Start-up entrepreneurs donate half a million euros to FDP

Frank Thelen and Julian Teicke are among the donors. They would like to see a black-yellow federal government.

The FDP can look forward to a donation of 500,000 euros. The money comes from well-known figures from the start-up sector, including DHDL judge Frank Thelen, GetYourGuide founder Tao Tao and Wefox founder Julian Teicke. The aim of the men is to ensure that topics such as digitalization, innovation and reducing bureaucracy are more strongly represented in the coming legislative period.

"We are committed to business and technology-friendly policies in Germany that are sustainable, protect our climate and our resources and yet do not lose sight of reality," says Frank Thelen - and at the same time warned on Twitter against a red-red-green government.

According to the start-up founders, they have looked at all the election programs and have come to the conclusion that the Liberals should be represented in the next federal government. "In my opinion, government constellations without the participation of the FDP would damage our economy and therefore also our global negotiating position," says Thelen. "I am in favor of a government consisting of the CDU/CSU and FDP."

The Free Democrats are delighted with the large donation. General Secretary Volker Wissing said to the BILD newspaper"It is a sign of recognition for our call for a policy that takes more pleasure in inventing than in prohibiting."

It only became known in April that investor and DHDL colleague Georg Kofler had donated three quarters of a million euros to the FDP. His motive is also the party's participation in government. He made it clear that he was "trying to prevent the Greens from joining the government", as he told the Handelsblatt said.