Freigeist

Seed and pre-Series A technology founders in Europe are the firm's chosen partners, and the Freigeist team describes itself as a long-term partner in building a European tech champion. It is a deep-tech seed investor whose founders are themselves entrepreneurs.

A small number of deep partnerships

The firm says its capital is only part of the value. After investing it works with the founders on a roadmap for the following twelve to twenty-four months, preparing the company for a strong Series A round, defining who is responsible for what and checking where outside partners can help. Because of that hands-on model it makes only one or two investments a year. It describes its investments as bold, saying it is willing to write the first cheque for a mission that no other venture investor backs, and that it invests its own money and thinks long term.

Why technology, and why now

Its view is that artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing and synthetic biology are moving from research labs into daily life, and that this is the largest opportunity to improve quality and sustainability of life. Startups, it argues, are the key driver of that change, and building one is extremely hard.

What support covers

The team lists specialist help in several areas: product design and user experience, brand building, and communications and public relations drawn from a strong media network. For fundraising it offers help with financial planning, funding strategy, investor relations, and building a finance and legal organization, backed by experience of dozens of financing and M and A transactions. On technology it supports roadmaps, building technical teams and agile workflows. On the commercial side it starts with strategy workshops, helps set up marketing and sales processes and joins sales calls, then supports internal processes, KPI dashboards and recruitment.

Portfolio themes

Examples on the site include all-electric regional air mobility, thermal energy storage for decarbonising industry, space technology, emission-free fast travel, and business software for small and medium-sized companies.

Freigeist is a venture investor that backs technology founders in Europe. Its team treats new technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, 5G and quantum computing as a chance to improve quality of life and sustainability.

Products and services

• Funding and fundraising help: supports financial planning, funding strategy, investor relations and later financing or sale transactions.
• Product and design support: advises on user experience, interface design and brand building.
• Technology support: helps portfolio firms plan product roadmaps, hire engineers and adopt agile methods.
• Marketing and sales: sets up processes and joins sales calls with prospective clients.
• Communications: uses its media network to gain attention for portfolio companies.

Clients

European technology start-ups, including companies in aviation, energy storage, space and business software for small firms.

Key facts

• Region: Europe
• Team experience: Over two decades of building and scaling companies
• Engagement style: Begins with strategy workshops involving all partners