Venture Capital

Berlin has a long history as a founding metropolis. Over the past decades, one of the strongest ecosystems for start-ups has developed in Berlin. Moreover, a large proportion of venture capital financing activities in Germany are concentrated in Berlin. This dynamic environment creates a pull effect, whereby the success of start-ups attracts further ambitious founders and investors, making Berlin the national centre for start-ups. Innovative companies in their early stages are heavily dependent on external financing to develop their innovations and bring them to market. Traditional bank financing is often not possible for these companies due to a lack of collateral and high risk. Venture capital represents the most important financing option for these highly innovative companies, as investors can participate in the opportunities here and are therefore willing to bear the risks.

Over the years, IBB Ventures has established itself as a public venture capital investor and market leader in early-stage financing in Berlin. It has thus contributed significantly to the growth of the VC ecosystem in Berlin. The start-ups supported by IBB Ventures and their private financing partners are innovative, scalable and growth-oriented companies in their early development phases, which can achieve significant results in job creation and revenue increases within the clusters of the regional innovation strategy.

IBB Ventures applies a systematic selection process to ensure that the most promising companies are chosen. Among other things, climate and environmental aspects are incorporated into the selection process, so that business models with significant negative environmental impacts are excluded from financing.

IBB has been supporting innovative Berlin start-ups with venture capital through its sister company, IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, since 1997. Under the IBB Ventures brand, more than 270 Berlin-based companies have been financed in consortia with partners. By leveraging the EUR 309 million invested directly by IBB Ventures as lead, co-lead or co-investor with the private funds of the financing partners, EUR 2.0 billion has been mobilized for Berlin start-ups. IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH is consolidated in the consolidated financial statements of IBB UV.

Established in June 2020, IBB Capital focuses on financing young Berlin-based start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with innovative business models. Through equity or equity-like instruments, it has played a pivotal role in supporting these businesses.

COVID-19 support for start-ups programme: a retrospective

Under its first programme, “COVID-19 support for start-ups,” IBB Capital collaborated with 45 accredited co-investors to support 137 startups with approximately €162 million during the pandemic. IBB Capital has thus made a decisive contribution to ensuring that Berlin retains its position as Germany's leading startup hub. Berlin was able to deploy more federal funding than any other federal state and invest it in start-ups. Together with private investors, this enabled financing rounds totaling more than 500 million euros.

Key Results of the COVID-19 support for start-ups programme:

• 45 Accredited co-investors
• 137 Start-ups financed
• 252 Financing rounds
• Approximately 3,200 jobs secured
• €162 million in public funding commitments
• Over €500 million total financing with private investors

Further programme: "BerlinInnoGrowth" (BIG programme)

In May 2024, IBB Capital launched another equity financing programme: "BerlinInnoGrowth" programme or "BIG" for short. Together with private co-investors, IBB Capital finances Berlin start-ups and SMEs with an innovative (for example ecological, digital or social) and growth-oriented business model with equity via the BIG programme.

BIG programme, status: Middle of June 2026

• 33 growth financings for start-ups from the portfolio
• EUR 22.8 million public funding commitments
• ~ 485 jobs created or secured in Berlin
• ~ EUR 58 million total financing together with private investors