7 largest funding rounds closed by German startups in 2020
AIN.TECH selected Germany-based startups that raised the largest investments in 2020.
TIER, $250M
Micro-mobility company TIER has completed a $250 million Series C investment round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 with participation from existing investors Mubadala Capital, Northzone, Goodwater Capital, White Star Capital, Novator, and RTP Global. Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg also joined the round.
Launched in 2018 by Lawrence Leuschner, Julian Blessin, and Matthias Laug, TIER provides electric scooter ride-sharing services with a mission “to change mobility for good”. To date, it has already deployed 60,000 e-scooters across 80 cities in 10 countries.
Spryker, $130M
Business software maker Spryker has raised over $130 million in a Series C financing round, led by Silicon Valley-based TCV. Existing investors One Peak from London and Project A Ventures from Berlin also participated in the round, which has pushed Spryker’s valuation above $500 million.
Spryker is a provider of a commerce technology platform for global enterprises. It enables companies to build transactional business models in B2B, B2C, and marketplaces thanks to its API-based architecture, combined with a modular packaged business capabilities design.
GetYourGuide, €114M
Berlin-based startup GetYourGuide has raised €114 million in convertible note financing led by the private investment firm Searchlight Capital. Existing investors SoftBank Vision Fund, KKR, Battery Ventures, Highland Europe, Spark Capital, Lakestar, Heartcore Capital, and NGP Capital, as well as the company’s founding team also participated in the round.
GetYourGuide is the online marketplace and booking platform for travel experiences. According to the company, travellers from over 170 countries have booked more than 45 million tours, activities, and attraction tickets through GetYourGuide since its founding in 2009.
Isar Aerospace, €75M
Space startup from Munich Isar Aerospace has raised €75 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Swiss VC firm Lakestar with participation from existing investors Earlybird, Vsquared Ventures, Airbus Ventures, former SpaceX Vice President Bulent Altan, and new ones HV Capital, Ann-Kristin and Paul Achleitner.
Established in 2018 by Josef Fleischmann, Markus Brandl and Daniel Metzler, Isar Aerospace is a spinoff of the Munich Technical University. The startup is developing a “Spectrum” satellite launcher that is significantly smaller and thus less expensive than existing on the market.
Solactive, €50M
Fintech Solactive has closed a €50 million investment round from the US-based global alternative investment firm Summit Partners.
Solactive, or Structured Solutions as it was then known, was founded in 2007 by CEO Steffen Scheuble. It provides tailor-made index solutions for ETFs and other index-linked investments across equity, fixed income, and multi-asset class strategies worldwide.
Gorillas, $44M
Grocery delivery startup Gorillas has closed a $44 million Series A round led by the New York-based hedge fund Coatue.
Founded in May 2020 by Kağan Sümer and Jörg Kattner, Gorillas is an on demand grocery delivery provider. Having a “Faster than you” slogan, it declares its ability to bring all customers’ grocery needs, from fresh fruits to home care products, to their door within 10 minutes of ordering.
cargo.one, $42M
cargo.one, a digital booking platform for air cargo, has raised $42 million in a Series B funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, and joined by existing investors Index Ventures, Creandum, Point Nine and Next47.
cargo.one develops an online system that allows shipping firms to book air freights. The platform provides access to real-time prices and available capacities of multiple airlines, allowing them to compare and book capacities across airlines into their systems directly.