What ECONA AG does

ECONA AG is a Berlin-based private entrepreneurial holding company founded in 1999 that acquires, co-founds, and invests in companies across diverse sectors including D2C consumer brands, fintech, healthcare, food, fashion, and digital media. The firm operates as a long-term partner rather than a traditional financial sponsor, providing patient capital, entrepreneurial know-how, and operational support throughout the lifecycle of its portfolio companies. ECONA's current portfolio of roughly 10 active companies spans DACH, US, and Southeast Asian markets, including Pets Deli (D2C pet food), Tierarzt Plus Partner (veterinary network), XbyX (menopause nutrition), PraxisEins (GP practice network), MeinAlarm24 (security systems), Audicus (D2C hearing aids), Armedangels (sustainable fashion), GetSafe (digital insurance), dahmakan (food-tech delivery), and the Sarah Wiener Group (food).

ECONA generates returns primarily through capital appreciation and exit events rather than recurring operational revenue. Over 25+ years, the firm has executed 25+ exits, including pre-IPO positions in Facebook (2008-2010), XING (2004-2006), and Zynga (2010-2011), and major trade sales to Mars Inc. (foodspring, amapur, 2019), Alibaba (Data Artisans, 2018), IBM (Aperto, 2016), Scout24 (Finanzcheck, 2018 – then the largest German fintech exit), RTL Group (SPARWELT, 2014), and Ströer Media Group (GIGA, 2014). The company does not disclose revenue, AUM, or fund size and operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees, with Managing Director Jochen Beutgen as the named executive.

Name

ECONA AG

Legal name

ECONA GmbH

Website

https://econa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ECONA AG is a Berlin-based private entrepreneurial holding company founded in 1999 that acquires, builds, and invests in D2C, fintech, healthcare, food, and media businesses across DACH, the US, and Southeast Asia, generating returns through long-term partnership and equity exits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital and Private Equity Investment

NAICS

Offices of Other Holding Companies (551112)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Owner & Executive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

ESG/Sustainable Investment Advisory (FSAEAAAJ)

Keywords

• Venture capital investment
• Entrepreneurial holding company
• Growth equity financing
• Private equity investment
• Company building services

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns and Exit Dividends: ECONA generates returns through capital appreciation and exit events from its portfolio companies. The company has achieved multiple successful exits including sales to Mars Inc. (foodspring, amapur), Alibaba (Data Artisans), IBM (Aperto), Scout24 (Finanzcheck), RTL Group (SPARWELT), Ströer Media Group (GIGA), and others. Returns are realized through equity sales rather than ongoing operational revenue.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

ECONA AG is a privately held, Berlin-based entrepreneurial holding company founded in 1999 that acquires, co-founds, and invests in promising companies across sectors such as fintech, health, food, e-commerce, and media. It provides patient growth capital, entrepreneurial expertise, and a long-term partnership approach throughout the lifecycle of its portfolio companies, realizing returns through capital appreciation and exits (trade sales and IPOs). It does not sell a unified product or software platform; instead, its offering is capital and company-building services delivered to founders and practice/business owners.

Product overview

ECONA AG is an entrepreneurial holding company that does not offer a unified product or platform. Instead, it operates as an investment vehicle that acquires, builds, and invests in promising companies with a long-term perspective. The company's portfolio comprises diverse businesses including D2C brands (Pets Deli, MeinAlarm24, Audicus, ARMEDANGELS), food-tech companies (dahmakan, Sarah Wiener Gruppe, Gragger Brot), healthcare networks (Tierarzt Plus Partner, PraxisEins), and wellness brands (XbyX – Women in Balance). ECONA provides capital, entrepreneurial experience, and long-term support to these portfolio companies, acting as a reliable partner at eye level rather than operating its own technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pets Deli Berlin-based direct-to-consumer pet food brand delivering high-quality dog and cat food to customers across the DACH region; also operates in specialty retail and a Berlin flagship store. ECONA is a portfolio investor since 2017.
• Tierarzt Plus Partner Fast-growing network of veterinary practices and clinics offering practice owners individual succession solutions and building regional veterinary care networks, owner-operated and independent of large investor chains. ECONA is a co-founder and capital partner.
• XbyX – Women in Balance Menopausal nutrition brand offering scientific, natural and holistic solutions for hormonal balance, menopause, and healthy aging targeted at women aged 40 and over. ECONA invested in 2022.
• PraxisEins Innovative practice network facilitating young physicians' entry into outpatient primary care, with software and process solutions supporting family doctor practices in process management, recruiting, and business management. ECONA is a founding investor.
• Gragger Brot Traditional wood-burning oven bakery producing bread using only flour, water, and salt, hand-baked on wood fire. ECONA is majority shareholder via the Sarah Wiener Group.
• MeinAlarm24 Germany's first direct-to-consumer provider of professionally installed electronic security systems, offering advisory, installation, and services for burglar alarms, fire alarm systems, and video surveillance. ECONA invested in 2018.
• Audicus New York City-based first D2C direct supplier of high-quality hearing aids in the United States. ECONA invested in 2017.
• ARMEDANGELS Sustainable alternative fashion label combining design and quality with environmental and fair-trade production, compliant with the highest organic industry standards. ECONA is an investor since 2014.
• GetSafe Digital insurance manager functioning as a fully digitized insurance broker, centralizing all personal insurance contracts in one interface and helping users discover savings potential and optimize coverage. ECONA is an investor since October 2015.
• dahmakan Food-tech company delivering healthy meals to offices and homes across Southeast Asia using proprietary routing technology. ECONA is an investor since 2017.
• Sarah Wiener Gruppe Food company focused on fresh, high-quality, seasonal and regional ingredients since 1990. ECONA has been majority owner since 2003.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 Mio EUR saved for Ampere AG customers on electricity and gas costs since 2008
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sarah Wiener GruppecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003ECONA acquired majority stake in Sarah Wiener GmbH in 2003 and has provided solid financial foundation for the company's long-term development. Sarah Wiener stands for good food from high-quality, seasonal, and regional ingredients since 1990.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Paua Ventures: Berlin-based early-stage venture investor supporting founders across consumer, fintech and digital health. Comparable regional focus and founder-first positioning.
• Heilemann Ventures: Berlin-based investment company building consumer and digital brands with an entrepreneurial, hands-on approach. Comparable generalist DACH holding/investment style.
• Cherry Ventures: Berlin-based early-stage venture firm that co-founds and leads seed rounds. Comparable on founder-first, hands-on early-stage investing in European tech.

Regional players

• Acton Capital Partners: DACH-region growth investor backing consumer-internet and digital business models. Compares on long-hold, entrepreneur-friendly growth investing across consumer verticals.
• Holtzbrinck Ventures: Munich-based early- and growth-stage investor active in DACH digital ecosystem. Comparable on regional, founder-friendly venture investing with German entrepreneurs.

Broad incumbents

• Tengelmann Ventures: Venture arm of the Tengelmann Group that invests in and builds consumer and tech companies with a long-term perspective. Comparable patient-capital and consumer-brand investing approach.
• Rocket Internet: Berlin-headquartered internet company builder and incubator. Compares to ECONA on founder-incubation model in Germany, though at much larger scale and focused on internet/tech rather than diversified sectors.

Direct peers

• Finleap: Berlin-based fintech company builder that founds and invests in financial-services ventures. Directly comparable on Berlin-based holding/investment model with operational involvement, though narrower fintech focus.
• Mountain Partners: Swiss-based entrepreneurial investment holding company that acquires, builds and finances companies across sectors with a long-term partnership approach. Closest analogue to ECONA's generalist holding/investment boutique model in the DACH region.
• HitFox Group: Berlin-based fintech company builder that founds and scales financial-services ventures. Directly comparable on Berlin-centric incubator/holding model with operational involvement across portfolio companies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A3 records

Investments40 records

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

Frequently asked questions about ECONA AG