Accelerator Dec 17, 2019

The current Investment News from Bavaria: Which companies are among the latest growth companies?

The clocks tick faster in the economy’s cosmos. Companies can get to the top of their industry through investments in no time at all. In recent months, some high-tech companies in Bavaria have also been able to convince new investors and are therefore on their way to the top as growth companies. In the Investment News from Bavaria we have summarised which investors have put money into which company and what sums they have invested. The companies and their products are also briefly highlighted.

Smartlane has developed transport optimization software that simplifies and improves logistics processes through artificial intelligence. For example, the best routes are calculated on the basis of various factors.   

Year of foundation: 2015 

Employees: 8 

How much money was invested: 
•    The exact amount is not known, it's a high figure in the single-digit millions

The biggest investors are:
•    Freigeist

Commercetools has created a platform for the organisation of digital distribution channels with the development of its cloud-based e-commerce solution. Companies have everything at a glance, for example the online shop, apps, language assistants and chat bots. 

Year of foundation: 2006

Employees: more than 190

How much money was invested:
•    EUR 130 million

The biggest investors are:
•    Rewe Digital
•    Insight Venture Partners 

Clinisserve convinced investors with its smart solutions, which make everyday life easier for nursing staff using a digital system. As a result, there should be more time left to care for patients and keep organisational and administrative costs as low as possible. 

Year of foundation: 2018

Employees: 10

How much money was invested: 
•    The amount of investments has not been disclosed. 

The biggest investors are:
•    Bayern Kapital
•    Plug and Play 
•    Business Angels: Martin Giese, Ingo Griebl, Markus Struppe

The Munich-based company IDnow has implemented modern identity verification applications that guarantee security and legal compliance. These include AutoIdent, VideoIdent and eSigning products. 

Year of foundation: 2014

Employees: 250

How much money was invested:
•    EUR 40 million

The biggest investors are:
•    Corsair Capital
•    Giesecke + Devrient Mobile Security 

Celonis is one of the “unicorns" from Germany. This means that the company is worth more than a billion dollars from the investors' point of view. The company, with head office in Munich and offices in New York as well as other locations in Great Britain and Japan, has invented a process mining software with which it is possible to collect and evaluate all data from business processes. Processes can be made more efficient as a result.  

Year of foundation: 2011

Employees: More than 750

How much money was invested: 
•    EUR 260 million

The biggest investors are: 
•    Accel 
•    83NORTH 
•    Arena Holdings
•    Ryan Smith, co-founder and CEO of Qaultrics
•    Tooey Courtemanche, founder and CEO of Procore

Celonis' success continues, as the company recently received the German Future Prize 2019 from the Federal President. This prize is endowed with a further EUR 250,000 and was presented by Frank-Walter Steinmeier.


The start-up company BEE appliance has its head office in Beilngries in the Munich area and specialises in so-called multicopters. These include drones, which can transport heavy goods, and volocopters, which will serve as air taxis in the future. 

Year of foundation: 2014 

Employees: The number is not known. 

How much money was invested:
•    EUR 300,000

The biggest investors are:
•    Biersack 


Other "made in Bavaria" successes 


The listed growth companies from Bavaria were able to impress new investors and therefore establish themselves more on the market in their sector. Nevertheless, not only companies who have received a large investment are worth mentioning in the Investments News. Other companies from Bavaria as well as companies with a location in Bavaria also have impressive records to show:

The company Lilium is dedicated to the construction of electric air taxis. In October it became known that the site in Weßling would be expanded in order to produce the Lilium Jet in series there from 2025. 


Google invests in the Munich location – jobs for 2,500 employees


Even a corporate giant like Google appreciates the location advantages in Bavaria. The existing premises in Munich provide jobs for 1,000 employees. The new building creates space for another 1,500 employees:


New 3D Campus in Upper Franconia: total investment over EUR 100 million


The GE Additive Concept Laser Campus in Lichtenfels marks the start of a new phase of additive manufacturing using 3D printing. Since September 2019, 3D metal printing machines have been developed and produced there that are used all over the world. The newly built campus accommodates around 400 employees.  

Bavaria, the home of start-ups


Our Investment News from Bavaria once again makes it clear that Bavaria provides more than one good reason to settle there with your own start-up. Numerous companies with their head offices or roots in Bavaria have developed into the right size on the market with the help of many national and international investors for years. And the investment news of recent months shows that the next companies are already in the starting blocks to revolutionise the world from Bavaria.