STS Ventures GmbH
Venture capitalCologne · Pre-Seed–Series A · 8 people tracked
Investment thesis
STS Ventures positions itself between business angels and traditional venture capital, combining an angel's hands-on mindset with a VC's firepower. Founded by serial entrepreneur Stephan Schubert (co-founder of OnVista), the firm invests at pre-seed and seed stages in technology-driven startups. It backs numbers-driven founders who prioritize sustainable, steady growth and balance cost management with expansion — described as 'hidden champions.' Leveraging deep operating experience and a broad network of industry decision-makers, talent, and investors, the firm aims to be a partner at eye level, offering honest advice and timely feedback to help founders build lasting companies.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 8 people
from the firm's website & public directories
What they invest in
from 37 of 49 portfolio companiesSaaS ×14Consumer ×8E-commerce ×6Enterprise Software ×6Marketplaces ×6B2B Marketplaces ×5Fintech ×5Direct to Consumer ×3
HQs:Germany×23United States×3
Who they back
founder profiles across 10 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×22 founders×63 founders×14+ founders×1
Investments · 49 tracked
founders shown can be your intro path
Airbnb is an online marketplace that enables people to book and list accommodations for short-term rentals, experiences, and services around the world.
ConsumerMarketplacesTravel & HospitalitySan Francisco, US
Brian Chesky(Co-founder & CEO)inNathan Blecharczyk(Co-founder & CSO)inJoe Gebbia(Co-founder)inJoe G.(Founder)inBelinda Johnson(Executive Officer)Laurence Tosi(Chief Financial Officer)
Co-investors137 VenturesA.Capital VenturesA*Aglae VenturesAllied Venture PartnersAmakor+57 more
AbeBooks is an online marketplace where independent booksellers offer new, used, rare, and antiquarian books as well as art objects and collectibles.
E-commerceMarketplaces
Co-investorsActon Capital
Acorns provides automated investment services that allow users to invest in diversified portfolios of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) composed of stocks and bonds, with options including Bitcoin-linked ETFs.
FintechIrvine, US
Jeff Cruttenden(Executive Officer, Director)Walter Cruttenden(Executive Officer, Director)inMark Dru(Executive Officer)
BoardJim Caccavo(Director)Jay Fishman(Director)Mike Sekits(Director)
Co-investorsA-Rod CorpAnsa CapitalBlack Jays VenturesComcast VenturesConnetic VenturesDeclaration Partners+12 more
Audibene sells hearing aids and related digital solutions for people with hearing loss through Germany's largest network of partnered acousticians.
Digital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesBerlin, DE
Co-investorsActon CapitalHeartcore Capital
B2X provides a platform and operational orchestration services for managing the complete lifecycle of electronic hardware—from inbound warehousing through deployment, maintenance, repair, returns, and refurbishment—for technology brands and operators across consumer electronics, retail automation, enterprise, and mission-critical sectors.
Enterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainSaaSMunich, DE
Co-investorsBarkawi GroupCipio PartnersGrazia Equity GmbH
Deutsche Fensterbau supplies and installs windows and doors for residential customers, handling consultation, project management, and installation through a network of local craftspeople.
Construction TechConsumer
Emma sells mattresses and sleep products directly to consumers, offering a 100-night home trial, a 10-year warranty, and installment payments via Klarna.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerce
Co-investorsFranz Haniel & Cie. GmbH
Erste Hausverwaltung acquires and integrates regional property management companies across Germany and digitizes their operations through an online platform.
Enterprise SoftwarePropTechSaaS
Co-investorsVENPACE
JoinMyTrip is an online travel platform where users can find and join group trips organized by "TripLeaders" to destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania.
MarketplacesTravel & Hospitality
Klimametrix provides a cloud-based ESG and sustainability compliance software platform for banks and corporations to manage climate risks, calculate emissions, assess biodiversity impacts, and meet regulatory requirements including EU taxonomy, CSRD, and GAR disclosure standards.
Climate TechEnterprise SoftwareFintech
Outbrain, operating as Outbrain Direct Response, runs a performance marketing and advertising platform for the Open Internet, helping advertisers achieve measurable outcomes at scale.
AdTechMarketing Tech
Co-investorsGapMinderSmartGateVCSusquehanna Growth EquityVintage Investment Partners
Lingoda is an online language learning platform offering live classes led by certified teachers, available 24/7 in small group or private formats.
EdTechSaaSBerlin, DE
Felix WunderlichFabian Wunderlich
Co-investorsGerman Startups GroupGrazia Equity GmbHpd venturesSummit Partners
App providing actionable mobile insights for the physical world (insolvency in 2019).
proaesthetic is a chain of aesthetic and cosmetic surgery clinics in Germany offering surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic treatments.
HealthtechMedical Devices
November is a German provider of funeral pre-planning and funeral services (Bestattungsvorsorge und Bestattungen), offering advance-provision insurance products and organizing funerals nationwide across Germany.
ConsumerFintechInsurTech
Robin Klemm(Gründer und Geschäftsführer (Founder & Managing Director))Laurent Lukas(CCO)
Co-investorsSalvia
onvista is a financial information platform providing stock quotes, market data, analysis tools, and educational content for retail investors in the German-speaking market.
Fintech
Ottonova offers private health insurance for employees, self-employed individuals, students, and government employees in Germany, as well as supplementary insurance for those enrolled in statutory health insurance.
Digital HealthInsurTechBerlin, DE
Co-investorsEarlybird Venture CapitalVorwerk Ventures
Pixsy is an online platform that detects unauthorized use of images online and provides case resolution services to enforce copyright, connecting users to a network of specialist law firms.
Creator EconomyLegalTechSaaS
Daniel Foster(Founder)Torsten Rüter(Co-founder & Head of Development)Kain Jones(Co-founder & CEO)
Ecommerce startup selling and renting new and used premium ebikes to consumers.
Retail.me provides operational digitalization software for consumer packaged goods manufacturers and grocery retailers in the food and beverage sector.
E-commerceRetail TechSaaS
Shoeboxed provides receipt scanning, expense tracking, and GPS mileage logging for self-employed Schedule C filers, freelancers, and small business owners, turning mailed-in paper receipts and app-captured expenses into audit-ready, categorized tax records.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSSales TechDurham, US
Taylor Mingos(Co-founder)Tobias Walter(Co-founder)Doug Breaker(Owner & CEO)in
SUSHI Bikes makes lightweight, affordable city e-bikes with a removable battery and around 75 km of range, aimed at commuters, students, and first-time e-bike riders.
Direct to ConsumerHardwareMobility & TransportationMunich, DE
Swaarm is a digital marketing and advertising platform that provides performance tracking tools and analytics to help businesses manage and optimize their digital advertising campaigns.
AdTechMarketing TechSaaS
Yogeeta Chainani(Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer)inAlexandru Dumitru(Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer)in
talent360 offers talent.Flow, a recruiting software and digital operating system that automates the application and hiring process for staffing agencies and personnel service providers.
Future of WorkHR TechSaaS
Marc Schach(Co-founder, CEO & Geschäftsführer)Denny Riedl(Co-founder & CTO)
Handshake provides an end-to-end career fair management platform for universities and careers services to host in-person, virtual, and hybrid career fairs.
B2B MarketplacesEdTechHR Tech
Co-investors468 Capital
This is an affiliate/review website about online "Plinko" casino games, presenting rankings and reviews of gambling operators where users can play Plinko for real money or crypto.
ConsumerMedia & Entertainment
UpsellGuru provides a platform for hotels to sell upgrades and add-on offers across the guest journey — pre-arrival, on-arrival at check-in, and during the stay — using personalized offers, dynamic bidding, automation, and analytics dashboards.
SaaSSales TechTravel & Hospitality
X-Bionic makes performance running shoes featuring technologies such as a Power-Lite carbon plate, marketed toward runners and endurance athletes including trail and ultra runners.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerSports Tech
zooplus is an online retailer of pet food and supplies for dogs, cats, birds, rodents, horses, and fish.
ConsumerE-commerce
Co-investorsActon Capital
Exits · 1
IPOs and acquisitions across the tracked portfolioAirbnbNASDAQ: ABNB
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companies/Airbnb%20Inc%20porch%20with%20sunset%20by-%20Dreamer%20Company%20via%20iStock.jpg)
Airbnb · barchart.com · Jul 17, 2026
Acorns Grow · mwm.ai · Jan 13, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has STS Ventures GmbH made?
- STS Ventures GmbH has 49 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited via acquisition or IPO.
- What stage does STS Ventures GmbH invest at?
- STS Ventures GmbH invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What is STS Ventures GmbH's typical check size?
- STS Ventures GmbH typically writes checks of $220K – $1.1M.
- What sectors does STS Ventures GmbH focus on?
- STS Ventures GmbH focuses on Consumer, Enterprise Software, Hardware, Healthtech, Retail Tech, SaaS, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is STS Ventures GmbH located?
- STS Ventures GmbH is headquartered in Cologne, DE.
- Does STS Ventures GmbH lead rounds?
- Yes, STS Ventures GmbH leads investment rounds.
- Who does STS Ventures GmbH co-invest with?
- STS Ventures GmbH most often shares deals with Acton Capital, Grazia Equity GmbH, Earlybird Venture Capital, among 33 tracked co-investors.
Co-investors · 5
468 Capital is a technology investment firm with offices in Berlin and San Francisco that invests across multiple stages in software, AI, and internet companies. The firm focuses on thesis-driven investments in businesses with experienced founding teams.
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.
Cusp Capital is a technology-focused venture capital firm that invests in companies it considers to be on the cusp of change, backing entrepreneurs across selected investment theses.
FT Partners is a financial advisory and investment banking firm that provides M&A, financing, and capital markets advisory services to fintech, payments, and financial services companies.
Inovexus is a community-powered venture platform that supports founders across Europe and beyond, combining investor community leadership with capital access.
Firms observed investing alongside STS Ventures GmbH, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with STS Ventures GmbH's recorded portfolio.
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