Bertelsmann Investments

Name

Bertelsmann Investments

Legal name

Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA

Website

https://bertelsmann-investments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital and Growth Investment

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity (FSANACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technology & Software Growth Equity (FSANACAA), Financial Services / Fintech Growth Equity (FSANACAE)

Keywords

• Venture capital investments
• Growth stage funding
• Buy-and-build strategy
• Portfolio company management
• Venture fund management

Headquarters

HQ city

Gütersloh

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equity Investment Returns: Bertelsmann Investments generates returns through appreciation in value of portfolio company equity stakes, realized via IPOs, strategic sales, and secondary transactions. The portfolio includes 18+ BAI IPOs, 40+ unicorns, and successful exits including Phare Health sale to R1.
2. Operating Company Revenues: Bertelsmann Next operates portfolio companies (AppLike, EMBRACE, cormeo, LetsTransport) that generate revenues through their respective business models including advertising, subscription services, and transaction fees.
3. Venture Fund Management: BI manages and invests through venture funds (BAI, BII, BHI, futurepresent, BDMI) that provide LP returns and carry interest to the firm.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bertelsmann Investments operates as a global venture capital and growth investment platform that deploys capital through regional and thematic funds (BAI, BII, BHI, futurepresent, BDMI) into early and growth-stage companies. Through the Bertelsmann Next growth program, it also builds majority-owned operating businesses in mobile ad tech, HR tech, pharma tech, and India logistics via buy-and-build acquisitions.

Product overview

Bertelsmann Investments operates as a global investment platform bundling venture capital activities with the Bertelsmann Next growth program. The investment vehicle comprises regional funds (BAI, BII, BHI, futurepresent, BDMI) and the Bertelsmann Next unit which builds businesses organically and through acquisitions in four verticals: Mobile Ad Tech (Applike Group with Applike, adjoe, justDice, justtrack, Sunday), HR Tech (EMBRACE Family with Ausbildung.de, Studyflix, Vocanto, Milch und Zucker), Pharma Tech (cormeo holding Docuvera, EXTEDO, Rote Liste, medicines.ie), and India (LetsTransport). Through its fund network and Next activities, approximately €2.3 billion has been invested in around 500 innovative companies and funds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI): Leading venture capital fund in China investing in retail, fintech, entertainment, supply chain, and technology sectors since 2008.
• Bertelsmann India Investments (BII)
• Bertelsmann Healthcare Investments (BHI)
• futurepresent
• Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI)
• Bertelsmann Next
• Applike Group
• EMBRACE
• cormeo

Quantifiable outcome

• 18+ IPOs and 40+ unicorns through BAI alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ShiprocketcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025BII portfolio company LetsTransport will collaborate with Shiprocket, another BII portfolio company, to explore mutual business synergies. The partnership leverages shared Bertelsmann ownership to create logistics and shipping integration opportunities for customers.
• Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2024IPHA and cormeo jointly manage medicines.ie, combining the pharmaceutical industry's regulatory knowledge with Cormeo's technology capabilities to improve patient care in Ireland and Europe.
• LetsTransport FounderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPushkar Singh (Co-Founder and CEO) and Prateek (Co-Founder) retain operational leadership of LetsTransport following BI's majority acquisition. Foundation for long-term partnership to build leading Indian logistics player.
• Bharat Innovates 2026minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBII participated in India's flagship deep-tech showcase in Nice, France, with CEO Carsten Coesfeld and Managing Director Pankaj Makkar joining investor sessions and panels to showcase BI's commitment to India's deep-tech sector.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Rocket Internet: Rocket Internet pioneered the venture buy-and-build/incubation model that Bertelsmann Next replicates (Applike, LetsTransport, cormeo). Both operate as platform builders consolidating fragmented markets under majority-owned operating companies globally, particularly in tech-enabled services.
• General Catalyst: Named co-investment partner of BAI and BHI; co-exited Phare Health alongside Bertelsmann Investments. Both operate multi-stage global venture platforms investing across sectors with long-term orientation and stage-agnostic capital.
• Insight Partners: Insight Partners operates a global multi-stage growth equity platform emphasizing technology and software, mirroring BI's technology-led portfolio thesis. Both deploy billions in AUM across stages and sectors with strong portfolio company support.
• TPG Growth: TPG Growth is the multi-sector growth equity arm of TPG, comparable to BI's combination of regional and thematic funds plus operating-business platforms. Both invest across stages and geographies, with TPG Growth often doing majority/control deals mirroring Bertelsmann Next.
• KKR Growth: KKR's growth equity strategy is a direct comparable: multi-sector growth investing with global footprint, large AUM deployment, and minority-to-control flexibility. Both serve tech-enabled, growth-stage companies with capital plus operational support.
• Bain Capital Growth / Bain Capital Ventures: Bain Capital's growth platform offers multi-stage, multi-region venture and growth investing comparable to BI's BAI/BII/futurepresent structure. Bain's track record of platform-building in tech and consumer makes it functionally similar to Bertelsmann Next's incubation model.
• Permira Growth Opportunities: Permira runs growth and buyout strategies across sectors and geographies, with deep European roots that align with BI's German/Center-of-Europe base. Both combine primary fund vehicles with selective operating-company builds.
• Sequoia Capital (Peak XV for India): Sequoia/Peak XV pioneered the regional-venture-with-thematic-fund model that BI replicates (BAI/BII/futurepresent). Both have produced unicorn and IPO track records and operate as long-term partners to founders across stages.
• CVC Capital Partners: CVC runs a broad multi-sector private equity platform including growth, comparable to Bertelsmann's mix of venture funds plus operating-business platforms. Both have European origins and global scope with diversified sector exposure.
• Index Ventures: Index Ventures runs a multi-stage, multi-region venture platform with particularly strong European and US presence, comparable to BI's BHI (transatlantic healthcare) and futurepresent (US/Europe AI). Both serve founders across stages with concentrated approaches in tech verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments25 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Bertelsmann Investments