Flix co-founders lead the pack of business angels in Germany, investing in nearly 70 startups across multiple industries.
In a move that underscores their interest in innovative technologies, the founders of FlixBus - Daniel Krauss, André Schwämmlein, and Jochen Engert - have been investing in a diverse range of sectors, including Mobility, Health, Defense, and more.
The trio, who are not just financial investors but also offer guidance to their portfolio companies, founded SEK Ventures in 2012, which has since been renamed Flixfounders. This venture has been instrumental in their decade-long journey of backing startups.
One such investment is Gixel, a Karlsruhe-based startup that specialises in developing advanced optical displays for augmented reality (AR) glasses. Gixel recently secured €5 million in funding, with the FlixBus founders among the investors.
Another investment is Otter Energy Trading, a Munich-based startup simplifying the local trade of electricity generated by commercial photovoltaic systems. The founders have also invested in this venture, though the exact amount remains undisclosed.
The Flix founders' defense-focused investment, Tytan Technologies from Munich, is another notable addition to their portfolio.
The founders' successful journey began with the establishment of Flixbus in Munich in 2011. The startup reached unicorn status in 2016, with a valuation of 2.7 billion euros (as of June 2021).
Despite six portfolio startups being in insolvency proceedings or having already gone insolvent, the Flix founders continue to be among the most active business angels in Germany, having made nearly 70 investments. Four of these startups have already had an exit.
Daniel Krauss, one of the founders, stated that the change of name from SEK Ventures to Flixfounders does not affect the startups in the portfolio.
The Flix founders' diversified investment strategy demonstrates their commitment to supporting innovative technologies and startups, beyond their successful venture in the mobility sector.
What kind of businesses are the FlixBus founders invested in, besides their initial mobility sector success? They have investments in a range of sectors, such as finance through backing Otter Energy Trading, technology through Gixel's advanced optical displays for AR glasses, and defense through Tytan Technologies.
