Hanse Ventures

What Hanse Ventures does

Hanse Ventures is a Hamburg-based Company Builder and early-stage venture capital investor founded by Jochen Maaß. The firm combines the roles of co-founder and financial investor: it sources or generates digital business ideas, recruits founding teams (including through its Entrepreneur in Residence program and Ideensturm pitch events), provides hands-on operational support through an in-house team of approximately 20 digital experts, and commits capital of up to 1 million EUR per startup across pre-seed (50–200k EUR), seed (up to 250k EUR), and follow-on rounds. Capital is deployed through the Company Builder entity and through HV Fund Management GmbH, a KAGB-registered AIF manager that also handles SFDR-compliant ESG due diligence.

The company's core products are Company Builder Services (idea validation, business model development, product development, online marketing support) and Investment/Funding Services, supplemented by branded programs such as Ideensturm pitch events, eBizz Talk networking events on its Hamburg HafenCity rooftop, and the EiR program. Its technology stack consists of operational digital expertise — web/mobile product development, online marketing, and data-driven testing — rather than proprietary software products; no APIs, SDKs, or applications are offered. Revenue is generated through two streams: capital gains from portfolio exits and fund management fees from regulated fund vehicles. Notable exits include Pflege.de (acquired by Paul Hartmann Group, 2021), Rebelle (IPO, 2022), Savings United (exit, 2020), and AWN (exit, 2018); the active portfolio includes Implify, Betterspace, Dealcircle, Triviar, Strollme, Fulfillment Scout, RINGLIFECOMBAT, Solar24, So'Use, and People who Kær.

Hanse Ventures serves two primary segments: early-stage digital startup founders seeking operational expertise, capital, and network access, and co-investors/business angels seeking deal flow and due diligence support alongside a hands-on builder. Its go-to-market is event-driven and community-led, leveraging Hamburg's startup ecosystem, a high-profile network of German internet/media/finance executives (Scout24, bitcoin.de, OMR, Roland Berger, Bertelsmann, Gruner+Jahr, Sony Music, ESL Gaming), and co-investment relationships with institutional players such as HTGF. Recent activity includes a February 2026 co-investment in Bitsurance GmbH to expand Bitcoin insurance across the DACH region.

Name

Hanse Ventures

Legal name

Hanse Ventures BSJ GmbH

Website

https://hanseventures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hanse Ventures is a Hamburg-based Company Builder and early-stage VC that co-founds digital startups, providing operational support from a ~20-person digital expert team and up to €1M in capital per company. It serves founders and co-investors primarily across the German and DACH markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital and Company Building

NAICS

All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Management of Companies and Enterprises (55)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH)

Keywords

• Company building services
• Venture capital investing
• Startup incubation
• Pre-seed funding
• Digital startup support

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns from Portfolio Exits: Hanse Ventures generates returns through successful exits of portfolio companies. They invest capital at various stages (pre-seed through follow-on) and benefit from equity appreciation when companies are sold or go public. Notable exits include Pflege.de (acquired by Paul Hartmann Group in 2021), Rebelle (IPO in 2022), Savings United (exit in 2020), and AWN (exit in 2018).
2. Fund Management Fees: The company operates fund vehicles (HV Fund Management GmbH) that generate management fees. Sebastian Schulz serves as CEO HV Fonds, managing early-stage investments and follow-on financing.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hanse Ventures is a Hamburg-based Company Builder that co-founds and invests in early-stage digital (web and mobile) startups. It combines hands-on operational support from a team of approximately 20 digital experts with staged capital deployment (pre-seed of 50-200k EUR, seed up to 250k EUR, and follow-on rounds up to 1 million EUR per startup) and a broad network of co-investors and advisors. It also runs an Entrepreneur in Residence program, Ideensturm pitch events, eBizz Talk networking events, and a regulated fund management entity (HV Fund Management GmbH).

Product overview

Hanse Ventures is a Company Builder headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, that operates as both a startup co-founder and venture capital investor. The company provides an integrated offering combining three core components: (1) Company Builder Services for operative support including idea validation, business model development, and product development from a team of approximately 20 digital experts; (2) Investment/Funding Services providing capital from pre-seed through follow-on rounds up to 1 million EUR per startup; and (3) a portfolio of digital startups across various sectors. The company also operates branded programs including Ideensturm (pitch events), eBizz Talk (networking events), and an Entrepreneur in Residence program. Fund management is handled through HV Fund Management GmbH.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Company Builder Services Operative support for early-stage digital startups, including idea validation, business model development, product development, and team building, delivered by a team of approximately 20 digital experts. Designed for founders seeking hands-on co-building support rather than capital alone.
• Investment and Funding Services Capital investment services providing pre-seed (50-200k EUR), seed (up to 250k EUR), and ongoing follow-on financing up to 1 million EUR per startup through Company Builder and fund vehicles, with accompanying fundraising support and deal structuring.
• HV Fund Management Regulated fund management entity (HV Fund Management GmbH) operating as a KAGB-registered AIF manager that administers investment vehicles for portfolio companies, including SFDR-compliant ESG due diligence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple successful exits including Pflege.de (acquired by Paul Hartmann Group), Rebelle (IPO), Savings United, and AWN
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Philipp WestermeyercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder of Online Marketing Rockstars (OMR), a leading digital marketing platform and event company in Germany. Provides marketing expertise and industry connections.
• Prof. Burkhard SchwenkerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer CEO of Roland Berger, one of the world's leading strategy consultancies. Contributes strategic consulting expertise to the network.
• Ralf ReichertminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder of ESL Gaming, the world's largest esports company. Brings gaming and digital entertainment sector expertise.
• Dr. Bernd KundrunminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer CEO of Gruner + Jahr, one of Europe's largest publishing houses. Provides media and publishing industry expertise.
• Hartmut OstrowskiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer CEO of Bertelsmann, one of the world's largest media companies. Contributes media and entertainment industry knowledge.
• Alex ChristensenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer U96, well-known German music producer. Part of creative network supporting Hanse Ventures.
• Rolf Schmidt-HolzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer CEO of Sony Music Germany. Provides music and entertainment industry connections and expertise.
• Aljoscha KaplanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-Founder of German Media Pool, a major influencer marketing agency. Provides digital marketing expertise.
• Torsten FalgerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging Director of Aschendorff Next, bringing media and startup ecosystem connections.
• Klaus HaasisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestor and coach with experience supporting startups. Provides mentoring and investment expertise.
• Dr. Jan EversminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder of Everest X, bringing startup acceleration and ecosystem expertise.
• Daniel KempfminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging Director of pd digital, bringing digital transformation and marketing expertise.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Speedinvest: Vienna-based early-stage venture capital firm with sector-focused funds across digital industries. Comparable to Hanse Ventures as a European seed investor providing operational support to early-stage digital startups, but with significantly larger fund vehicles.
• Project A Ventures: Berlin-based early-stage investor and operational venture capital firm. Comparable to Hanse Ventures in providing hands-on support (an in-house 'operational platform' of experts) alongside capital in pre-seed and seed digital companies.
• Cherry Ventures: Berlin-based early-stage venture capital firm investing in European pre-seed and seed startups. Directly comparable in stage focus and founder support model, with a similarly high-profile operator-investor network.
• Team Europe: Berlin-based venture builder founded by Lukasz Gadowski. Operates a company-building model with hands-on operational support and follow-on capital, comparable to Hanse Ventures' co-founder-plus-investor approach in the European digital startup ecosystem.
• Atlantic Labs: Berlin-based early-stage venture capital firm backing science- and technology-driven startups from pre-seed onward. Comparable in European early-stage digital investing and founder support, with a similar focus on co-founding and operational involvement.

Broad incumbents

• Earlybird Venture Capital: One of Europe's leading early-stage venture capital investors with a strong presence in Germany. Comparable to Hanse Ventures as a European seed/Series A investor in digital and technology companies, though at a meaningfully larger scale.
• Holtzbrinck Ventures: Munich- and Berlin-based venture capital firm investing in internet and technology companies, including early-stage digital businesses. Comparable as a German VC investor in early-stage digital startups, with larger fund vehicles and broader sector exposure.
• High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF): Germany's most active seed-stage venture capital investor and a documented co-investment partner of Hanse Ventures (Dr. Alex von Frankenberg, CEO of HTGF, is a core network member). Highly relevant peer for German pre-seed/seed deal flow and co-investment dynamics.
• Rocket Internet: Berlin-based company builder and venture capital investor that pioneered the European venture builder model. Compares directly to Hanse Ventures in business model (co-founding and operating digital startups) but operates at a much larger scale and broader geographic scope.

Emerging players

• Eyeo (Builder Studio): Cologne-based builder and investor operating a venture studio model around digital media and ad-tech. Comparable to Hanse Ventures in the European company builder space, with a more sector-focused (digital media) thesis.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hanseventures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hanse-ventures
• Instagraminstagram.com/hanseventures
• Xx.com/HanseVentures

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments24 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Hanse Ventures