STS Ventures
STS Ventures is a Cologne-based early-stage VC firm investing €200k-€1m (up to €5m follow-on) in pre-seed and seed startups across the DACH region, managing SFDR Article 8-aligned funds under BaFin AIFM registration.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersCologne, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What STS Ventures does
STS Ventures is a Cologne-based early-stage venture capital firm founded by serial entrepreneur Stephan Schubert, investing in pre-seed and seed-stage startups across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). The firm positions itself between business angels and traditional venture capital, combining hands-on entrepreneurial involvement with check sizes typically ranging from €200k to €1m initially and up to €5m total per portfolio company through follow-on rounds. STS manages multiple fund vehicles including STS Co-Investment Fund IV (an SFDR Article 8 fund promoting environmental and social characteristics) and Campus Capital, operating under BaFin AIFM registration as STS Co-Investment Fund Management GmbH.
The firm applies a standardized ESG due diligence process including negative screening against sectors such as tobacco, weapons, gambling, and pornography, and publishes SFDR disclosures. Portfolio composition spans more than 60 startups across diverse verticals including B2B SaaS, fintech (ottonova, Vantik, Mailo), mobility (SUSHI BIKES, Rebike, Snapbus), AI-enabled productivity tools (Mozaik), HR tech (Talent2Go, Talent360, TalentSpace), and consumer internet (JustWatch, Emma, Audibene). Notable exits include Audibene (EQT, 2015), Emma (Haniel, 2020), kaufDA (Axel Springer, 2011), Shoeboxed (PE, 2018), OnVista (Société Générale, 2007), and AbeBooks (Amazon, 2008).
Deal flow is sourced primarily through Stephan Schubert's personal network and founder referrals rather than broad outbound marketing. Revenue mechanics follow standard VC economics — management fees on committed capital plus carried interest on successful exits — though specific fund sizes, AUM, and revenue are not publicly disclosed. The team of six operates from Cologne with a lean structure supporting pre-seed to seed deployment across the German-speaking market.
STS Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- STS Ventures
- Legal name
- STS Management GmbH
- Website
- https://sts-ventures.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- STS Ventures is a Cologne-based early-stage VC firm investing €200k-€1m (up to €5m follow-on) in pre-seed and seed startups across the DACH region, managing SFDR Article 8-aligned funds under BaFin AIFM registration.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
STS Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early-Stage Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Impact / ESG Venture Capital (FSANAAAG), SDG / Thematic Sustainable Investment Funds (FSANAJAN)
Keywords
Where STS Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cologne
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
STS Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Management Fees and Carried Interest: As an AIFM-registered VC firm under German KAGB regulations, STS Ventures generates returns through management fees on managed venture capital funds and carried interest from successful portfolio exits. This is standard VC economics where the firm earns a percentage of fund profits above a hurdle rate.
- Co-Investment Fund Management: STS Ventures manages multiple venture capital funds including STS Co-Investment Fund IV. The firm operates under BaFin supervision as an alternative investment fund manager (AIFM) per KAGB section 2 para. 4.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
STS Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
STS Ventures is a Cologne-based early-stage venture capital firm that provides pre-seed and seed equity investments to startups headquartered in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), typically investing €200k–€1m initially with follow-on funding up to €5m per company. The firm combines hands-on angel-style mentorship with institutional check sizes, manages venture capital funds such as STS Co-Investment Fund IV and Campus Capital, and applies ESG screening aligned with SFDR Article 8 requirements. Investments are made through direct equity rounds, with active board participation in portfolio companies.
Product overview
STS Ventures operates as a venture capital firm offering early-stage investment services to DACH region startups. The firm provides capital investment (€200k - €1m initial, up to €5m total per company) alongside advisory support through its management entity STS Co-Investment Fund Management GmbH. The firm manages multiple fund vehicles including STS Co-Investment Fund IV and Campus Capital, applying ESG screening and due diligence processes aligned with SFDR requirements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- STS Ventures Early-Stage Investment Program
- STS Co-Investment Fund IV
- Campus Capital
Companies that use STS Ventures
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
STS Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
STS Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
STS Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- btov Partners: European early-stage VC with German roots, investing in technology startups from seed through Series A. Comparable as a DACH-focused early-stage investor with a similar founder-centric investment philosophy.
- Cherry Ventures: Berlin-based early-stage VC investing in pre-seed and seed European tech startups. Direct competitor for DACH seed deals with a similar founder-friendly, hands-on approach.
- 42CAP: Munich-based seed-stage VC focused on European B2B SaaS startups. Comparable as a German early-stage investor with similar check sizes and a capital-efficient founder approach.
- Earlybird Venture Capital: One of Europe's leading early-stage VCs with deep German roots and a long track record of seed and Series A investments in technology companies. Comparable as a Berlin/European early-stage VC operating in similar stages and geographies as STS Ventures.
- Capnamic Ventures: Cologne-based early-stage VC investing in German and European technology startups. Direct geographic and stage peer, also operating from Cologne and competing for the same DACH seed deal flow.
- Cavalry Ventures: Berlin-based early-stage VC focused on pre-seed and seed investments in European technology startups. Comparable as a DACH early-stage investor with similar check sizes and founder-friendly approach.
- High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF): Germany's largest and most active seed-stage VC, providing initial funding of €500k-€1m+ to technology startups. Directly comparable as a German seed VC targeting early-stage companies with a similar ticket-size profile to STS Ventures.
- Point Nine Capital: Berlin-based early-stage VC focused on seed investments in B2B SaaS and marketplaces across Europe. Comparable as a DACH-rooted seed investor with similar check sizes and capital-efficient philosophy.
- UVC Partners: Munich-based early-stage VC investing in European technology startups across seed and Series A. Comparable as a DACH early-stage fund targeting similar founder profiles and stages.
Regional players
- Speedinvest: Vienna-based early-stage VC investing across Europe with sector-focused funds. Comparable as a DACH-region early-stage investor, though operating with significantly larger fund sizes and a multi-sector thesis.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
STS Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceSTS Ventures compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
STS Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
STS Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
STS Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
STS Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments35 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about STS Ventures
What does STS Ventures do?
STS Ventures is a Cologne-based early-stage venture capital firm that provides pre-seed and seed equity investments to startups headquartered in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), typically investing €200k–€1m initially with follow-on funding up to €5m per company. The firm combines hands-on angel-style mentorship with institutional check sizes, manages venture capital funds such as STS Co-Investment Fund IV and Campus Capital, and applies ESG screening aligned with SFDR Article 8 requirements. Investments are made through direct equity rounds, with active board participation in portfolio companies.
Is STS Ventures a public or private company?
STS Ventures is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was STS Ventures founded?
STS Ventures was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is STS Ventures based?
STS Ventures is headquartered in Cologne, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does STS Ventures make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Management Fees and Carried Interest is the primary driver. The others are co-Investment Fund Management.
Who are STS Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are btov Partners, Cherry Ventures, 42CAP, Earlybird Venture Capital, Capnamic Ventures, Cavalry Ventures, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Point Nine Capital and UVC Partners. Speedinvest is listed as a regional player.
Does STS Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for STS Ventures.
What industry is STS Ventures in?
STS Ventures's product category is Early-Stage Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAB, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B), with a secondary code of FSANAAAG, Impact / ESG Venture Capital. Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6282.