Key Takeaways
- • Uplift Ventures, a new venture capital fund backed exclusively by German material handling company Jungheinrich, is launching a €100 million fund targeting deeptech startups across Europe and the US.
- • The fund is led by an ex-NGP Capital investor, bringing institutional venture experience to the newly formed vehicle focused on deep technology investments.
- • Uplift Ventures will deploy capital across both direct investments in deeptech startups and follow-on investments in other venture capital vehicles operating in Europe and the US.
- • NGP Capital, a global venture capital firm with over $1.2 billion under management, has established itself as a significant player in industrial tech, enterprise software, and deep technology sectors across multiple geographies.
Summary
Uplift Ventures has announced the launch of a €100 million venture capital fund dedicated to backing deeptech startups in Europe and the United States. The fund is uniquely structured as it is backed solely by Jungheinrich, a German material handling and logistics equipment manufacturer, marking a strategic expansion of the company's investment activities beyond its core business operations.
The fund will be led by an investment professional with prior experience at NGP Capital, a California-headquartered venture capital firm founded in 2005 that specializes in growth-stage technology investments. NGP Capital has established a global presence with operations across the United States, Europe, India, and China, and currently manages over $1.2 billion in assets. The NGP Capital leadership team includes partners focused on industrial technology, enterprise software, and deep technology sectors, positioning the incoming fund manager within an experienced ecosystem of deeptech investment.
Uplift Ventures' investment strategy encompasses both direct equity investments in deeptech startups and secondary investments in other venture capital funds operating across the two regions. This dual approach allows the fund to gain exposure to emerging deep technology companies while also building relationships within the broader venture capital ecosystem. The €100 million commitment represents a meaningful allocation to the deeptech sector, which has increasingly attracted corporate venture capital from established industrial companies seeking innovation-driven growth opportunities and technological advancement.
The fund's launch reflects broader trends within corporate venture capital, where established industrial companies are establishing dedicated vehicles to access emerging technologies and business models that may disrupt or enhance their core operations. Jungheinrich's backing of Uplift Ventures signals the company's commitment to identifying and scaling deep technology innovations that could reshape material handling, automation, and logistics industries.
The fund will be led by an investment professional with prior experience at NGP Capital, a California-headquartered venture capital firm founded in 2005 that specializes in growth-stage technology investments. NGP Capital has established a global presence with operations across the United States, Europe, India, and China, and currently manages over $1.2 billion in assets. The NGP Capital leadership team includes partners focused on industrial technology, enterprise software, and deep technology sectors, positioning the incoming fund manager within an experienced ecosystem of deeptech investment.
Uplift Ventures' investment strategy encompasses both direct equity investments in deeptech startups and secondary investments in other venture capital funds operating across the two regions. This dual approach allows the fund to gain exposure to emerging deep technology companies while also building relationships within the broader venture capital ecosystem. The €100 million commitment represents a meaningful allocation to the deeptech sector, which has increasingly attracted corporate venture capital from established industrial companies seeking innovation-driven growth opportunities and technological advancement.
The fund's launch reflects broader trends within corporate venture capital, where established industrial companies are establishing dedicated vehicles to access emerging technologies and business models that may disrupt or enhance their core operations. Jungheinrich's backing of Uplift Ventures signals the company's commitment to identifying and scaling deep technology innovations that could reshape material handling, automation, and logistics industries.
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