Bauer Venture Partners: A €100M Boost for European Innovation
Just weeks after Google Ventures earmarked \(100M for European startups, **Bauer Media**, the German media powerhouse, has unveiled its own ambitious investment vehicle: **Bauer Venture Partners (BVP)**. With a €100M (~\)134M) fund, BVP aims to back high-growth digital businesses across Europe over the next decade.
Investment Strategy: Stage-Agnostic and Scalability-Focused
- Flexible Approach: BVP won’t restrict itself to specific investment stages—seed, early-stage, or growth—opting instead for a stage-agnostic model.
- Target Sectors: While primarily focused on software, the fund is open to diverse verticals like ad tech, fintech, SaaS, health tech, and media.
- “We are fully return-oriented,” emphasizes Thomas Preuss, BVP’s Managing Partner.
Why a Media Giant is Betting on Startups
Bauer Media’s move reflects a strategic pivot to diversify revenue streams and tap into disruptive innovations. As digital transformation reshapes traditional media, investing in startups offers dual benefits:
- Financial upside from high-potential ventures.
- Strategic acquisitions to bolster Bauer’s own digital capabilities.
Andreas Schoo of Bauer Media Group notes: “This gives us access to cutting-edge technologies, talent, and digital innovations.”
Track Record and Competitive Landscape
- Recent Investments: Bauer co-led a $6.7M Series A in Swedish health app Lifesum earlier in 2014.
- European VC Heavyweights: BVP joins firms like Index Ventures (\(550M fund), Accel (\)475M), and Balderton Capital ($305M), though its decade-long horizon sets it apart.
The Bigger Picture
While Google Ventures’ European timeline remains unclear, Bauer’s 10-year commitment signals long-term confidence in Europe’s startup ecosystem. For founders, this adds another major player to the funding landscape—one with deep media expertise and a hunger for scalable solutions.
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