SquareOne

SquareOne is a venture capital fund managed by Paua Ventures, a Berlin-based firm established in 2010. The fund focuses on early-stage investments, targeting seed and Series A rounds primarily in European technology companies. SquareOne's investment strategy encompasses sectors such as Software-as-a-Service, B2B marketplaces, B2C mobile applications, mobile enterprise solutions, and e-commerce. The fund aims to invest in approximately 20 startups over a three-year period, with individual investments ranging from $0.25 million to $2.5 million. Paua Ventures acts as both lead and co-investor, leveraging its expertise to support entrepreneurs and bridge the gap between innovative startups and the corporate sector.

Charlotte Baumhauer

Investment Associate

Christian Buchenau

Partner

Christophe Defforey

Founder

Felix Plapperer

Venture Capital Investor

Moritz Poewe

Partner

Christian Thaler-Wolski

Partner

Federico Wengi

Partner

Past deals in Germany

Hygraph

Series B in 2023
Hygraph, formerly known as GraphCMS, is a company based in Gießen, Germany, that provides tools for developers and content creators to build and manage content APIs. Founded in 2017, Hygraph enables developers to create powerful content APIs quickly, facilitating seamless integration with websites, applications, and other platforms. The platform offers a comprehensive set of tools that empower content creators to efficiently manage their content, streamlining the content infrastructure necessary for digital products. By focusing on both development and content management needs, Hygraph serves agencies and enterprises looking to enhance their digital presence.

Otterspace

Seed Round in 2022
Otterspace is an NFT company that aims to use earned NFTs rather than purchased NFTs to reward and recognize participation in decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Its non-transferable badge protocol assists DAOs in developing more effective incentive systems, automating permissions, and enabling non-financialized governance.

Noscendo

Venture Round in 2022
Noscendo GmbH is a diagnostics company based in Duisburg, Germany, specializing in bioinformatics solutions for identifying and assessing pathogens associated with bloodstream infections. Their diagnostic procedures utilize Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, enabling intensive care clinicians to detect bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites present in patients' blood. Noscendo employs proprietary algorithms to evaluate the significance of each identified pathogen, thereby enhancing the accuracy and effectiveness of infection management in clinical settings.

Wandelbots

Series C in 2022
Wandelbots is a german startup that enables non-programmers to teach industrial robots faster and cheaper using smart clothing. Based on sensors attached to clothes, the Wandelbots software backend tracks human motion to live-control industrial robots. Operators can teach automation tasks by demonstration. The software backend builds a machine learning model based on several demonstrations and generates automation worklfows. They can be refined and optimized with the software tool. The generated processes are self-adaptive, so learned processes can automatically be used in dynamic environments. This adaptation includes automatic anomaly detection, process adaptation and MES-integration.

Hygraph

Series A in 2021
Hygraph, formerly known as GraphCMS, is a company based in Gießen, Germany, that provides tools for developers and content creators to build and manage content APIs. Founded in 2017, Hygraph enables developers to create powerful content APIs quickly, facilitating seamless integration with websites, applications, and other platforms. The platform offers a comprehensive set of tools that empower content creators to efficiently manage their content, streamlining the content infrastructure necessary for digital products. By focusing on both development and content management needs, Hygraph serves agencies and enterprises looking to enhance their digital presence.

xolo

Seed Round in 2021
Developer of a novel volumetric three-dimensional printing technology intended to enable the manufacturing of complex multi-component objects at high speed. The company's technology offers system control, object import, connectivity, transformations, slicer tools, print videos, material selectors, and low-level access, enabling manufacturing industries to generate three-dimensional objects with complex structural features as well as mechanical and optical functions.

Wandelbots

Series B in 2020
Wandelbots is a german startup that enables non-programmers to teach industrial robots faster and cheaper using smart clothing. Based on sensors attached to clothes, the Wandelbots software backend tracks human motion to live-control industrial robots. Operators can teach automation tasks by demonstration. The software backend builds a machine learning model based on several demonstrations and generates automation worklfows. They can be refined and optimized with the software tool. The generated processes are self-adaptive, so learned processes can automatically be used in dynamic environments. This adaptation includes automatic anomaly detection, process adaptation and MES-integration.

Hygraph

Seed Round in 2020
Hygraph, formerly known as GraphCMS, is a company based in Gießen, Germany, that provides tools for developers and content creators to build and manage content APIs. Founded in 2017, Hygraph enables developers to create powerful content APIs quickly, facilitating seamless integration with websites, applications, and other platforms. The platform offers a comprehensive set of tools that empower content creators to efficiently manage their content, streamlining the content infrastructure necessary for digital products. By focusing on both development and content management needs, Hygraph serves agencies and enterprises looking to enhance their digital presence.

Noscendo

Series A in 2020
Noscendo GmbH is a diagnostics company based in Duisburg, Germany, specializing in bioinformatics solutions for identifying and assessing pathogens associated with bloodstream infections. Their diagnostic procedures utilize Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, enabling intensive care clinicians to detect bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites present in patients' blood. Noscendo employs proprietary algorithms to evaluate the significance of each identified pathogen, thereby enhancing the accuracy and effectiveness of infection management in clinical settings.

Actyx

Venture Round in 2019
Actyx AG is a German software company based in Munich, founded in 2016. It specializes in developing software infrastructure for factories, focusing on a new manufacturing paradigm that integrates the Internet of Things, big-data analytics, and intelligent machines. The company's primary product is ActyxOS, a multi-device operating system designed for a serverless architecture that enables distributed applications to run seamlessly on various edge devices. Additionally, Actyx offers Actyx Pond, a TypeScript framework that facilitates the creation of distributed applications. The firm collaborates closely with manufacturers to address complex technical challenges and aims to foster smart, adaptive, sustainable, and efficient manufacturing processes.

Phase

Seed Round in 2019
Phase is a developer of a web design platform that focuses on creating and animating micro-interactions. The platform provides a visual and intuitive digital design tool that allows designers to prototype applications and websites using live data. It facilitates the importation of various design assets, enabling the creation of user interface animations. Additionally, Phase's platform supports multiple formats for sharing designs with developers, streamlining the collaboration process in digital design projects.

Wandelbots

Series A in 2018
Wandelbots is a german startup that enables non-programmers to teach industrial robots faster and cheaper using smart clothing. Based on sensors attached to clothes, the Wandelbots software backend tracks human motion to live-control industrial robots. Operators can teach automation tasks by demonstration. The software backend builds a machine learning model based on several demonstrations and generates automation worklfows. They can be refined and optimized with the software tool. The generated processes are self-adaptive, so learned processes can automatically be used in dynamic environments. This adaptation includes automatic anomaly detection, process adaptation and MES-integration.

Codasip

Series A in 2018
Codasip Ltd. is a technology company based in Brno, Czech Republic, specializing in application-specific instruction set processors (ASIPs) and electronic design automation (EDA) tools. Founded in 2006 as a spinout from the Brno University of Technology, Codasip has established itself as a pioneer in RISC-V processor IP, being the first vendor to offer tools for automatically tailored RISC-V processors. Its silicon-proven Studio™ tool suite allows Internet of Things (IoT) developers to create optimized RISC-V processors tailored to specific software applications. The company serves a diverse clientele, including notable firms such as AMD, Mobileye, and AVG, and has formed strategic partnerships with various technology organizations. Codasip's innovative solutions enhance processor automation and production efficiency, supporting the development of advanced devices for the IoT ecosystem.

wellabe

Seed Round in 2018
Wellabe is a cloud-based and patient-centered prevention platform. Wellabe enables agile integration of state of-the-art medical sensors in a lab setting for on-site screenings. Participants run through the screening before and after a preventive lifestyle intervention. The re-screenings measure the impact individuals have on their own biomarkers with lifestyle changes. All assessed datasets are stored and interpreted in a cloud platform and can be assessed and enriched by patients with their smartphones. The data is presented to give the participants a comprehensive understanding about their health and keep them motivated. wellabe partners with caregivers, nutrition and sports providers that can help participants to change their markers within a defined timespan. wellabe aims to match the patients’ profiles with the most effective intervention.

Hygraph

Seed Round in 2018
Hygraph, formerly known as GraphCMS, is a company based in Gießen, Germany, that provides tools for developers and content creators to build and manage content APIs. Founded in 2017, Hygraph enables developers to create powerful content APIs quickly, facilitating seamless integration with websites, applications, and other platforms. The platform offers a comprehensive set of tools that empower content creators to efficiently manage their content, streamlining the content infrastructure necessary for digital products. By focusing on both development and content management needs, Hygraph serves agencies and enterprises looking to enhance their digital presence.

Silexica

Series B in 2018
Silexica provides software development tools reducing time-to-market of innovative software IP and intelligent products. Enabled by deep software analysis, heterogeneous hardware awareness and quick design space exploration, the SLX programming tools accelerate the journey from software to application-specific hardware systems, democratizing accelerated computing. Founded in 2014, Silexica is headquartered in Germany with offices in the US, Japan, and Pakistan. It serves innovative companies in the automotive, robotics, wireless communications, aerospace, and financial industries and has received $28M in funding from international investors.

Phase

Seed Round in 2018
Phase is a developer of a web design platform that focuses on creating and animating micro-interactions. The platform provides a visual and intuitive digital design tool that allows designers to prototype applications and websites using live data. It facilitates the importation of various design assets, enabling the creation of user interface animations. Additionally, Phase's platform supports multiple formats for sharing designs with developers, streamlining the collaboration process in digital design projects.

AskBy.ai

Seed Round in 2018
AskBy GmbH provides data analytics with the help of Artificial driven technology. They provide sequence to sequence training, and translation from natural language to formal language such as SQL, API calls or other query languages. It is based in Berlin, Germany.

Relimetrics

Seed Round in 2018
Relimetrics, Inc. specializes in imaging solutions aimed at enhancing materials reliability across various sectors. The company provides third-party supplier analysis for aerospace, mechanical design optimization, and parts testing for the automotive industry, as well as structural monitoring and failure prediction for the civil and construction sectors. In the medical surgical field, Relimetrics offers solutions for cancer detection and monitoring wound healing, while in life sciences, it focuses on product efficacy testing and reducing clinical trial durations. Additionally, the company delivers technical consulting services, including analysis and software development across engineering and consumer care sectors. Relimetrics utilizes advanced computer vision and machine learning to automate visual inspections and process controls, enabling businesses to identify mechanical faults and improve product reliability. Founded in 2013, the company is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, with additional operations in Berlin, Germany.

RiseML

Seed Round in 2017
RiseML GmbH, founded in September 2016 and based in Berlin, Germany, offers a machine learning platform designed to streamline the execution of deep learning experiments on both bare metal and cloud GPU clusters. The company's software provides a unified interface that simplifies the management of deep learning infrastructure, allowing teams to efficiently scale their operations. Its command-line interface enables users to prepare, run, and monitor experiments directly from their workstations, supporting all major machine and deep learning frameworks. This capability allows users to track progress, analyze results, and deploy machine learning technologies seamlessly across various devices.

Actyx

Seed Round in 2017
Actyx AG is a German software company based in Munich, founded in 2016. It specializes in developing software infrastructure for factories, focusing on a new manufacturing paradigm that integrates the Internet of Things, big-data analytics, and intelligent machines. The company's primary product is ActyxOS, a multi-device operating system designed for a serverless architecture that enables distributed applications to run seamlessly on various edge devices. Additionally, Actyx offers Actyx Pond, a TypeScript framework that facilitates the creation of distributed applications. The firm collaborates closely with manufacturers to address complex technical challenges and aims to foster smart, adaptive, sustainable, and efficient manufacturing processes.

Silexica

Series A in 2016
Silexica provides software development tools reducing time-to-market of innovative software IP and intelligent products. Enabled by deep software analysis, heterogeneous hardware awareness and quick design space exploration, the SLX programming tools accelerate the journey from software to application-specific hardware systems, democratizing accelerated computing. Founded in 2014, Silexica is headquartered in Germany with offices in the US, Japan, and Pakistan. It serves innovative companies in the automotive, robotics, wireless communications, aerospace, and financial industries and has received $28M in funding from international investors.

Homeday

Series A in 2016
Homeday is a real estate company. It provides a platform for data-driven pairing in the real estate industry. Its platform helps real estate agents to pair with private property owners to sell their property. The Company offers a platform for property owners to find brokers, as well as provides real estate appraisal, land valuation, and leasing services. Homeday was founded by Steffen Wicker and Dmitri Uvarovski in 2014.

Shore

Venture Round in 2015
Shore is a leading provider of web-based business solutions tailored for local service providers. Established in 2012, the company offers a comprehensive suite of digital communication and productivity tools, including online booking systems, a professional customer relationship management (CRM) platform, and marketing tools designed to enhance customer engagement. Shore also provides an iPad-based cash management system, all of which require no technical expertise to operate. By offering these accessible and cost-effective solutions, Shore empowers local service providers to improve their operations and elevate their online presence. The company serves clients across ten European countries and expanded its reach to the United States with the opening of its Los Angeles office in 2015.

Shore

Series B in 2015
Shore is a leading provider of web-based business solutions tailored for local service providers. Established in 2012, the company offers a comprehensive suite of digital communication and productivity tools, including online booking systems, a professional customer relationship management (CRM) platform, and marketing tools designed to enhance customer engagement. Shore also provides an iPad-based cash management system, all of which require no technical expertise to operate. By offering these accessible and cost-effective solutions, Shore empowers local service providers to improve their operations and elevate their online presence. The company serves clients across ten European countries and expanded its reach to the United States with the opening of its Los Angeles office in 2015.

KIWI

Series A in 2015
KIWI is the keyless entry system for house and apartment doors of apartment buildings. Access can be centrally managed online in real time via the KIWI Portal. Property managers are spared unnecessary trips. There is also no need to worry about having the right key in the right place at the right time. Over 110,000 residential units are connected to the KIWI infrastructure and more than 600 housing companies are KIWI customers. KIWI doors are already opened over 500,000 times a month with KIWI. KIWI is a service of KIWI.KI GmbH. The Berlin-based company was founded in February 2012. It is managed by Karsten Nölling, CEO, and Hannah Nöthig. More information on www.kiwi.ki.

Lesara

Series A in 2014
Lesara is an e-commerce platform specializing in non-branded consumer products, particularly fashion merchandise, offering competitive prices. Established in 2013, the company has expanded its operations to 24 markets across Europe, supporting seven languages and boasting a product assortment of over 100,000 SKUs. With offices in China and Germany, Lesara operates a vertically integrated supply chain that enables it to bring collections from concept to market in just two weeks. The company has experienced significant growth, recognized as one of the fastest-growing tech companies in Europe in 2016, and employs a team of over 300 individuals dedicated to its agile retail model.

Shore

Series A in 2014
Shore is a leading provider of web-based business solutions tailored for local service providers. Established in 2012, the company offers a comprehensive suite of digital communication and productivity tools, including online booking systems, a professional customer relationship management (CRM) platform, and marketing tools designed to enhance customer engagement. Shore also provides an iPad-based cash management system, all of which require no technical expertise to operate. By offering these accessible and cost-effective solutions, Shore empowers local service providers to improve their operations and elevate their online presence. The company serves clients across ten European countries and expanded its reach to the United States with the opening of its Los Angeles office in 2015.

Mbrace

Seed Round in 2014
Mbrace Labs GmbH, founded in 2013 and based in Berlin, Germany, offers an innovative mobile network application designed to help users discover new connections in their vicinity. The application, known as mbrace, enables individuals to find relevant people nearby for shared activities, friendships, or dating. By utilizing public data, mbrace constructs user profiles and individual graphs to recommend potential connections based on location, time, and context. This focus on enhancing social interactions through technology positions Mbrace Labs as a unique player in the mobile networking landscape.

Amorelie

Seed Round in 2014
Amorelie is an e-commerce retailer specializing in sensual lifestyle products. The company offers a diverse selection of items, including sex toys such as vibrators and dildos, as well as lingerie, corsages, cosmetic products, books, and massage oils. By providing a wide range of intimate products, Amorelie aims to enhance customers' love lives while maintaining affordability. The platform is designed to cater to various preferences and needs, creating an accessible shopping experience for individuals seeking to explore and improve their intimate relationships.

Lesara

Seed Round in 2013
Lesara is an e-commerce platform specializing in non-branded consumer products, particularly fashion merchandise, offering competitive prices. Established in 2013, the company has expanded its operations to 24 markets across Europe, supporting seven languages and boasting a product assortment of over 100,000 SKUs. With offices in China and Germany, Lesara operates a vertically integrated supply chain that enables it to bring collections from concept to market in just two weeks. The company has experienced significant growth, recognized as one of the fastest-growing tech companies in Europe in 2016, and employs a team of over 300 individuals dedicated to its agile retail model.

KIWI

Convertible Note in 2013
KIWI is the keyless entry system for house and apartment doors of apartment buildings. Access can be centrally managed online in real time via the KIWI Portal. Property managers are spared unnecessary trips. There is also no need to worry about having the right key in the right place at the right time. Over 110,000 residential units are connected to the KIWI infrastructure and more than 600 housing companies are KIWI customers. KIWI doors are already opened over 500,000 times a month with KIWI. KIWI is a service of KIWI.KI GmbH. The Berlin-based company was founded in February 2012. It is managed by Karsten Nölling, CEO, and Hannah Nöthig. More information on www.kiwi.ki.

NAVINUM

Seed Round in 2013
NAVINUM provides e-commerce services of sell wine and beverages. They lead to the best wines by combining the offers of their shop partners with editorial recommendations and soon the personal taste profile of their users.

Shore

Seed Round in 2012
Shore is a leading provider of web-based business solutions tailored for local service providers. Established in 2012, the company offers a comprehensive suite of digital communication and productivity tools, including online booking systems, a professional customer relationship management (CRM) platform, and marketing tools designed to enhance customer engagement. Shore also provides an iPad-based cash management system, all of which require no technical expertise to operate. By offering these accessible and cost-effective solutions, Shore empowers local service providers to improve their operations and elevate their online presence. The company serves clients across ten European countries and expanded its reach to the United States with the opening of its Los Angeles office in 2015.

JustBook

Seed Round in 2012
JustBook is a hotel shopping club.

Debitos

Series A in 2012
Debitos GmbH, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, operates an online marketplace that facilitates the trading of illiquid credit exposures, including both real estate-secured and unsecured non-performing loans. The platform allows banks and corporations to sell claims individually or as part of a portfolio through an auction-based system, promoting competition among over 290 institutional investors who place bids. This process enhances transaction prices and transparency for sellers. Since its launch in January 2012, Debitos has enabled more than 1.3 million corporates to trade various financial claims, resulting in a total transaction volume exceeding 1 billion Euros. The platform is accessible at www.debitos.de, and the company is managed by partners Hajo Engelke and Timur Peters.

Flaconi

Venture Round in 2012
Flaconi GmbH is an online retailer based in Berlin, Germany, specializing in perfumes, cosmetics, and beauty products. Founded in 2011, the company provides a diverse selection of items through its e-commerce platform, catering to the needs of beauty enthusiasts. With a focus on convenience and variety, Flaconi aims to enhance the shopping experience for customers seeking quality beauty products.

JustBook

Seed Round in 2012
JustBook is a hotel shopping club.

Flip4New

Seed Round in 2010
FLIP4NEW is an e-commerce service where customers can exchange their used and unwanted electronic gadgets into new gadgets, vouchers and cash. FLIP4NEW strives to improve the way consumers buy and sell gadgets and offers an entirely new shopping experience. It is focussed on the fast and seamless monetization of customers' gadgets. With a few clicks customers can calculate the trade-in value of their used gadgets and then have multiple possibilities to trade their value for new gadgets, vouchers or cash. Customers save a lot of money as only the differential amount between the price of the new gadget and the trade-in value of the used gadget is charged. On top they save a lot of time, as buying/selling is handled in one seamless transaction.

CaptchaAd

Seed Round in 2010
CaptchaAd GmbH specializes in interactive video advertising solutions that aim to replace traditional captchas, typically used for spam protection. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Bonn, Germany, the company also has offices in San Francisco and London. CaptchaAd's services connect advertisers and publishers with consumers through various online platforms, including websites, blogs, and mobile applications. By integrating video content with interactive questions about the clip, CaptchaAd ensures that viewers engage with the advertisements, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and allowing clients to reach a wider audience.