8 Berlin angel investors and networks back early-stage startups in 2026. HTGF is Germany's most active government seed fund with up to €1M per company. APX backs founders at pre-product stage. Klaus Hommels and Verena Pausder are Berlin's most prominent individual angel investors.
Berlin's angel ecosystem is organized around HTGF, APX, and Atlantic Labs. These three programs process more pre-seed applications than any other German city.
HTGF has backed 700+ German startups since 2005 - the deepest government seed track record. A HTGF investment is a credibility signal that institutional VCs in Berlin use as a quality filter.
Berlin's super angel community includes founders from Zalando, Delivery Hero, and N26. Warm intros from these operators close angel rounds faster than any cold outreach strategy.
This guide covers 8 active angel investors and networks in Berlin writing cheques in 2026.
| Type | Check size | Sector focus | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTGF | Government seed fund | Up to €1M | All tech sectors, Germany-based | htgf.de |
| APX | Pre-seed / angel | $50K-$200K | All sectors, pre-product to MVP | apx.ac |
| Atlantic Labs | Angel / seed fund | $100K-$1M | Tech, marketplace, B2B, consumer | atlanticlabs.de |
| Freigeist Capital | Angel / seed fund | $100K-$2M | Deep tech, B2B, consumer tech | freigeist.vc |
| Klaus Hommels | Individual angel | $100K-$2M | Consumer internet, B2B SaaS, marketplace | Lakestar founder |
| Verena Pausder | Individual angel | $50K-$500K | EdTech, consumer, impact, future of work | Berlin angel, educator |
| Heureka.vc | Angel fund | $100K-$1M | B2B SaaS, marketplace, consumer tech | heureka.vc |
| Berlin Founders Fund | Angel network | $50K-$500K | All tech sectors, alumni network | berlinfounders.fund |
Track your Berlin angel investor pipeline
Ellty shows which investors opened your pitch and how long they spent. Follow up while they're reviewing.
Start free 14-day trialWhat Berlin angel investors look for
Berlin angels back founders before product-market fit, often at the idea stage. A strong founding team and a clear pain point closes Berlin angel rounds in 3-4 weeks.
HTGF eligibility is the first question most Berlin angels ask founders. HTGF co-investment up to €1M turns a €150K angel round into a €350K raise automatically.
Track your Berlin angel outreach with a startup data room that logs every investor open and document view. Berlin angels share decks within their networks - know who forwarded yours before following up.
German founding team credentials - TU Berlin alumni, ex-Zalando engineer - close angels faster. Berlin angels back founders who know their market from the inside.
Berlin angel rounds close on founder quality and market insight. The founders who succeed here know their customer better than anyone - not from research, but from having been that customer.
8 Berlin angel investors
1. HTGF - High-Tech Gründerfonds
Germany's most active seed and angel co-investor with 700+ portfolio companies.
Recent Deals: Seed and co-investment 2025-2026; 700+ portfolio; Germany's largest seed fund by deal count
LinkedIn: HTGF - High-Tech Gründerfonds LinkedIn
Sector Focus: All sectors, deep tech, DACH
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Location: Bonn, Germany
Website: htgf.de
2. APX
Axel Springer and Porsche-backed seed accelerator with media and automotive corporate network.
Recent Deals: Seed accelerator investments 2025; Axel Springer and Porsche network; Berlin corporate distribution
LinkedIn: APX LinkedIn
Sector Focus: All sectors, media-tech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Location: Berlin, Germany
Website: apx.ac
3. Atlantic Labs
Berlin family-office angel with deep media-tech and marketplace network.
Recent Deals: Angel and seed investments 2025; Berlin media-tech and marketplace network; family-office mandate
LinkedIn: Atlantic Labs LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Media-tech, marketplace, B2B
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Location: Berlin, Germany
Website: atlantic-labs.com
4. Freigeist Capital
Frank Thelen's angel fund for deep tech with hardware and AI manufacturing focus.
Recent Deals: Deep tech and hardware angel investments 2025; Frank Thelen network; AI manufacturing focus
LinkedIn: Freigeist Capital LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Deep tech, hardware, AI
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Location: Bonn, Germany
Website: freigeist.vc
5. Klaus Hommels
Lakestar founder and Berlin's most connected angel with Spotify and Skype track record.
Recent Deals: Angel investments 2025; Spotify and Skype early investor; Berlin tech network actively maintained
LinkedIn: Klaus Hommels LinkedIn
Sector Focus: All sectors, consumer, B2B
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Website: lakestar.com
6. Verena Pausder
Berlin angel investor and startup advocate with Deutsches Startup Monitor network.
Recent Deals: Angel investments 2025; Berlin startup ecosystem advocate; Deutsches Startup Monitor connections
LinkedIn: Verena Pausder LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, edtech, social impact
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Location: Berlin, Germany
Website: verenapausder.de
Track who's reading your Berlin angel pitch
Ellty shows you which angels opened your deck and how long they spent on each slide.
Start free 14-day trial7. Heureka.vc
Berlin angel and seed network with active founder community and HTGF co-investment.
Recent Deals: Angel and seed investments 2025; Berlin founder community; HTGF co-investment connections active
LinkedIn: Heureka.vc LinkedIn
Sector Focus: All sectors, B2B SaaS
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Location: Berlin, Germany
Website: heureka.vc
8. Berlin Founders Fund
Founder community-backed angel fund with 50+ Berlin unicorn founder LPs.
Recent Deals: Founder LP angel investments 2025; 50+ Berlin unicorn founder network; warm intro to portfolio
LinkedIn: Berlin Founders Fund LinkedIn
Sector Focus: All sectors, B2B, consumer
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Location: Berlin, Germany
Website: berlinfounders.fund
Berlin angel vs HTGF co-investment
HTGF co-invests alongside private angels at 1:1 match up to €1M per company. An angel round of €150K with HTGF becomes a €300K+ raise automatically.
HTGF eligibility requires: German entity, tech-based model, and lead private investor. Structure your angel round to trigger HTGF co-investment from day one.
Track your HTGF application timeline and angel conversations with secure file sharing tools that manage both pipelines. Berlin angels who know you're HTGF-eligible move faster on term sheet decisions.
HTGF takes up to 15% equity with standard convertible note terms. This is the best-value institutional money available for Berlin pre-seed founders in 2026.
Berlin angel due diligence
Berlin angels check founder background, HTGF eligibility, and market size. The whole process takes 1-3 weeks versus 6-10 weeks for Berlin institutional VCs.
German GmbH formation costs €1K-€3K and takes 2-4 weeks. Form your German entity before angel outreach - most Berlin angels won't sign before legal entity exists.
Share your pre-seed materials through an investor portal that tracks who reviewed your executive summary. Berlin angels often share decks peer-to-peer - know who's seen yours before following up.
SAFE and convertible note structures close Berlin angels 3x faster than priced rounds. Use a standard SAFE with cap and discount - avoid non-standard terms that trigger legal questions.
Berlin angel networks vs direct outreach
APX and Atlantic Labs organize pitch sessions that bring 5-10 investors to one meeting. Network-organized pitches accelerate first meetings by 4-6 weeks versus direct outreach.
Direct angel outreach works only via warm intro from a Berlin founder or VC portfolio company. Cold LinkedIn outreach to Berlin angel investors closes at under 2% response rate.
Review the due diligence process guide before your first Berlin angel meeting. German angels ask harder technical and market questions than UK or US equivalents.
Berlin angel-to-VC bridge is well established. HTGF alumni often get Cherry or Atlantic follow-on. A strong HTGF round often brings a Berlin seed VC term sheet within 9 months.
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How to pitch a Berlin angel investor
Lead with founder background and HTGF eligibility. Market size and product come second.
- 1.Form a German GmbH before angel outreachMost Berlin angels won't term sheet without a German entity.
- 2.Check HTGF eligibility before your first meetingHTGF doubles your raise. Know your status before pitching.
- 3.Apply to APX or Atlantic Labs for organized pitch accessOrganized networks close faster than direct cold outreach.
- 4.Send deck via Ellty and track every angel openKnow when angels review your pitch. Follow up the same day.
- 5.Follow up once after 5 business daysBerlin angels decide fast. One clear follow-up is right.
How Ellty helps you land a Berlin angel investor
Ellty is a data room for angel fundraising. Track who opened your pitch and when.
- 1.Organise your angel fundraising documentsAdd deck and executive summary. Set access per investor.
- 2.Share trackable links with Berlin angelsSend each angel a unique link. Ellty logs every open.
- 3.Follow up when angels review your pitchSee which angels opened today. Follow up within 24 hours.
Berlin angel investors: common questions
- Typical cheques run €50K-€500K. HTGF co-matches up to €1M alongside private angels.
- Yes for HTGF. Most Berlin angels also prefer GmbH before term sheet signing.
- Network-organized rounds close in 3-5 weeks. Direct angel outreach takes 5-8 weeks.
- Angels take 5-15% at pre-seed. HTGF takes up to 15% via convertible note.
- HTGF matches private angel investment 1:1 up to €1M for qualifying German tech startups.
