
Wecken & Cie.
Description
Wecken & Cie. is the investment holding of the family office of Klaus R. Wecken, a highly regarded German entrepreneur known for co-founding SAP. Based in Basel, Switzerland, the firm operates with the long-term perspective characteristic of a family office, providing strategic capital to promising technology and digital business models. Their investment philosophy centers on supporting innovative companies with strong growth potential, often taking significant stakes without the typical fund-life constraints of traditional venture capital firms. This approach allows them to commit to companies for extended periods, fostering sustainable development and scaling.
The firm's portfolio demonstrates a clear preference for high-growth technology companies across diverse sectors, including enterprise software, fintech, logistics, and artificial intelligence. Prominent investments include stakes in leading European scale-ups such as DeepL, a cutting-edge AI translation service; Personio, a rapidly growing HR software provider; and Celonis, a global leader in process mining. Wecken & Cie. typically targets companies that have already achieved product-market fit and are in their growth or late-growth stages, aiming to accelerate their market expansion and operational scaling.
Wecken & Cie. is known for participating in substantial funding rounds, often alongside other institutional investors. While specific check sizes can vary based on the opportunity, their involvement in rounds often exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars suggests a typical investment range of several million to tens of millions of dollars. For instance, they have participated in rounds where portfolio companies raised well over $100 million, indicating their capacity for significant capital deployment. The firm has built a diverse portfolio of over 20 companies, demonstrating a consistent strategy of backing market leaders and disruptors in the digital economy. Their approach combines financial investment with strategic support, leveraging Klaus R. Wecken's extensive entrepreneurial experience to guide their portfolio companies.
Investor Profile
Wecken & Cie. has backed more than 31 startups, with 3 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 2 rounds, about 6% of its total and boasts 5 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Series Unknown, Seed, Series A rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in Germany, Switzerland, Austria.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, SaaS, E-Commerce.
- Typical check size: $5M – $30M.
Stage Focus
- Series Unknown (32%)
- Seed (23%)
- Series A (19%)
- Series B (10%)
- Series C (6%)
- Private Equity (3%)
- Pre Seed (3%)
- Series D (3%)
Country Focus
- Germany (84%)
- Switzerland (10%)
- Austria (6%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Saas
- E-commerce
- Cloud Computing
- Apps
- Information Technology
- Real Estate
- Analytics
- Enterprise Software
- Small And Medium Businesses
Frequently Asked Questions
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