European founders launch new fund of funds

According to its own information, it is the first of its kind. The initial target fund volume is half a billion euros.

Berlin-based Alphaq Venture Capital (AQVC) is a new venture capital fund of funds - and, according to its own information, the first venture capital fund of funds driven by start-up founders. The initiators are aiming for a fund volume of half a billion euros. These consist of a team of European start-up founders and VC investors.

The fund will invest worldwide, but focus on Europe. The fund would also like to leave its money in the start-up nation of Israel and the home of venture capital, the United States. The capital is to be divided between 50 to 60 venture capital funds, which in turn will each finance around 20 different start-ups. The fund is expected to invest in up to 1,200 companies.

"AQVC is backed by a team of successful serial founders who have successfully built and scaled dozens of tech companies themselves," says founding partner Stephan Heller. "We know what it takes to found, manage and exit a company. As investors in VC funds, we therefore focus on founders and investors alike. Because investors only prevail if founders do too."

There are some well-known names behind the fund: Stephan Heller, Marius Weber, Oliver Oster, Marcus Börner, Nina Fichtl, Michael Blajwas, Alena Schollmayer and Marc Seitz.