What First Momentum Ventures does

First Momentum Ventures is a Karlsruhe-based European pre-seed venture capital fund manager focused on deep tech startups. The legal entity, FMV First Momentum Ventures Management GmbH, operates as a German KAGB-registered alternative investment fund manager (AIFM) and EuVECA manager; the firm was established in 2018 (with the founding team's pre-seed investing activity tracing back to a 2015 university-incubator initiative, PionierGarage, whose alumni have since raised more than €500M). The firm invests €0.25–1.5m per deal as lead or co-investor across climate & energy, compute, manufacturing & robotics, aerospace, AI & ML, software infrastructure, and computational biology, with a portfolio of 40+ companies across roughly ten European countries that have collectively raised more than €1bn since 2018.

The core service offering is the pre-seed investment program, supported by a curated ecosystem stack: the Deep Tech Napkin and Deep Tech Hardware Napkin research reports (the latter synthesizing 100+ funding rounds across 20+ European deep tech VCs), the Insights Hub for long-form technical content, the annual Spinoff Summit event, the Venture Scouts referral network, and a newsletter. The investment team — composed of engineers and scientists, including a PhD physicist specializing in nanotechnology/optics — conducts technical due diligence and operates an internal incubation capability (e.g., Telura for electric impulse drilling in ultra-deep geothermal energy). Co-investor relationships span flagship European VCs such as Sequoia, Creandum, Seedcamp, Fly, IQ Capital, Lakestar, Join Capital, Heavybit, SeaX Ventures, APEX Ventures, Credo Ventures, and Realyze Ventures.

Revenue is generated through traditional VC fund economics: management fees on committed/invested capital across multiple fund vintages (Fund II and Fund III referenced in SFDR disclosures updated 01.03.2026) and carried interest on successful exits. Distribution of capital is relationship-driven, sourced via inbound from founders, the Venture Scouts network, university and research-institute relationships, and the firm's deep tech community (Spinoff Summit, content marketing, earned media in Forbes, Sifted, EU-Startups, Handelsblatt, Tech.eu, and a co-conducted Forbes China AI TOP 50 selection). The firm's positioning — 'engineers at heart, investors by choice' — emphasizes intellectual honesty, technical-co-founder-grade support, and a long-term companion relationship with technical founders from hour zero.

Name

First Momentum Ventures

Legal name

FMV First Momentum Ventures Management GmbH

Website

https://firstmomentum.vc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

First Momentum Ventures is a Karlsruhe-based European pre-seed venture capital fund that invests €0.25–1.5m in deep tech startups across climate & energy, compute, robotics, aerospace, AI/ML, software infrastructure, and computational biology, led by an engineer-and-scientist investment team supporting technical founders from hour zero.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pre-Seed Venture Capital Fund Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Other Financial Vehicles (525990)

akta.pro primary industry

Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)

Keywords

• Pre-seed venture capital
• Deep tech investing
• Venture capital fund management
• Startup incubation services
• Deep tech research reports

Headquarters

HQ city

Karlsruhe

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Venture Capital Fund Management: Operates as an alternative investment fund manager (AIFM) under German KAGB and EuVECA regulation. Generates revenue through typical VC fund economics: management fees on committed/invested capital across multiple funds (Fund II and Fund III referenced) and carried interest on successful exits. Fund structure: FMV First Momentum Ventures Management GmbH (LEI: 391200NFOQ6U1LCIW121). Ticket size €0.25-1.5m per pre-seed investment, typically as lead or co-investor.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

First Momentum Ventures is a Europe-focused pre-seed deep tech venture capital fund manager that invests €0.25–1.5M per round as lead or co-investor in early-stage startups building on complex scientific and technological breakthroughs across climate & energy, compute, manufacturing & robotics, aerospace, AI/ML, software infrastructure, and computational biology. The firm combines capital with technical due diligence, ecosystem introductions (talent, partners, customers, follow-on investors), proprietary research reports (Deep Tech Napkin), and an internal incubation capability to support technical founders from hour zero.

Product overview

First Momentum Ventures operates as a venture capital firm rather than a unified software product; its offerings span a core Pre-Seed investment program (€0.25–1.5M in European deep tech startups), a Deep Tech Portfolio of investee companies, the Venture Scouts Program for sourcing founders, the research report Deep Tech Napkin / Deep Tech Hardware Napkin, an editorial Insights Hub, the Spinoff Summit event, and an opt-in newsletter. The Pre-Seed Investment Program is the central service, with the portfolio of portfolio companies, the Venture Scouts network, the Deep Tech Napkin reports, the Insights Hub, the Spinoff Summit event, and the newsletter acting as supporting ecosystem, knowledge, and community modules around it.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Seed Investment Program Equity investment program investing €0.25–1.5M at the Pre-Seed stage into European deep tech startups, executed as lead or co-investor. Includes technical due diligence, ongoing portfolio support and high-value introductions to talent, partners, customers, and follow-on investors for technical founding teams from hour zero.
• Deep Tech Napkin / Deep Tech Hardware Napkin research reports Proprietary downloadable research reports on European deep tech and hardware startup funding dynamics, synthesizing insights from over 100 funding rounds across more than 20 European deep tech VCs. Targeted at deep tech founders, investors and ecosystem participants seeking market intelligence on hardware/deep tech fundraising.
• Venture Scouts Program Formal scouting program that enlists external scouts to source promising European deep tech founders and teams for First Momentum Ventures in exchange for referral economics. Operated as a community deal-flow channel extending reach into university labs and research ecosystems.
• Spinoff Summit Annual flagship conference organized by First Momentum Ventures for science-spinout and deep tech founders, entrepreneurial scientists, deep tech operators and investors. Serves as deal-flow sourcing, brand-building and community engagement mechanism.

Quantifiable outcome

• Portfolio companies collectively raised more than €1 billion since 2018
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers36 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship co-investor.

• SPRIND (Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen)flagship co-investorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelura (incubated by First Momentum) entered a validation agreement with Leipzig-based SPRIND to advance electric impulse drilling technology for geothermal energy. First Momentum Ventures' portfolio company partner.
• German Aerospace Center (DLR)flagship co-investorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISPTech (First Momentum portfolio company) spun out from DLR after more than a decade of propulsion research and development; DLR participated in ISPTech's €5.5M seed round.
• Forbes Chinaflagship co-investorGTM or Marketing PartnerJointly conducted the third annual 'Forbes China AI Tech Enterprises TOP 50' selection in 2026, covering seven sub-award categories and 20+ sub-sectors. Establishes First Momentum's brand presence in China's AI ecosystem.
• Arteus Energyflagship co-investorOthersFounded by First Momentum's Founding Partner Sebastian Böhmer as a next-generation utility on a mission to deliver gigawatts of abundant, clean energy through an expanding spectrum of technologies. Strategic alignment between FMV's energy thesis and the utility venture.
• Spinoff Summitflagship co-investorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst Momentum's flagship ecosystem event (2026/2027 editions) for science-spinout and deep tech founders; serves as deal-flow sourcing and brand-building channel.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF): Germany's largest early-stage deep tech VC, investing pre-seed to Series A in technology startups across hardware, semiconductors, AI, and industrial. Most direct comparable to First Momentum given shared German base, deep tech specialization, and early-stage ticket sizes — HTGF is larger in AUM and portfolio scale but operates the same niche.
• APEX Ventures: Vienna-based European deep tech early-stage VC investing in science-driven startups across AI, quantum, space, semiconductors, and energy. Named co-investor with First Momentum (led Skycore's €5M seed), making it a near-direct peer in deal flow, geography, and stage.
• Join Capital: Berlin-based European deep tech VC focused on climate, industrial, and science-driven startups at seed and Series A. Direct co-investor (led ISPTech's €5.5M seed with First Momentum participation), competing for the same deep tech founder pool across Germany and Europe.
• 2150: European VC investing in urban tech, climate, and deep tech startups tackling sustainability challenges in built environments. Closely comparable in deep tech specialization, European focus, and early-stage ticket sizing, with similar community-led GTM motion.
• Keen Ventures: European deep tech pre-seed and seed VC investing across AI, compute, biology, materials, and climate. Directly comparable to First Momentum in pre-seed focus, European geography, and technical-investor positioning, with overlapping portfolio themes (AI infrastructure, biotech, materials).
• Pale Blue Dot: European seed-stage VC exclusively focused on climate tech, with portfolio spanning direct air capture, energy storage, and industrial decarbonization. Direct co-investor with First Momentum (Brineworks), and competes in the climate & energy segment of First Momentum's mandate.
• Planet A Ventures: Hamburg-based European deep tech VC focused exclusively on science-driven startups tackling environmental and sustainability challenges. Direct peer in deep tech specialization, European geography, and early-stage focus, with overlapping climate & energy thesis.
• Extantia Capital: Berlin-based European climate tech VC backing early-stage startups decarbonizing energy, mobility, buildings, and industry. Comparable in climate & energy deep tech focus, European geographic scope, and early-stage ticket sizing, with overlapping portfolio themes (energy storage, geothermal, industrial decarbonization).

Broad incumbents

• Speedinvest: Vienna-based European early-stage VC with multiple sector-focused funds including deep tech, climate, industrial tech, and SaaS. Larger and more diversified than First Momentum but a relevant peer for deep tech pre-seed deal flow across the DACH region.
• Earlybird Venture Capital: One of Europe's longest-standing deep tech and technology VCs, investing from seed to growth across industrial tech, deep tech, fintech, and enterprise. Broader incumbent comparable due to deep tech focus, though larger AUM and later-stage orientation than First Momentum's pre-seed niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_firstmomentum

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments61 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Momentum Ventures