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. Patrick Hoffmann, who was previously Head of New Business Models at DB Schenker for two years, will head Schenker Ventures. Schenker wants to create an environment in which founders can also remain owners and retain their strategic freedom, he says.

The newly established department consists of two pillars. On the first, Schenker Venture Capital invests in start-ups - long-term, as it says. 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 focus on digital, technology-driven and sustainability-oriented logistics concepts".

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