Lakestar

Lakestar’s mission is to find, fund and grow disruptive businesses - enabled by technology - that are founded by exceptional entrepreneurs in Europe and beyond. Founded by Klaus Hommels, the team’s early investments include Skype, Spotify, Facebook and Airbnb. Since raising its first fund in 2013, Lakestar manages an aggregated volume of over €1.6bn across three early-stage funds and a growth fund. 

The team actively advises and supports portfolio companies in marketing, recruitment, technology, product development and regulatory insight, accompanying founders from seed to early stage to growth stage or exit. Lakestar currently has the privilege of holding investments in Revolut, Blockchain.com, Opendoor, Oscar, GetYourGuide, sennder, Eigen, Public.com, SoFi, Solarisbank, Uncapped, Yapily, Terra Quantum, accuRx, Rhino, ZEBEDEE and Hometogo to name a few. Lakestar has a presence in Berlin, Zurich and London.

Lakestar is a venture capital firm that was founded in 2013 by Klaus Hommels, a seasoned technology investor with a track record of successful investments in companies like Skype, Facebook, and Spotify. The firm is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, with additional offices in London and Berlin.

In 2013, Lakestar was founded by Klaus Hommels with the goal of investing in innovative technology startups in Europe and North America. In its early years, Lakestar focused on investing in consumer internet companies, with a particular emphasis on e-commerce and marketplaces.

In 2014, Lakestar raised its first fund, a €135 million fund that was used to make investments in a range of innovative startups. Over the years, Lakestar has made a number of high-profile investments, including in companies like Spotify, Skype, and Facebook.

In recent years, Lakestar has expanded its focus beyond consumer internet companies to include investments in enterprise software, healthcare, and fintech. In 2018, Lakestar raised a new €350 million fund, its largest fund to date, which it used to continue investing in innovative startups across Europe and North America.

Today, Lakestar is one of the leading venture capital firms in Europe, with a strong track record of investing in innovative startups that have the potential to transform industries and improve people's lives. The firm's focus on investing in both early-stage and growth-stage startups, as well as its commitment to supporting entrepreneurs throughout their journey, has helped it to build a strong reputation in the venture capital industry.

Through the combined efforts of Klaus Hommels, Christoph Schuh, and the rest of the Lakestar team, the firm has been able to help some of Europe's most promising startups achieve their full potential, while also making a positive impact on the world through its philanthropic activities.

The firm has a specific set of investment criteria that it uses to evaluate potential investments.

• Founding team: Lakestar places a strong emphasis on the founding team of a company. The firm looks for teams that have a strong track record of building successful companies or have relevant experience in the industry in which they are operating.
• Market potential: Lakestar looks for companies that are operating in large and growing markets. The firm believes that companies with a large addressable market have the potential to generate significant returns.
• Competitive advantage: Lakestar looks for companies that have a sustainable competitive advantage. This could be in the form of proprietary technology, a strong brand, or network effects.
• Business model: Lakestar looks for companies that have a clear and scalable business model. The firm prefers companies that generate recurring revenue or have a clear path to profitability.
• Growth potential: Lakestar looks for companies that have the potential to achieve significant growth. The firm is particularly interested in companies that are leveraging technology to disrupt traditional industries.
• Valuation: Lakestar looks for companies that are valued at a reasonable price. The firm believes that investing at the right valuation is crucial to generating strong returns.

Lakestar's investment criteria reflect the firm's focus on identifying promising technology companies that have the potential to disrupt traditional industries and generate significant returns for investors. By evaluating companies based on factors such as the founding team, market potential, competitive advantage, business model, growth potential, and valuation, Lakestar is able to identify the most promising opportunities and make informed investment decisions.

Lakestar has established itself as one of the most prominent players in the technology industry. The firm has a set of values that guide its investment philosophy and approach to business.

• Entrepreneurship: Lakestar values entrepreneurship and supports founders who have the vision and drive to build disruptive companies. The firm believes that entrepreneurs have the power to create positive change and transform industries.
• Collaboration: Lakestar believes in the power of collaboration and seeks to partner with entrepreneurs and other investors who share its vision and values. The firm works closely with its portfolio companies to help them achieve their goals and maximize their potential.
• Innovation: Lakestar is committed to innovation and invests in companies that are leveraging technology to disrupt traditional industries. The firm believes that innovation is key to driving economic growth and improving people's lives.
• Sustainability: Lakestar is committed to sustainability and invests in companies that are working to address the world's most pressing challenges, such as climate change and resource depletion. The firm believes that technology can play a crucial role in creating a more sustainable future.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Lakestar values diversity and inclusion and seeks to work with companies and founders from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives. The firm believes that a diverse team is more likely to generate innovative ideas and achieve long-term success.
• Integrity: Lakestar is committed to conducting business with integrity and honesty. The firm seeks to build strong, long-lasting relationships with its partners and stakeholders and to always act in the best interests of its investors and portfolio companies.

“It is our mission to find and fund visionary tech entrepreneurs, enabling the ideas and the companies capable of shaping global modern life.”

Lakestar's mission statement is based on the belief that entrepreneurship is the key to driving innovation and economic growth. The firm seeks to identify and partner with entrepreneurs who have the vision, drive, and passion to build companies that are changing the world for the better.

Lakestar's mission statement is also driven by the firm's commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. The firm believes that technology can play a crucial role in addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges, such as climate change and resource depletion. As such, Lakestar seeks to invest in companies that are working to create a more sustainable and equitable future.

Lakestar has invested in some of the most successful and innovative technology companies in the world. The firm's portfolio includes a diverse range of companies across a variety of industries, including software, e-commerce, fintech, and healthcare.

Lakestar has also invested in a number of other successful technology companies, including Spotify, Oscar Health, and Revolut. These companies are all leaders in their respective industries and have achieved significant growth and success since partnering with Lakestar. 

The firm has a diverse portfolio of investments in various industries, including but not limited to:

1. Alibaba: Online and e-commerce platform
2. Oscar Health: Healthcare technology and insurance provider
3. Revolut: Fintech company providing digital banking and payment services
4. Spotify: Music streaming platform
5. Sennder: Digital freight forwarder and logistics platform
6. Glovo: On-demand delivery platform for food and other products
7. Omio: Travel booking platform
8. FiveAI: Autonomous vehicle technology company
9. Sorare: Digital collectable soccer cards and fantasy sports platform
10. Blockchain.com: Cryptocurrency wallet and exchange platform
11. Lilium: Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer
12. UiPath: Robotic process automation (RPA) software company
13. Eigen Technologies: Natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) software for document analysis
14. DeepL: Artificial intelligence (AI) language translation software
15. Ledger: Cryptocurrency hardware wallet manufacturer.