DB Schenker founds VC

New venture capital will soon be available for logistics start-ups. Schenker Ventures wants to invest from the seed round to Series B+.

DB Schenker, the logistics brand of Deutsche Bahn, is bundling its investment activities under the new umbrella of Schenker Ventures. The VC aims to drive innovation in the logistics industry. "We want to shape the future in a digital and climate-friendly way," says Jochen Thewes, CEO of DB Schenker. The head of Schenker Ventures will be Patrick Hoffmann, who was previously "Head of New Business Models" at DB Schenker for two years. Schenker wants to create an environment in which founders can remain owners and retain their strategic scope, he says.

The newly founded department consists of two pillars. On the first, Schenker Venture Capital invests in start-ups - in the long term, as they say. The VC wants to participate in financing rounds from the seed phase to Series B+. The focus is on start-ups with new business models "that rely on digital, technology-driven as well as sustainability-oriented logistics concepts".

The second pillar will be the "Venture Studio", which will be operated together with the Berlin-based start-up incubator MVP Factory. Founders can apply for this mentoring programme, receive capital as well as advice and expertise. DB Schenker says it is already working with more than 50 start-ups, including 16 German start-ups. The company has invested in Volocopter, among others.