Participated · Seed · Jul 2026

WasteSide builds campus-focused marketing and recruiting solutions to help brands reach Gen Z and to connect companies with student talent. The company emphasizes direct, on-campus engagement and works with marketing and branding agencies as well as HR teams seeking students and recent graduates. WasteSide highlights proximity to the Schwarz Group ecosystem (Lidl & Kaufland) as a strategic channel to its target customers. The startup closed a €700,000 Seed round in early 2026 to scale its go-to-market efforts and to validate repeatable sales unit economics. Team members called out in the fundraising announcement include Pia, Charlotte and Paul. The company intends to use the new capital to maximize scalable customer acquisition and to prove the revenue return on sales investment.

Participated · Series A · Jun 2022

Wingfield develops the Wingfield Box, an AI-driven smart net post that transforms any tennis court into a connected court providing real-time performance data, coaching feedback, and interactive playing formats. The system tracks activities on court and enables players and coaches to measure improvements and receive automatic feedback and match results. Wingfield is operational in 16 countries and its technology is used by over 250 facilities on more than 300 courts, reaching over 20,000 players across Europe. The company has partnerships with organizations like the German Tennis Federation and customers including the Rafa Nadal Academy and Queens Club; its system was used at Wimbledon for a junior tournament. Founded in 2017 and based in Hanover, Germany, Wingfield plans to use new funding to grow in Europe, expand to the US market, and improve the overall product experience for players and facilities.

Participated · Equity · Jan 2017

Tandem operates a language-exchange app that connects learners with native speakers for mutual practice via text, phone chat or video and provides optional tutor access. The product emphasizes community-driven native-speaker practice rather than lesson-led courses. Membership has grown from about 1 million in 2017 to more than 10 million users across 180 countries, with engagement on video chat tripling and new user signups up 200% during the COVID-19 period. The company reports it has been profitable since 2019 and that 94% of its user base uses the freemium offering while monetizing via a Tandem Pro subscription ($9.99/month). Its largest markets are China (10%), the U.S. (9%) and Japan (9%). Tandem plans to use the new funding to develop additional app features and expand marketing and engineering teams, growing headcount from 24 to about 50. Tandem is a mobile-first messaging community that matches native speakers and learners to practise languages via text, audio and video chat. The app supports 148 languages (including 11 sign languages) and 11,026 language pairs, and reports 1.2 million active users from 160 countries and 1.5 million downloads. The platform enforces moderated profiles and community rules to prioritize respectful, non-flirting language practice; 80% of users are aged 17–35 and 60% are female. Tandem has begun monetizing by offering paid lessons with vetted tutors (around 150 tutors listed) and currently takes a 20% cut of tutors' revenue. The company aims to grow its peer-to-peer community and teacher marketplace, add more structured learning journeys and mobile-first features for tutors to increase network effects and retention. Work on Tandem began in fall 2014 and the team emphasizes making the tutor experience frictionless so teachers can run their business entirely from a smartphone or tablet.

Participated · Series A · Jan 2012

Implandata Ophthalmic Products GmbH, based in Hannover, Germany and led by CEO Max Ostermeier, develops the CE‑marked EYEMATE system for continuous intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring. The EYEMATE system consists of a surgically implantable micro‑sensor and a patient hand‑held device that powers the sensor and transmits real‑time data via the internet to eye care specialists and patients. The company is ISO 13485 certified and is expanding its product portfolio with different sensor implant versions to address varied glaucoma patient needs. Implandata envisions implantation in conjunction with cataract, glaucoma or corneal surgery and eventually as a stand‑alone procedure. Financially, the company has completed a first close of its Series C at a mid‑single‑digit million euro level and plans to raise an upper‑end single‑digit million euro amount to complete the round by fall 2018. Implandata Ophthalmic Products (IOP) develops a minimally invasive intraocular micro-sensor paired with a handheld unit that lets patients repeatedly and on-demand measure intraocular pressure at home. The system is designed to enable early diagnosis of glaucoma, monitor disease progression and therapy, and help protect patients against blindness. IOP plans to embed the device in a telemedical diagnostic platform to connect patients with doctors and improve compliance. The company's first product—the intraocular sensor—is currently in a CE approval trial, with data expected within the next 18 months. IOP is led by Managing Director Max Ostermeier. Financially, the company has completed a €1.6m second closing of a €3.0m Series A, following a €1.4m first closing in December 2011, and intends to use the new capital to run a CE trial to achieve early market access. Implandata Ophthalmic Products has developed a system that enables continuous measurement of intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients using a minimally invasive micro-sensor and a hand-held unit. The company has begun the CE approval process and has carried out initial implantations. It expects market entry within the next 12 to 18 months. The business is led by co-founder and Managing Director Max G. Ostermeier. Financially, Implandata has secured external capital to support development and regulatory steps. The company is also in advanced talks for a second closing round to be completed by the end of March 2012. Implandata Ophthalmic Products GmbH is a Hanover, Germany–based startup developing a diagnostic system to continuously monitor intraocular pressure for glaucoma patients. The company’s implantable monitoring system is intended to help specialists recognize glaucoma progression and protect patients from blindness. The device can be used telemedically. Implandata has demonstrated the system’s functionality and safety in vitro and in vivo on animals and humans. The company raised about €700,000 to support launching the system and obtaining CE approval. Management plans to use the capital to obtain CE approval and go to market by the end of 2011.