,000 employees and prepared its IPO, studied at WHU, and now supports Freigeist founders on growth, financing, and operations.

d•••@freigeist.comreveal

Marcel Vogler· Partner· Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germanyin

Marcel supports Freigeist's portfolio companies on the commercial side, helping them establish their business and raise Series A funding. He worked with Robco on product-market fit and its follow-on round from Sequoia, leads fundraising for Prosion Therapeutics on an interim basis, and is a partner on the 10xDNA portfolio committee.

m•••@freigeist.comreveal

Niklas Hebborn· Partner· Cologne Bonn Regionin

Niklas helps founding teams build go-to-market, recruit executives, and lead follow-on fundraising, sometimes in interim roles. He has supported portfolio companies including Xentral, Kraftblock, Build.One, Air up, and YFood from seed to Series A and beyond, and previously helped scale a construction tech company later acquired by Hilti. He is a WHU and ESCP graduate.

n•••@freigeist.comreveal

Alexander Pass· Principal

a•••@freigeist.comreveal

What they invest in

from 11 of 19 portfolio companies

SaaS ×4AI & Machine Learning ×3Cleantech ×2Climate Tech ×2Data & Infrastructure ×2Deep Tech ×2Energy ×2Enterprise Software ×2

HQs:Germany×2Switzerland×1Ireland×1

Investments · 19 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

Kraftblockkraftblock.com✓ verified

Kraftblock develops thermal energy storage systems based on a nanoparticle composite storage material, offering stationary and mobile solutions for decarbonizing industrial heat and cogeneration.

CleantechClimate TechEnergyEnterprise Software

Martin Schichtel(CEO & Co-founder)Susanne König(CEA & Co-founder)Christian Gebhardt(COO)Florent Baudu(CCO)Wim Janssen(SVP Energy Services)Karsten Dieckhoff(VP Engineering)

Air Upair-up.com

Akinaakina.healthin

Akina offers physiotherapy programs delivered through an AI-powered movement analysis system and personalized guidance from licensed Swiss physiotherapists.

AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtechZürich, CH

Biothrustbiothrust.de

Buildbuild.one

Colliecollie.euin

Collie provides a virtual fencing and herding system using collars and a mobile app to manage cattle herds, enabling automated rotational grazing that reduces labor, feed costs, and ammonia emissions while improving soil health and biodiversity.

AgTechIoTSaaSIreland, IE

EnduroSatendurosat.comin 𝕏

EnduroSat develops and operates satellites and avionics systems to democratize access to space intelligence and satellite-based services.

Deep TechHardwareSpace Tech

Hardthardt.globalin 𝕏

Hardt develops hyperloop technology as a sustainable transportation solution that aims to overcome distance barriers.

CleantechClimate TechDeep TechEnergyMobility & Transportation

Hole19hole19golf.comin 𝕏

Lekolabslekolabs.com

Liliumlilium.com

Pitchpitch.comin 𝕏

Pitch is a collaborative presentation software that lets teams create, manage, and share branded decks with design tools, templates, collaboration features, and viewer analytics.

Enterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkSaaSSales Tech

Prosionprosion.euin

Prosion develops a proprietary therapeutic platform targeting oncology and other diseases with unmet medical needs through novel mechanisms of action.

AI & Machine LearningBiotechMedical Devices

Robcorobco.dein 𝕏

Scanbot SDKscanbot.ioin 𝕏

Scanbot provides barcode scanning, document scanning, and data extraction SDKs for mobile and web applications.

Data & InfrastructureDeveloper Tools

Smartlanesmartlane.aiin

SmartLane provides cloud-based route optimization software for complex freight, distribution, and contract logistics operations.

AI & Machine LearningLogistics & Supply ChainSaaSNot stated, DE

Superlistsuperlist.comin 𝕏

Superlist is a task and notes management application that combines to-do lists, notes, and planning in a single workspace.

SaaS

Umhumh.appin

UMH provides an open-source data platform that connects, structures, and distributes industrial data across machines, systems, and protocols at manufacturing facilities.

Advanced ManufacturingData & InfrastructureIoT

xentralxentral.comin

Frequently asked questions

What stage does Freigeist Capital invest at?: Freigeist Capital invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
What is Freigeist Capital's typical check size?: Freigeist Capital typically writes checks of $550K – $2.2M.
What sectors does Freigeist Capital focus on?: Freigeist Capital focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, Biotech, Data & Infrastructure, Deep Tech, Enterprise Software, Hardware, Impact & Social Good, Mobility & Transportation, SaaS.
Where is Freigeist Capital located?: Freigeist Capital is headquartered in Bonn, DE.
Does Freigeist Capital lead rounds?: Yes, Freigeist Capital leads investment rounds.

Media · Podcasts & interviews

featuring the team

Money-Talk mit Frank Thelen | CEO von Freigeist Capital

fondsfueralle.de | Inhaber Martin Eberhard · Frank Thelen

Startup Grind Berlin welcomes Lena Jüngst (air up) & Niklas Hebborn (Freigeist Capital)

Startup Grind Local · Niklas Hebborn

SET19 Tech Festival Keynote: Frank Thelen, Freigeist Capital

Start Up Energy Transition · Frank Thelen

Images

Co-investors · 69

Visionaries Club

Visionaries Club is a European venture capital firm backing early-stage B2B and AI-driven technology companies, connecting top founders with a network of leading tech operators and industrial family entrepreneurs who serve as LPs, mentors and customers.

Both backed · 2

Superlistxentral

$900K

Sequoia Capital

Sequoia Capital is a venture capital firm that partners with founders to build technology companies, with a strong current focus on artificial intelligence.

Both backed · 1

xentral

$4.4M – $214M

GV (Google Ventures)

GV (formerly Google Ventures) is a venture investment firm that backs founders across many industries, aiming to build long-term relationships and support companies across multiple stages and milestones.

Both backed · 1

EnduroSat

$250K – $50M

Index Ventures

Index Ventures is a venture capital firm that backs founders across the globe, investing in the people behind ideas from early through later stages.

Both backed · 1

Pitch

$540K – $10.8M

Lightspeed Venture Partners

Lightspeed Venture Partners is a global venture capital firm known for backing AI and technology founders, emphasizing deep, hands-on partnerships with the companies it funds.

$1.7M – $87M

Accel

Accel is a venture capital firm that partners with exceptional founding teams, positioning itself as a first partner to startups globally.

$1.6M – $70M

Khosla Ventures

Khosla Ventures is a venture capital firm known for backing bold, contrarian bets in world-class teams that can reshape entire industries.

$5K – $50M

Techstars

Techstars is a startup accelerator and early-stage investor that funds ambitious founders and provides capital, mentorship, and access to a global network of investors, operators, and corporate partners.

$220K

Long Journey Ventures

Long Journey Ventures is an early-stage venture firm that backs unconventional, 'magically weird' founders and ideas, positioning itself as a hands-on, community-oriented partner to its companies.

$100K – $1M

Insight Partners

Insight Partners is a venture and growth-stage software investor featuring a large portfolio of technology companies across multiple sectors and regions.

$120M – $350M

Benchmark

Benchmark is a venture capital firm with offices in San Francisco and Woodside that invests in early-stage startups.

$100K – $30M

Unknown Ventures

Unknown is an investment firm focused on emerging market opportunities in live entertainment, biosciences, technology startups, and real estate, with a portfolio spanning music festivals, artist platforms, creator financial services, and event infrastructure.

▶57 more co-investors

First Round Capital Spark Capital Atomico Union Square Ventures (USV)Gradient Ventures Goat Capital FirstMark Offline Ventures Pioneer Freestyle Capital Headline Accel-KKR Obvious Ventures Meritech Capital Partners Stride VC Red Swan Ventures Abstract Ventures Point Nine Not Boring Capital Goodwater Capital Creandum Banana Capital Bitkraft Esports Ventures Vibe Capital EQT Ventures Awesome People Ventures Entree Capital HV Capital Teamworthy Ventures Cherry Ventures Lakestar foobar.vc Earl Grey Capital Allison Pickens Ventures La Famiglia MMC Ventures Alven Project A Ventures Stealth Capital Stripe Acton Capital Coalition Operators Indicator Ventures Alpine Ventures Cavalry Ventures Amino Collective Roosh Ventures N26 Designer Fund SmartStart Fund Pitchdrive eCAPITAL ENTREPRENEURIAL PARTNERS Embedded Capital LEA Partners Vsquared Ventures Coral Expedite Ventures

Firms observed investing alongside Freigeist Capital, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Freigeist Capital's recorded portfolio.

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