They contribute to a significant part of the German startup scene: Business Angels PR; Collage: founder scene
Without external capital, many startups would not exist. As experienced entrepreneurs or investors, they invest their own money in young companies, often at an early stage when traditional financing options may not yet be available. Have you ever tried starting a startup with a bank loan?
At least as important: In addition to the financial contribution, business angels often bring valuable experience and industry knowledge that help startups overcome challenges and scale successfully. Over the years, some scene heads have provided their support to a large number of startups and have thus made a name for themselves as experienced business angels.
From a few hundred thousand to over 100 million euros – business angels come in different sizes
The analysis service Startupdetector used annual financial statements in the Federal Gazette to analyze which business angels and their holding companies had the largest balance sheet totals at the end of the 2021 financial year. This means: Who has accumulated the most assets in these holdings, for example through exit proceeds, secondaries and profits from other businesses outside the startup ecosystem.