UVC Partners

💙 Review: Ultimate Demo Day (UDD) 2024 plus female investors lunch 💙 Our day at the UDD began with an exclusive networking lunch for women investors, co-hosted with Women Start-up by UnternehmerTUM and UVC Partners. Our special guest, Verena Pausder, delivered an inspiring speech on the importance of diversity in the investment and startup landscape. 💯 The afternoon was about innovation, ambitious visions, and a shared goal: creating sustainable impact. 💚 Congratulations to Neoways, the winning team of the day! 🎉 The TUM Hyperloop spin-off impressed everyone with its solution for sustainable, fast, and modern mobility. 🦾 But there were many more pitching startups worth mentioning: 💚 Health Pioneers: Start-ups like FIDENTIS, INCLUSYS, and ingineeon are revolutionizing the healthcare sector. 💚 Forward Mobility: Besides the winning team, standouts included Ecoist, Adiabat, and uRyde, shaping the future of mobility. 💚 Next-Gen Tech Horizons: Groundbreaking technologies were presented by nesero, Alithea Bio, and YUNO Robotics, among others. 💚 Powering Tomorrow: Energy innovations featured solutions like Kitekraft's flying wind turbine, sustainable batteries from Cellz, and impactful ideas from encosa energy GmbH. 💚 The New Era of Construction: Game-changing concepts came from Aiina Robotics, Pelicad, and Spacio. 💚 Digital Frontier: CertHub, Legalian, and useblocks GmbH showcased digital solutions for various industries. 💚 Exploring Sustainability: Cyclize's innovative approach to circular economy and sustainable materials stood out. We loved to see our founder, Dominik Novakovic, on stage! 🥰 💚 Bio Innovators: Biotechnological breakthroughs were delivered by Fluvion and Differential Bio. 💚 Industrial Edge: Innovations for the industrial sector were led by nebumind and Prio Optics GmbH. Besides, the evening was filled with fantastic speakers, like Eric Beißwenger, State Minister for European and International Affairs, and Annahita Esmailzadeh, Head of Customer Success Account Management - Energy & Chemicals Microsoft, who held think-worthy keynotes. A huge thank you to all the speakers, founders, investors, partners, and colleagues who made this day such a success! 💫 ✨ The Ultimate Demo Day 2024 was proudly powered by UnternehmerTUM with the support of UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators, TechFounders, TUM Venture Labs, UVC Partners, XPLORE, XPRENEURS Incubator, as well as the Munich Urban Colab Investment Alliance Partners, EIT Urban Mobility, and MakerSpace. ✨ Copyright photos: UnternehmerTUM / Holger Rauner.

🚀 Applications for XPRENEURS Batch #17 Are Now Open! Are you an innovative founder looking to take your startup to the next level? Or do you know someone ready for this exciting journey? 🗺️ What is XPRENEURS? As one of Europe’s leading high-tech incubators for early-stage B2B startups (pre-seed and seed), we are committed to fostering only the most promising innovations. Why join? - Workshops: Tailored, hands-on sessions to tackle real start-up challenges. - Expert mentorship: Personal guidance from industry professionals with proven experience. - Access to funding: Opportunities to connect with investors and secure the resources you need. - Demo Day: Showcase your progress to top investors and industry leaders. Key Details: 📅 Application deadline: January 20, 2025 📅 Program kick-off: March 3, 2025 👉 Apply now and elevate your start-up: https://lnkd.in/eYgkBbGN P.S. XPRENEURS also offers a specific program for manufacturing teams - the EIT Manufacturing Venture Building Programme (Application deadline: January 15, 2025). Do you know founders whose solutions address key manufacturing needs? Then please share this call with them: https://lnkd.in/eiGp3-6E

We're beyond excited to introduce you to our newest team member: Niklas Frost👏 Niklas is driven by the desire to create meaningful impact for our planet and society through entrepreneurship. His passion for startups led him to the Munich ecosystem, where he gained hands-on experience in early-stage startups, corporate venture building, and consulting. Besides, he has a strong academic foundation at the intersection of business, technology, and sustainability. These experiences make him a perfect asset for our value creation unit, where he will contribute to the success and growth of our portfolio companies. 🌱 When he’s not at work, you’ll most likely find Niklas hiking, cycling, or skiing in the alps! ⛰ Welcome aboard! 🚢 Would you like to join our team? Take a look at our Job board: https://lnkd.in/ecxBbYS5

✨ Start & Spread 2024 @ ADAC Headquarter Munich 🚀 This year’s Start & Spread Event, hosted by the Manage and More by UnternehmerTUM, was an impressive showcase of ideas, exchanges, and personal stories. What was offered: 🎤 The Pitching Sessions: Teams (like MediOwl, Alago, Legalian, SpaceCraft, and TallyUp) presented their innovative business ideas, inspiring the audience and jury alike. Congratulations to Dr. Lena-Marie Pätzmann from Aiina Robotics, who took home the top prize with her outstanding pitch. 👏 As one of the sponsors, UVC Partners was also on stage with a matter close to its heart: Our dearest colleague and Principal Amanda Birkenholz held a keynote on Women in Tech. She shared her journey in a male-dominated industry, addressing challenges such as unconscious bias and the power of embracing diversity. Amanda emphasized 💙 the importance of creating workplaces where women can thrive and succeed, 💙 calling on companies to actively shape more inclusive cultures. As one participant (Tanishqa Bachhav) aptly put it: "Amanda’s message about fostering a more welcoming and inclusive space for women in tech was empowering and eye-opening. It reminded me of the immense potential that arises when we make room for diverse voices." 🤝 Networking and Connections: The event offered countless opportunities for engaging conversations and meaningful connections.  A big thank you to the team at Manage and More, the speakers, and all participants for making this event such an inspiring experience. We can’t wait for next year! 💫 And thank you, Stefanie Guttleber, for inviting us! 🥰

VC Zombieland? 😱😱😱 The Handelsblatt recently wrote: “Startup investments dropped nearly 40% in 2024”! This was the result of an exclusive analysis by data provider PitchBook for Handelsblatt. “This could indicate that Germany may soon have more zombie investors – investors unable to raise new funds and therefore not closing new deals – than other countries,” warns PitchBook analyst Navina Rajan. 👉🏼To shed light on the issue, they consulted market experts, including Dr. Ingo Potthof, Managing Partner at UVC Partners: “Investors whose core business is not venture capital – such as family offices or corporates – are holding back. However, larger German VC firms are relatively well-positioned.” Our 3 takeaways from the article: 🌧️The market is likely to consolidate similarly to the post-dotcom crisis in 2000. ☀️However, this correction is expected to be less severe, given the greater maturity of today’s startup ecosystem. ⭐️Startups seeking capital should focus on VCs that recently launched or are launching new funds, such as Earlybird Venture Capital, HV Capital, Cherry Ventures, and UVC Partners. This analysis, authored by Nadine Schimroszik, was featured in Handelsblatt. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/ewMUsv9N What’s your take on the current state of the VC market? 💭

Access the tools you've been dreaming of - completely FREE. 🔑 From ideation to incubation, TUM Venture Labs has opened a database containing: - Microclasses on AI, Marketing, and much more. - Co-Founder Matchmaking - Startup Perks Worth €100k+ - Exclusive Grant Opportunities Powered by UnternehmerTUM, TUM Entrepreneurship and TUM Venture Labs - because great ideas deserve great support! 🤝 Explore the open and free tools via this link: https://lnkd.in/efVPYtS3 #TUMVentureLabs #UnternehmerTUM

What defines a successful career in the startup ecosystem – and how can we tackle challenges together? 🤜 🌩️ As part of our dedication to fostering diversity and empowering women, we recently held an engaging lecture at the Chair of Entrepreneurship at the TUM (Technical University of Munich) School of Management. This event was organized in collaboration with UnternehmerTUM and the Academy for Innovators. The lecture, titled "Navigating Entrepreneurship: Exploring Diverse Paths Through Challenges," featured two inspiring speakers: ➡️ Carolin Hecking-Veltman, Founder and CTO of econvio ➡️ Jana Petry, Investment Manager at UVC Partners Moderated by Maria Poursaiadi, Head of Communications at UVC Partners, the session followed an interactive and inclusive structure that encouraged active participation. The discussion centered around three key themes: 1️⃣ Diverse journeys into entrepreneurship 2️⃣ The critical role of team dynamics 3️⃣ Inclusivity and the power of positive communication Both Jana and Caro shared deeply personal and inspiring stories from their career paths – spanning from university to their current positions as investor and founder. They highlighted challenges like overcoming biases and self-doubt. For example, Caro reflected on her transition from AI research to founding a climate-tech startup, while Jana described her journey from growing up in the countryside to working in venture capital. ✨ What made this format unique: Each thematic block was followed by an open discussion, allowing the audience to share insights and ask questions. This collaborative setup fostered genuine dialogue and the exchange of fresh perspectives. 💡 Key insights from the session: 👉 There is no single "correct" path to entrepreneurship – curiosity, openness, and courage are key. 👉 Strong teams are built on diversity, trust, and shared values. 👉 Inclusive communication drives innovation and supports growth. A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who participated in the lively discussions and contributed thoughtful questions! We look forward to hosting more opportunities for learning and exchange. 🙌 📢 Curious to learn more about UVC Partners? Visit our website or subscribe to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e6YhJmVF 💙

From Startup dream to unicorn reality: Listen the Flix’s Story! 🚌 😌 🌟 Jochen Engert recently joined the Schlaflose Nächte #podcast by UnternehmerTUM and shared Flix's inspiring story – from three friends with a bold idea in 2011 to building a global transportation giant. 🦄 💡 Key takeaway: Entrepreneurship is all about courage. Even when no one believed in their vision, Jochen, André Schwämmlein, and Daniel Krauss took the leap. They bet on the liberalization of the bus market, knowing the risk was worth the learning experience. 🎙️ Jochen also shared why Flix doesn’t think in five-year plans but in 15-year visions! 💭 👉 Have you ever pursued an idea that others thought was crazy but turned into a success? Let’s hear your stories! 🎧 Don’t miss this episode of Schlaflose Nächte! https://lnkd.in/dMdZDXcu #Entrepreneurship #Podcast #Unicorn #FlixBus Special thanks to Christian Mohr and Hans-Jürgen Jakobs for hosting this fantastic conversation! 🙌

Winners of the ZIA-Innovation Radar Award – our portfolio company Predium. Congratulations! 🏆 The Innovation Think Tank by ZIA (Zentraler Immobilien Ausschuss e.V.) recognized Predium among Germany's most innovative real estate solutions. Their winning AI-powered Real Estate Intelligence Platform #ESG delivers: 🎯 Smart portfolio analysis 📊 Risk assessment ♻️ Sustainable investment planning This ZIA German Property Federation recognition validates Predium's mission to transform property sustainability management. 📬 Stay updated! Subscribe to our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e6YhJmVF #ZIAInno24 #UVCPartners Jens Thumm Mohamed Ali Razouane Maximilian Körner

The most important question by our LPs stays the same every year: How are our portfolio companies doing? Traditionally, our Annual General Meeting is all about numbers and facts. This year, however, we decided to provide a closer insight into the origins of UVC Partners as well as our future. From the showcase of our values along with our Fund I, II & III highlights, the introduction of our newest FUND IV to startup pitches, and an inspiring keynote by Paralympic Champion Denise Schindler – this AGM had it all. Read along our review to find out what happened in this special setting where we brought our LPs, our founders, and our colleagues all together under one roof.