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Looking into the crystal ball is almost part of everyday work for venture capitalists.
Hardly any other profession is so intensely concerned with tracking down new technologies that have the potential to shape our future.
That is why we have made it a tradition to ask renowned start-up investors for their forecast at the start of the year.
Also this year, “Business Insider” and “Gründerszene” asked ten venture capitalists which tech companies from Germany they believe will make the big breakthrough in 2020.
Be it in terms of financing or customer and sales growth.
Lakestar, HV Capital (formerly Holtzbrinck Ventures) and Earlybird took part in the survey.
The result is a list of 20 promising start-ups that you should definitely keep an eye on in 2021.
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Remarkable: Compared to the previous year, not a single tourism company was included.
Instead, the topics of logistics and fintech predominate.
Here you can find all finalists of the Start-up Watchlist 2021 in alphabetical order:
Aitme
Founders:
Emanuel Pallua and Julian Stoss
Industry:
Robotics / Gastronomy
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What the start-up does:
Aitme builds robot canteens for restaurants that can cook up to 120 dishes an hour without human help.
Aitme builds robot canteens
Source: Aitme
Reason why it should be on the watchlist for 2021: "
The world of work has changed permanently in 2020 - towards more flexibility and less presence in the office.
But we still have to eat healthy, hygienic and fresh.
Aitme has built an automated robo kitchen that cooks delicious food at unbeatable prices with the push of a button.
Forget canteens, the future of good food is called Aitme, ”says
Judith Dada, partner at the Berlin venture capitalist La Famiglia.
Artnight
Founders:
Aimie-Sarah Carstensen and David Neisinger
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Industry:
Events
What the start-up does:
Artnight organizes art workshops in bars and restaurants in which the participants paint a work of art under supervision.
There are now other variants such as Bakenight (supervised baking) and Plantnight (plants).
The start-up became known in 2017 with an appearance on the Vox founder show “Die Höhle der Löwen”.
Aimie-Sarah Carstensen and David Neisinger from Artnight
Source: Artnight
Reason why it belongs on the Watchlist 2021: “
Artnight switched the entire business model from offline to online workshops almost overnight and is also aimed at corporate customers who are looking for alternatives to team events with digital Artnights, Bakenights and the like.
This year, the team has shown resilience, flexibility and creativity.
The mission to bring people back together will be even more important after Corona than ever before ”, says
Jan-Gisbert Schultze, Managing Partner at Acton Capital.
Bitwala
Founder:
Benjamin Jones
Industry:
Fintech
What the start-up does:
Bitwala offers online banking and wallets for crypto currencies such as Bitcoin and Ether.
According to its own information, the Berlin start-up currently has 150,000 customers in 32 countries who hold bitcoins with a total value of 60 million euros.
Benjamin Jones (center) and his team
Source: Bitwala
Reasons why it belongs on the Watchlist 2021: “
Bitwala is a disruptive challenger bank that focuses entirely on offering its users innovative investment products such as cryptocurrencies and alternative asset classes in a central bank account.
It has shown incredibly strong user growth over the past year, ”says
Tim Rehder, partner at Earlybird.
Bryter
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Founders:
Michael Hübl, Michael Grupp and Micha-Manuel Bues
Industry:
Legal Tech
What the start-up does:
With Bryter, companies can build their own applications without hiring a programmer.
This is made possible by a modular principle.
The focus is on applications that automate decisions, such as chatbots or review processes.
Three founders, one first name: Michael Hübl, Michael Grupp and Micha-Manuel Bues (from left)
Source: Bryter
Reason why it should be on the 2021 watchlist:
“Next year it will mainly be about the USA.
Bryter has had an office and team in New York for a few months.
We are assuming rapid growth here, ”says
Rouven Dresselhaus, Managing Partner at Cavalry Ventures.
"In general, we believe that next year more and more companies will dedicate themselves to the topic of automation and that digitization will also become a hot topic in compliance, tax and legal departments."
Everdrop
Founders:
Daniel Schmitt-Haverkamp, Christian Becker and David Löwe
Industry:
consumer goods / sustainability
What the start-up does:
The cleaning start-up from Munich sells cleaning agents that you can mix yourself as well as packaging-free dishwasher tabs.
The goal: to reduce household waste.
According to its own information, the start-up has already saved around 1.5 million plastic bottles and processed over 100,000 orders.
The start-up became famous on Instagram.
Everdrop sells cleaning products that you can mix yourself
Source: Everdrop
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Reason why it belongs on the Watchlist 2021:
“The zeitgeist for sustainability is higher than ever,” says
David Fischer from HV Capital.
He is convinced: “Everdrop is revolutionizing how consumers look at their household products and how much they can damage the environment.
They also demystify the myth that household products such as cleaners and laundry detergents cannot look appealing and make sustainable products affordable for the mass market. "
Finn car
Founders:
Max-Josef Meier, Nikolai Schröder, Andreas Wixler, Maximilian Wühr
Industry:
Mobility
What the start-up does:
Finn rents cars on a subscription.
Since it was launched less than a year ago, it says it has brought almost 1,000 car subscriptions onto the streets.
Finn rents cars on subscription
Source: Finn.Auto
Reason why it should be on the watch list for 2021: “
With the fresh financing of 20 million euros from December (including from the Zalando founders), the company will now scale really strongly in 2021 and bring the efficient business model to a completely different level “, Says
Rainer Märkle, partner at HV Capital.
Planar radar
Founders:
Sander van de Rijdt
,
Clemens Hammerl
,
Ibrahim Imam
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Industry:
PropTech, real estate
What the start-up does:
Planradar offers software for documentation and communication in construction and real estate projects.
The Planradar management team: Ibrahim Imam and Sander van de Rijdt (from left)
Source: Planar radar
Reason why it should be on the 2021 watchlist:
“Plan radar continued to grow in 2020 as well.
Despite a challenging market environment due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Proptech almost doubled its sales compared to the previous year and opened another eight locations.
The number of customers rose significantly to over 10,000 with 80,000 users.
Expansion into the Arab region and Australia is planned for 2021, ”says
Stefan Walter from Cavalry Ventures.
Home
Founders:
Thilo Konzok and Moritz von Hase
Industry:
Proptech / Real Estate
What the start-up does:
Home is a digital property management company.
The Berlin start-up regulates, for example, new letting or repair management for landlords who can track the status of their property via an app.
In 2020 Home received funding of eleven million euros with which it wants to expand into other cities.
Home founders Moritz von Hase (left) and Thilo Konzok
Source: Home
Reason why it belongs on the Watchlist 2021: "
The founders have built an excellent team, convinced strong investors and the potential to completely
disrupt
their market by creating new asset classes and forms of ownership", says
Jörg Binnenbrücker, partner at Capnamic Ventures.
Isar Aerospace
Founders:
Daniel Metzler, Josef Fleischmann, Markus Brandl
Industry:
Space
What the start-up does:
The Munich-based rocket builder is considered the German answer to SpaceX.
The start-up aims to put satellites into orbit at internationally competitive prices.
However, Isar Aerospace has yet to prove that its launch vehicles work.
The maiden flight is planned for the last quarter of 2021.
The founders of Isar Aerospace: Josef Fleischmann, Markus Brandl and Daniel Metzler (from left)
Source: Isar Aerospace
Reason why it belongs on the 2021 watch list:
Isar Aerospace was nominated by two venture capitalists for this year's watch list.
Hendrik Brandis, Partner at Earlybird,
says: “A first successful start would be a bang for the European space industry and would not only open up the exciting market segment of the near earth orbit for commercial purposes, but also enable Europe to be more independent in access to future infrastructure technologies and applications . "
Klaus Hommels from Lakestar also
sees great potential in the founders.
“The team is pioneering hardware and software engineering techniques that allow them to iterate and develop faster than the established companies.
They use European talents and production facilities. "
Luminovo
Founders:
Timon Ruban, Sebastian Schaal
Industry:
Electronics
What the start-up does:
Luminovo started as an agency that built tailor-made AI solutions for companies from various industries.
The start-up is now concentrating on software for the electronics industry.
Timon Ruban and Sebastian Schaal from Luminovo
Source: Luminovo
Reason why it should be on the 2021 watch list:
"Luminovo is building the operating system of the electronics industry and will be launched on the market in 2021 - this is what world-class innovation Made in Germany looks like!", Says
Judith Dada, partner at La Famiglia, a venture capitalist from Berlin.
Mambu
Founders:
Eugene Danilkis, Sofia Nunes, Frederik Pfisterer
Industry:
Fintech
What the start-up does:
Mambu is one of the largest German fintechs.
The start-up offers its customers a core banking system based on the modular model.
This should enable both young fintechs and global banks to adapt their internal processes more quickly.
Mambu boss and co-founder Eugene Danilkis
Source: Mambu
Reason why it belongs on the 2021 watchlist:
“The pressure to innovate in the banking sector is currently being intensified by the Corona crisis.
In order to master this successfully, Mambu's software solutions are more in demand than ever by established financial institutions, ”says
Fritz Oidtmann, Managing Partner at Acton Capital.
Parcellab
Founders:
Tobias Buxhoidt, Julian Krenge and Anton Eder
Industry:
logistics
What the start-up does:
Parcellab informs customers of online shops about the shipping status of their order.
The technology is used by, for example, Ikea, Lidl and Puma.
Reason why it belongs on the 2021 watchlist:
“More than 500 brands already trust Parcellab.
In addition, Parcellab was able to quickly build up a global presence with branches in Great Britain, France and the USA - in addition to the home market of Germany, ”says
Christian Siegele, partner at Capnamic Ventures.
"In 2021, this global expansion will continue to grow and make Parcellab an incredibly hot player in the field of digital logistics."
Rows
Founders:
Humberto Ayres Pereira and Torben Schulz
Industry:
Productivity / Software
What the start-up is doing:
Rows is competing to become the Excel of the 21st century.
With the program, tables and calculations should look nicer and be easier to handle, for example through automation.
The software is expected to be launched in 2021.
Row's software is not yet live, but the first preview images are available
Source: Rows / Youtube
Reasons why it belongs on the Watchlist 2021:
“Rows will revolutionize the use of spreadsheets, users can program their own business apps via integrations and work on them with colleagues.
Quasi a spreadsheet with superpowers! ”Says
Filip Dames, partner at Cherry Ventures.
Schüttflix
Founders:
Christian Hülsewig, Thomas Hagedorn
Industry:
Construction
What the start-up does:
Schüttflix is an online trading platform for building materials.
If you need larger amounts of sand, gravel and split, you can compare the prices of more than 200 providers there.
According to the company, this shortens delivery times many times over.
The actress and presenter Sophia Thomalla has been on board as a celebrity investor since 2019.
Alongside Thomas Hagedorn and Christian Hülsewig (from left), Sophia Thomalla is a partner at the Schüttflix startup
Source: Schüttflix / andra photography
Reason why it belongs on the watchlist 2021: "
With more than 15,000 orders for sand, gravel and gravel, 20 million euros in fresh capital in 2020, Nils Klose as the second managing director and the cooperation with STRABAG, 2021 could be a crazy year for Schüttflix", forecasts
Felix Klühr, Principal at HV Capital.
Sdui
Founders:
Jan Micha Kroll, Timo Stosius and Daniel Zacharias
Industry:
Education
What the start-up is doing:
With their app, the founders want to build a “digital classroom” in which students and teachers can communicate online.
The functions include an overview of the timetable and substitutions, homework lists and appointments.
Jan Micha Kroll, Timo Stosius and Daniel Zacharias (from left)
Source: Sdui
Reason why it belongs on the Watchlist 2021: "
Sdui is one of the fastest growing EduTech start-ups in Germany and has established itself as a real problem solver (not only) in the current pandemic situation in the German educational landscape", sums up
Tanja Emmerling, Partner at High-Tech Gründerfonds
.
Smart lane
Founders:
Monja Mühling, Matthias Baur, Florian Schimandl
Industry:
logistics
What the start-up does:
The Munich start-up helps logistics providers with route planning in freight transport in order to use their truck fleets more efficiently.
Mathias Baur, Monja Mühling and Florian Schimandl (from left)
Source: Smartlane
Reason why it belongs on the watchlist 2021: “
We are currently seeing an enormous development in software at Smartlane and have now finally found our product market fit in the general cargo area.
After we were able to achieve major cost savings with our first customers in this area in 2020, our pipeline for 2021 is already well filled, "says
Frank Thelen, partner at Freigeist Capital.
Taxdoo
Founders:
Christian Königsheim, Roger Gothmann, Matthias Allmendinger
Industry:
Fintech
What the start-up does:
Taxdoo supports international e-commerce retailers in the legally compliant processing of sales tax and financial accounting.
According to the company, 1,000 online retailers are already using the service.
In December, it raised € 17 million from international donors, including Silicon Valley investor Accel.
The founders Roger Gothmann, Christian Königsheim and Matthias Allmendinger (from left)
Source: Taxdoo
Reason why it belongs on the watchlist 2021: "
The ongoing boom in e-commerce, the increasing number of cross-border transactions and the outstanding performance create the best conditions for Taxdoo to get started in 2021", says
Tanja Emmerling, partner at High -Tech start-up fund
.
Twaice
Founders:
Michael Baumann and Stephan Rohr
Industry:
e-mobility
What the start-up does:
Twaice, a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich, is developing analysis software for batteries.
For example, operational failures should be recognized and prevented in good time.
This can be interesting, for example, when servicing e-cars.
Twaice is developing analysis software for batteries
Source: Twaice
Reason why it belongs on the watchlist 2021: “
Twaice has built one of the leading battery analysis teams worldwide.
The team develops software that is of central importance for the further development of battery technology, the introduction of electromobility and energy storage in general, ”says
Thomas Lueke, Partner at Cherry Ventures.
Upvest
Founder:
Martin Kassing
Industry:
Fintech
What the start-up does:
The company, founded in 2017, offers an interface with which fintechs can integrate digital investment products into their portfolio.
For example, apps that allow users to invest in ETFs or stocks.
The Upvest team
Source: Upvest
Reason why it belongs on the 2021 watchlist: "
Upvest has enormous potential to change the European securities infrastructure," says
Earlybird partner Tim Rehder
.
The product contains "a unique value proposition that goes hand in hand with a high level of regulatory and technical complexity".
Xentral
Founders:
Claudia and Benedikt Sauter
Industry:
ERP software
What the start-up does:
In the Corona crisis, many companies were forced to relocate their processes to the Internet.
Xentral helps with this.
With the software from the start-up, companies can manage their logistics, accounting, personnel planning, purchasing goods and sales channels.
Investor Frank Thelen (center) with the Xentral founders Benedikt and Claudia Sauter
Source: Xentral
Reason why it belongs on the watchlist 2021:
"In 2020, Xentral showed with an unbelievable growth rate of 3x that the product is experiencing a lot of traction on the market," says
Frank Thelen, partner at Freigeist Capital.
“The great numbers have already drawn the attention of some well-known international investors.
We firmly expect that Xentral will have great things to announce in 2021. "
Collaboration: Solveig Gode, Alex Hofmann, Georg Räth