Multi-stage VC, Berlin

Earlybird Venture Capital

Venture capital firm · Berlin · Founded 1997

Quick read

Earlybird Venture Capital is a multi-stage VC firm founded in 1997 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany. It invests across Western Europe, Emerging Europe, and health tech via a family of independently managed funds — Digital West, Digital East, Health, the pre-seed Earlybird-X, and a Growth Opportunities fund — with €2.5 billion under management and a track record of 9 IPOs and 35 trade sales. Fund VIII, closed at €360 million in 2025–2026, is the firm's largest raise to date.

Key facts

Founded
1997
Employees
40-77
Sectors
generalist, healthcare, enterprise, ai
Website
earlybird.com

Investment thesis

Earlybird backs early-stage European technology companies across digital (Western and Emerging Europe) and health tech, writing initial checks from pre-seed through Series A and supporting portfolio companies into growth via a dedicated Growth Opportunities fund. The firm concentrates on fintech/insurtech, enterprise software, deep tech, and biotech — with a stated conviction in university spin-offs and founders building with global ambition.

Recent activity

  • May 2025fundraise
    Earlybird launched the Earlybird Vision Lab fund. startupintros.com
  • May 2026fundraise
    NRW.BANK and family offices invested €15 million into the Earlybird VIII fund, targeting startups in South Westphalia. tracxn.com
  • 2025fundraise
    E2D, a €500M European dual-use and defense technology growth fund advised by Earlybird and AVP, launched as a Franco-German partnership. The fund targets high-growth companies in space, air, maritime, land, compute, communications, and autonomy. Earlybird co-founder Roland Manger is playing an active role in the fund. de.linkedin.com
  • Feb 2024fundraise
    Earlybird closed its Earlybird Health II fund at €173 million, focused on healthcare innovations including digital health, medical devices, diagnostics, and biopharma across Europe. startupintros.com
  • Jun 2026investment
    Earlybird has made 13 new investments in the last 12 months, bringing its total portfolio to 256 companies. It primarily backs Series A rounds in Germany-based startups. tracxn.com
  • Jun 2026press
    AUM updated to €2.5 billion across fund streams, with 9 IPOs and 41 trade sales recorded to date. rocketreach.co
  • May 2026fundraise
    Earlybird closed its eighth early-stage fund at €360M. Backers included new and existing institutional investors and family offices. The fund targets AI Applications, Software Infrastructure, Foundation Models, and DeepTech. The Catalyst program will support founders, operators, and domain experts through community-building and hands-on support. vcwire.tech
  • Apr 2026investment
    Portfolio company Aleph Alpha was acquired by Cohere, marking one of Earlybird's most recent portfolio exits. tracxn.com
  • Jun 2026investment
    Bayshore, a Munich-based startup automating legal and compliance processes, raised $8M in a round that included Earlybird among the investors. tracxn.com
  • Oct 2025leadership
    Christoph Massner was promoted to Partner at Earlybird Venture Capital, having joined as an Associate in January 2020 and progressed through Principal before reaching Partner level. linkedin.com
  • 2025press
    Earlybird Health portfolio company Hilo by Aktiia launched its 2026 German Blood Pressure Report, highlighting widespread public misunderstanding of hypertension — 68% of respondents overestimate what normal blood pressure looks like. de.linkedin.com
  • 2025press
    General Partner André Retterath discussed two strategic paths for VC firms in an interview on the Scaling Europe podcast — selling the management company or building a legacy — confirming Earlybird chose the latter. de.linkedin.com

Notable investments

Key people

Named individuals at the firm. We don't expose direct email or phone — use their LinkedIn for outreach.

  • Konstantin Guericke · Partner
    LinkedIn
  • Thom Rasche · Operational Partner, Earlybird Health
    LinkedIn
  • Dr. Frédéric du Bois-Reymond · Partner
    LinkedIn
  • Dr. Rabab Nasrallah · Partner, Earlybird Health
    LinkedIn
  • Laura Waldenstrom · Investor
    LinkedIn
  • Umberto Belluzzo · Investor
    LinkedIn
  • Hendrik Brandis · Co-founder & Partner
  • Christian Nagel · Co-founder & Partner
  • Roland Manger · Co-founder & Partner
  • Fabian Heilemann · Partner
  • Dr. Thom Rasche · Partner, healthcare

Sources

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Frequently asked

What is Earlybird Venture Capital?+

Earlybird Venture Capital is a multi-stage VC firm founded in 1997 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany. It invests across Western Europe, Emerging Europe, and health tech via a family of independently managed funds — Digital West, Digital East, Health, the pre-seed Earlybird-X, and a Growth Opportunities fund — with €2.

Where is Earlybird Venture Capital headquartered?+

Earlybird Venture Capital is headquartered in Berlin, Germany.

When was Earlybird Venture Capital founded?+

Earlybird Venture Capital was founded in 1997.

What sectors does Earlybird Venture Capital invest in?+

Earlybird Venture Capital focuses on generalist, healthcare, enterprise, ai. They primarily invest in these sectors.

How do I prepare for a meeting with Earlybird Venture Capital?+

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Generated by briefthecall.com from public web sources. Last updated August 9, 2026. Each claim is linked to its source above.

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