seed + speed Ventures

What seed + speed Ventures does

seed + speed Ventures is a Berlin-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2016 by Carsten Maschmeyer and Alexander Kölpin, focused exclusively on Pre-Seed and Seed investments in B2B software and software-driven hardware startups. The firm targets founders across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and — following the launch of Fund III — the entirety of Europe, writing initial tickets of typically €500K to €2.0M and reserving follow-on capacity of up to €5.0M per company. As of early 2026 it supports a portfolio of more than 50 companies spanning FinTech, HealthTech, cybersecurity, process management, Industry 4.0, and — increasingly — Enterprise AI.

The firm's differentiated offering combines capital with a structured "sales-driven VC" growth-support program, including Sales Kick-Off Workshops, C-Level coaching, Sales Playbook development, recruiting assistance, and ongoing portfolio community events. It does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its product surface is investment capital plus hands-on sales and marketing advisory delivered by the in-house team. The portfolio includes Orq.ai, prewave, e-mobilio, Pliant, Filestage, carbonfuture, Enginsight, Workmotion, Agaton, CERPRO, Calvin Risk, happyhotel, and SOUS, among others.

The firm operates a standard VC fund management business model, generating revenue from management fees on committed capital across its three funds (Fund I €10M, Fund II €30M, Fund III €90M closed in January 2026) plus carried interest from successful exits. It is incorporated as seed + speed Ventures GmbH in Berlin (AG Charlottenburg), supervised by BaFin, and managed by Carsten Maschmeyer and Alexander Kölpin as Managing Directors alongside a team of senior investment managers, investment managers, associates, and operational support staff.

Name

seed + speed Ventures

Legal name

seed + speed Ventures GmbH

Website

https://seedandspeed.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

seed + speed Ventures is a Berlin-based early-stage VC firm founded in 2016 that invests €500K–€2M at Pre-Seed and Seed into European B2B software startups, supplementing capital with hands-on sales coaching and marketing support across a 50+ company portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSANAAAA

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed)

Financial & Insurance/Private Equity & Venture Capital/Venture Capital Firms

SECONDARYFSANAAAB

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B)

Financial & Insurance/Private Equity & Venture Capital/Venture Capital Firms

Keywords

• Pre-seed venture capital
• Seed stage investing
• B2B software funding
• Sales-driven venture capital
• Early-stage startup investment

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Management Fees: VC funds typically charge management fees on committed capital during the investment period
2. Carried Interest: Performance-based share of profits from successful portfolio company exits

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

seed + speed Ventures is a Berlin-based venture capital firm that provides Pre-Seed and Seed stage equity investment (typical initial tickets of €500K to €2.0M, with follow-on support up to €5.0M per company) to B2B software and software-driven hardware startups across DACH and broader Europe. In addition to capital, the firm delivers hands-on sales and marketing support through coaching, workshops, recruiting assistance, and network access to its portfolio companies.

Product overview

seed + speed Ventures operates as a B2B software-focused venture capital firm, providing Pre-Seed and Seed investment alongside customized sales and marketing support. The firm manages a portfolio of over 50 companies and offers growth support services including sales coaching, C-Level coaching, Sales Playbook development, and tool support for its portfolio companies. Their third fund (Fund III) targets European B2B and Enterprise AI startups with initial tickets of €500,000 to €1.5 million. The firm does not offer a standalone product platform but rather investment services combined with hands-on operational support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Seed and Seed Investment
• Sales Coaching and Growth Support

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully supported over 50 companies

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• RingierminorOthersListed as partner on website; nature of partnership not specifically detailed
• TechstarsminorOthersListed as partner; accelerator program that co-invests in CERPRO
• Founders TodayminorOthersMedia partner for startup coverage

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• UVC Partners: UVC Partners is a Munich-based early-stage VC focused on B2B software, industrial technologies, and digital infrastructure in DACH. Highly comparable in stage, sector focus, and geographic remit.
• Speedinvest: Speedinvest is a Vienna-based early-stage VC focused on European tech startups with multiple sector-specific funds (FinTech, Deep Tech, SaaS). It is one of seed+speed's most frequent co-investors (Prewave, Meisterwerk) and a direct competitor for DACH Pre-Seed/Seed B2B SaaS deals.
• Atlantic Labs: Atlantic Labs is a Berlin-based early-stage VC backing science- and technology-driven founders across Europe. It overlaps with seed+speed in B2B technology Pre-Seed/Seed rounds in the DACH/Berlin ecosystem.
• Picus Capital: Picus is a Munich-based early- and growth-stage investor in technology-enabled businesses across Europe. Listed as a seed+speed partner and overlaps directly in DACH B2B software investing.
• Capnamic Ventures: Capnamic is a Cologne-based early-stage VC focused on B2B software and digital business models in the DACH region. Listed as a seed+speed partner and a direct competitor for German B2B SaaS Pre-Seed/Seed rounds.
• Point Nine Capital: Point Nine is a Berlin-based early-stage SaaS specialist VC investing across Europe. It shares seed+speed's B2B SaaS Pre-Seed/Seed focus and operates from the same Berlin ecosystem.
• Earlybird Venture Capital: Earlybird is a long-standing European early-stage VC with a DACH-heavy portfolio and a University of Cambridge/East-West bridge thesis. Listed as a seed+speed partner and operates similar Pre-Seed/Seed stages in B2B technology.
• HTGF (High-Tech Gründerfonds): HTGF is Germany's largest seed-stage investor, providing Pre-Seed and Seed financing to German technology startups. It is a recurring co-investor alongside seed+speed (e.g., Covalo, happyhotel) and competes head-on for the same DACH early-stage B2B deal flow.

Others

• WestTech Ventures: WestTech Ventures was the previous employer of seed+speed co-founder Alexander Köpfin and is a DACH-focused early-stage VC. It is adjacent rather than direct today but a historical and ecosystem peer.
• Maschmeyer Group Ventures: Maschmeyer Group Ventures is a US-focused VC also founded by Carsten Maschmeyer. It is an affiliate/sister vehicle within the Maschmeyer ecosystem and shares the founder's network and capital base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seedandspeed
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seedandspeed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments79 records

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

Frequently asked questions about seed + speed Ventures