Bayern Kapital supports innovative technology start-ups in all founding phases - from the seed phase to the IPO. Our investment approach is clearly designed for long-term corporate success and sustainable value generation, rather than for quick returns. As a responsible partner, we can be relied on to support our portfolio companies, even in economically difficult times.
In addition, Bayern Kapital is a public investor and, as a subsidiary of LfA Förderbank Bayern, is committed to the LfA's sustainability principles of compliance with the corporate guidelines of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG).
Bayern Kapital is a signatory of the Diversity Charter and is thus committed to the inclusion of ESG factors in investment decisions. This also means that we have a responsibility. We carefully examine where and how we invest. It is crucial for us that funded start-ups have a governance structure in place and adhere to ethical standards. Through due diligence according to clear criteria, we create transparency and security for founders, co-investors and stakeholders.
The environmental sustainability of our portfolio companies is very important to us. For this reason, we have set up a separate checklist for ESG due diligence for more mature start-ups and scale-ups in the Later Stage funds. This checklist covers various environmental aspects, such as energy efficiency, waste management, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. We also offer workshops in the areas of money laundering and fraud prevention as well as securities compliance.
The fact that sustainability and innovation can be well combined in the business model is shown by these examples:
DeepDrive develops high-performance electric drive systems that can extend ranges or reduce the required battery capacity in electric vehicles. The company's solutions not only increase the sustainability of electric mobility, but are also cost-effective and scalable, making them accessible to a wider market.
Evum develops electric commercial vehicles for a wide range of industries, including agriculture, logistics and municipalities. By promoting the use of electric vehicles instead of traditional, petrol-powered vehicles, Evum is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainability. In addition, the vehicles are designed to be low-maintenance and durable.
Delicious Data has developed software for the intelligent prediction of food demand and consumption for bakeries, the food industry, commercial kitchens and system catering. The platform uses artificial intelligence to combine historical data from companies with external influences (such as weather or holiday periods) to calculate future sales. On this basis, the user can calculate the cost of the product and control the use of goods. In this way, an average planning improvement of 40% can be achieved. With its innovative solution, Delicious Data makes it possible to save costs and reduce the overall waste of valuable food.
VoltStorage develops sustainable commercial redox-flow batteries. The company has set itself the goal of making 100% renewable energy available around the clock. To make this vision a reality, VoltStorage is developing groundbreaking battery solutions that are particularly resource-saving, cost-effective and climate-friendly.
German Bionic Systems is a Bavarian start-up specialising in exoskeletons for industrial use. The exoskeletons are designed to reduce the physical strain on workers, resulting in fewer work-related injuries and lower overall health burden. In addition, the company focuses on the use of sustainable materials and the minimisation of waste in the production process.
FarmInsect wants to make feed production for agriculture more sustainable in the long term. The start-up's team has developed an automated fattening system that allows farmers to produce protein-rich feed from insect larvae on their own farms and as a result eliminate the need to import feed. The insect larvae are fattened with regional residues such as crop or peeling residues. In the course of fattening, compost is also produced, which can either be used for the farmers own fields – or sold as high-quality fertiliser after heat treatment. Thanks to the principle of the circular economy, animal feed can be produced more cost-effectively, with low CO2 emissions and independent of global supply chains.
The Bavarian company has been developing sophisticated, minimalist drive systems for bicycles for 10 years now. The product combines motor and battery in one package, is extremely light and slim, almost silent and can thus be elegantly integrated into the down tube of the bike. In doing so, Fazua established the segment of the so-called Minimalist Assist Drive or light e-bikes – and set a benchmark. The business model demonstrates how climate-friendly mobility can be successfully combined with high-tech.
Bayern Kapital is a long-standing sponsor and juror of the Bavarian business plan competitions and is very committed to networking and promotion. As a member of the VBU Association of Women Executives in Biotechnology Companies, we are also committed to gender equality. This goes not only for our portfolio companies but also for our own company.
For many years, Bayern Kapital has had a consistently high proportion of female employees in training and management positions. Currently, almost half our team is female.