identity.vc

identity.vc is Europe's first venture capital impact fund dedicated to backing LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, launched in May 2024 and based in Berlin, Germany. The fund targets EUR 50 million with a first close of EUR 15 million. It invests in early-stage startups with LGBTQ+ representation at the founder or C-level, requiring equity ownership, and writes initial cheques of EUR 200,000 to EUR 500,000 (up to EUR 1.5 million) into approximately 25 pre-seed to Series A companies across Europe. The founding team includes Til Klein (former BCG partner, UBS banker, and fintech founder based in Zurich), Jochen Beutgen (a Berlin-based investor with a 20-year track record in family office venture investing), and Mari Luukkainen (Principal, formerly at Icebreaker.vc in Helsinki). The fund is sector-agnostic but concentrates on key megatrends: AI, sustainability, demographic change, and security. The current portfolio of 4 companies includes Frontnow (Berlin-based AI for e-commerce pre-sales optimization), Omni (vegan dog food and cultivated cat food), Paxton.AI (AI legal assistant for research and document drafting), and eco.mio (a software plugin helping companies manage the environmental impact of business travel). The firm leads rounds into each portfolio company. identity.vc also operates the 'League of Unicorns,' a community providing a safe space for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and investors to network through exclusive events in major European startup hubs. The fund's investment philosophy rests on the evidence that diverse founding teams innovate more effectively and deliver stronger financial performance, making its diversity mandate both a values statement and an investment thesis.