European founders launch new fund of funds

According to its own information, it is the first of its kind. The initial fund target 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 is to invest worldwide, but focus on Europe. The fund also wants to leave its money in the startup nation of Israel and the home of venture capital, the United States. The capital is to be divided among 50 to 60 venture capital funds, which in turn will each finance about 20 different startups. This is expected to bring together as many as 1,200 companies in which the fund will invest.

"Behind AQVC is 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 start, run and exit a company. As investors in VC funds, we therefore focus on founders and investors alike. Because investors only prevail when founders do."

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