Inkitt GmbH operates an online community that connects writers and readers, facilitating the sharing and promotion of stories across various genres, including horror, romance, and sci-fi. Founded in 2013 and based in Berlin, the company publishes books using crowd wisdom and data-driven insights to predict future bestsellers. Its core platform, Inkitt, allows authors to share their works in progress and receive feedback from readers, who can access these manuscripts for free for a limited time. In addition to Inkitt, the company also operates Galatea, which sells optimized stories in a chapter-by-chapter format, and GalateaTV, which adapts successful e-books into short-form television series. Inkitt's proprietary ReadRank algorithm identifies high-potential stories, enhancing the overall user experience and driving its publishing success. The company aims to leverage AI for hyper-personalization, tailoring stories to individual reader preferences across multiple media formats.
Wunderflats
Series C in 2021
Wunderflats GmbH is a Berlin-based company that operates an online platform for renting furnished apartments in major German cities, including Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Cologne. Founded in 2014, the platform connects tenants, landlords, and businesses, facilitating a seamless rental experience. It offers a diverse range of housing options, such as family homes, business apartments, and student accommodations, making it easier for clients to find suitable living arrangements. By streamlining the rental process, Wunderflats aims to enhance the convenience of finding and renting furnished apartments in Germany.
Fyppit
Pre Seed Round in 2021
Fyppit is an online marketplace designed to facilitate local shopping by allowing customers to purchase products from nearby shops and receive them the same evening through e-cargo bike deliveries. The platform aims to empower local businesses by providing them with essential services such as product listing, marketing, customer support, and logistics, enabling them to offer same-day delivery without the need for in-house infrastructure. Currently piloting in three districts of Berlin, Fyppit has over 40 active selling shops and is committed to creating a more balanced e-commerce environment that emphasizes fair commissions, equitable wages, and eco-sustainability. The company is backed by an experienced founding team with backgrounds in notable startups and aims to enhance the convenience of online shopping while supporting local economies.
Goggo Network
Series A in 2019
Goggo Network is a Berlin-based company focused on developing autonomous driverless cars and creating autonomous mobility networks. The company aims to address contemporary transportation challenges, such as heavy traffic and pollution, by providing autonomous, electric, and shared mobility solutions. Goggo Network also works on establishing the legal and engineering frameworks necessary for the European autonomous mobility industry, facilitating the integration of these technologies into existing infrastructures. Through its initiatives, Goggo Network seeks to lead the shift towards driverless transportation, fostering a more efficient and sustainable mobility ecosystem for all.
Anzu.io, Inc. is an advertising technology company that specializes in integrating brand advertisements into digital gaming environments, including mobile, PC, console, and the metaverse. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Tel Aviv, with an office in Berlin, Anzu provides a non-disruptive in-game advertising solution that enhances player experience while enabling advertisers to connect with their target audiences programmatically. The company utilizes a patented 3D ad tracking engine to measure ad viewability in games, ensuring compliance with industry standards. Anzu's platform supports various game engines and offers developers a full-suite ad monetization solution that allows for seamless ad placements, thereby generating consistent revenue. The company has garnered support from prominent investors such as Sony Innovation Fund, NBCUniversal, and PayPal Ventures, as it strives to improve the advertising landscape for brands, developers, and gamers alike.
Wunderflats
Series B in 2019
Wunderflats GmbH is a Berlin-based company that operates an online platform for renting furnished apartments in major German cities, including Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Cologne. Founded in 2014, the platform connects tenants, landlords, and businesses, facilitating a seamless rental experience. It offers a diverse range of housing options, such as family homes, business apartments, and student accommodations, making it easier for clients to find suitable living arrangements. By streamlining the rental process, Wunderflats aims to enhance the convenience of finding and renting furnished apartments in Germany.
CeleraOne
Acquisition in 2019
CeleraOne GmbH, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, specializes in real-time data processing and analytics through its innovative platform. The company provides solutions primarily for paid content technology, catering to numerous publishers in Germany and Switzerland. CeleraOne focuses on managing large volumes of user data and audience development, enabling its clients to optimize their content offerings and engage effectively with their audiences. As of March 2019, it operates as a subsidiary of Axel Springer SE.
Lamudi
Corporate Round in 2018
Lamudi, established in 2013 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, is a global online real estate platform focusing on emerging markets. It operates an online portal that facilitates property search, rental, and sales, connecting users with local agents for comprehensive insights. Lamudi's platform is available in multiple countries across Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, serving as a secure and user-friendly hub for buyers, sellers, landlords, and renters. It also provides news, guides, and simulations to assist clients with property-related matters.
Vermietet.de
Venture Round in 2018
Vermietet.de is a Berlin-based company founded by a group of entrepreneurs and investors with the aim of simplifying real estate ownership. Recognizing the complexities involved in property management, the company has developed a property management platform designed to facilitate secure and efficient management for property owners. This platform assists landlords with various administrative tasks, including document creation, property maintenance, tenant search, and communication. By enabling transparent property valuation, utility cost calculation, and efficient monthly rental payment checks, Vermietet.de seeks to enhance the experience of property ownership and management.
Caroobi GmbH, established in 2015 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, operates as an integrated marketplace for automotive aftersales services. The company specializes in streamlining the repair experience for customers by offering a wide range of car repair services and replacement parts through its network of workshops. These services include transmission repair, engine and cylinder head gasket replacement, motor services, inspection and quality checks, gear repair, turbocharger and coupling changes, timing belt and chain replacement, and car wrapping. Caroobi also provides auto parts such as engine exchange parts, transmission replacement parts, and turbocharger exchange parts. The company's platform enables users to book these services at transparent and fixed prices, aiming to revolutionize the automotive aftersales industry across Europe and beyond. As of June 15, 2020, Caroobi operates as a subsidiary of Deutsches Werkstattnetz GmbH.
Vermietet.de
Venture Round in 2017
Vermietet.de is a Berlin-based company founded by a group of entrepreneurs and investors with the aim of simplifying real estate ownership. Recognizing the complexities involved in property management, the company has developed a property management platform designed to facilitate secure and efficient management for property owners. This platform assists landlords with various administrative tasks, including document creation, property maintenance, tenant search, and communication. By enabling transparent property valuation, utility cost calculation, and efficient monthly rental payment checks, Vermietet.de seeks to enhance the experience of property ownership and management.
Clark is a Berlin-based insurance platform founded in June 2015 by Dr. Christopher Oster and Steffen Glomb. The company aims to simplify and enhance the insurance experience by providing transparent and affordable coverage options. Through its digital platform, available via iOS and Android applications as well as a website, Clark allows users to assess their insurance status and identifies opportunities for optimization by comparing tariffs from various insurance providers. By leveraging technology alongside insurance expertise, Clark offers customer-centric advice, enabling users to manage their insurance needs efficiently and cost-effectively. The company is supported by the FinTech incubator FinLeap and the Institute for Transparency, further enhancing its commitment to promoting clarity and fairness in the insurance industry.
Wunderflats
Seed Round in 2016
Wunderflats GmbH is a Berlin-based company that operates an online platform for renting furnished apartments in major German cities, including Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Cologne. Founded in 2014, the platform connects tenants, landlords, and businesses, facilitating a seamless rental experience. It offers a diverse range of housing options, such as family homes, business apartments, and student accommodations, making it easier for clients to find suitable living arrangements. By streamlining the rental process, Wunderflats aims to enhance the convenience of finding and renting furnished apartments in Germany.
Wunderflats
Seed Round in 2015
Wunderflats GmbH is a Berlin-based company that operates an online platform for renting furnished apartments in major German cities, including Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Cologne. Founded in 2014, the platform connects tenants, landlords, and businesses, facilitating a seamless rental experience. It offers a diverse range of housing options, such as family homes, business apartments, and student accommodations, making it easier for clients to find suitable living arrangements. By streamlining the rental process, Wunderflats aims to enhance the convenience of finding and renting furnished apartments in Germany.
Vicomi is a visual comment platform that enables publishers to measure user sentiment by allowing viewers to tag emotions in their comments. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Israel, with additional offices in San Francisco, New York, and Berlin, the platform enhances online engagement by providing tools that help publishers understand how their audience feels about their content. Vicomi's technology facilitates the analysis of user emotions, enabling publishers to optimize their content and improve advertising monetization. Its dashboard allows users to monitor comments effectively, while a recommendations widget promotes higher content circulation, increasing website traffic, retention, and overall web engagement.
Vertical Media
Acquisition in 2014
Vertical Media is a Berlin-based digital marketing agency that specializes in web design, social media, and marketing solutions. The agency focuses on helping businesses enhance their online presence and streamline their operations using modern web marketing strategies. Additionally, Vertical Media publishes online magazines aimed at digital entrepreneurs and companies, providing valuable insights and resources for the digital economy.
Grunderszene
Acquisition in 2014
Gruenderszene is the German-speaking online magazine for the digital industry in Germany. Vertical Media is the publishing house behind the magazine which is based in Berlin. It started as a privat blog-project of the German serial-entrepreneur [Lukasz Gadowski](https://www.crunchbase.com/person/lukasz-gadowski). Gruenderszene has become a major player in the online coverage of the startup industry in Germany,it delivers news and articles about the German internet, web and tech scene. Gruenderszene is also an organizer of industry events, such as e.g. the "Spätschicht" event in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich. The English version of Gründerszene is called VentureVillage.eu. The company was acquired by [Axel Springer](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/axel-springer) in June 2014.
StepStone
Acquisition in 2009
StepStone is a prominent recruitment platform based in Berlin, founded in 1996 by Walter de Brouwer. The company focuses on connecting job seekers with employers through its innovative AI-powered hiring platform. StepStone offers digital recruiting services that facilitate the discovery of suitable candidates for small and medium-sized businesses. Candidates can create personalized profiles detailing their preferences and qualifications, which are then shared with recruiters. In addition to connecting applicants and employers, StepStone provides recruiters with tools for job advertising, candidate searches, and recruitment campaigns, aiming to streamline the hiring process and enhance talent acquisition.
idealo
Acquisition in 2006
Idealo Internet GmbH, founded in 2000 and based in Berlin, Germany, operates as a prominent online price comparison service. The platform enables users to compare prices across a wide array of products, including electronics, toys, and travel services. Attracting around 7 million unique visitors each month, Idealo has expanded its offerings to include dedicated travel sites such as flug.idealo and hotel.idealo. The company, which has grown significantly since its inception, employs over 600 individuals and was acquired by Axel Springer SE in 2006. Idealo continues to enhance its services and market presence, establishing itself as a key player in the price comparison sector.
Berliner Morgenpost
Acquisition in 1959
Berliner Morgenpost is a German daily newspaper established in 1898 by Leopold Ullstein, known for its significant role in the media landscape of Berlin. The publication has a strong digital presence and operates as a digital publishing company. In 1959, Berliner Morgenpost was acquired by Axel Springer, a major European media conglomerate. The newspaper provides a range of news coverage, including local, national, and international topics, catering to a diverse readership. With its long history and adaptation to the digital age, Berliner Morgenpost continues to be a prominent source of news in Germany.