Ringier Digital Ventures

Ringier Digital Ventures AG is the corporate venture capital arm of Swiss media group Ringier AG, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Unusually for a corporate venture platform, Ringier Digital Ventures explicitly operates as a financial -- not strategic -- investor, taking minority positions in early-stage consumer internet startups without requiring strategic alignment with Ringier's media properties. The core investment thesis targets online marketplaces, direct-to-consumer commerce and subscription business models, with primary geographic focus on European and DACH-region founders. Since January 2018, the fund's portfolio development has been exclusively managed by Marcau Partners AG -- founded by Thomas Kaiser, David Hug and Benjamin Solenthaler -- a venture-capital-as-a-service firm that handles sourcing, due diligence and portfolio support, with investment decisions made by a four-member committee. Ringier Digital Ventures leads or co-leads rounds from Seed through Series B, with typical deals in the $5M to $10M range. Across the platform, the firm has made 34 primary investments. Notable portfolio companies include Carvolution, the Bern-based car-subscription business where Ringier Digital Ventures led a CHF 15 million Series C alongside Francisco Fernandez in February 2021, along with Regimen (healthcare services) and The Creative Club (specialty retail, the most recent disclosed investment in February 2023). The deliberate separation of financial and strategic motivations distinguishes Ringier Digital Ventures from most corporate venture arms. Portfolio founders benefit from Ringier's media networks and brand relationships as an optional resource rather than an investment condition, allowing the fund to attract companies that might otherwise avoid CVC capital.