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Freigeist
Frank Thelen, Alex Koch and Marc Sieberger deploy proprietary capital into 1–2 European deep-tech seed rounds per year from Bonn, Germany.
Freigeist
Freigeist Capital is the european technology investment company of Frank Thelen, Marc Sieberger and Alex Koch. We invest in disruptive technologies.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
2010
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Europe
Country
Germany
City
Bonn
Corporate office
Joseph-Schumpeter-Allee 25, 53227 Bonn, Germany
Principals
Frank Thelen
Founder & CEO
Alex Koch
Founder & CTO
Marc Sieberger
Founder & COO/CFO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Freigeist?
Investment decisions are made by the three founders: Frank Thelen (CEO), Alex Koch (CTO), and Marc Sieberger (COO/CFO). There is no external investment committee; because Freigeist deploys its own capital, the process is exceptionally fast, ordinarily concluding in a few weeks.
How does Freigeist source proprietary deal flow?
Freigeist sources opportunities through the founders' two-decade network in European technology, referrals from existing portfolio founders, and a network of university and research-lab partners. The firm also accepts direct applications through its website, filtering for startups that possess a technology-based USP rather than a purely commercial innovation.
Is Freigeist structured as a family office or a venture firm?
Freigeist operates like a closely held investment company funded by the founders' own capital, not a traditional VC with external limited partners. The firm is neither a single-family office nor a multi-family office; it most closely resembles a proprietary-capital venture practice that makes concentrated bets.
Does Freigeist participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Freigeist makes only direct seed and pre-Series A investments in operating companies. The firm does not disclose commitments to external VC funds or fund-of-fund structures, and its public materials describe a purely direct-investment model.
What investment stages does Freigeist typically target?
Freigeist targets Seed and pre-Series A rounds exclusively. The firm requires a completed proof-of-concept and a technology-based defensible advantage. Initial check sizes range between €500,000 and €2 million, and the founders work with the company for 12–24 months to prepare it for a Series A.
How is Freigeist involved with its portfolio companies after investing?
The founders provide what they call '360° support,' spanning product, coding, business development, sales, operations, finance, and HR. Named partners have served as interim CFO (Marc Sieberger at Lilium) and contributed directly to software development (Alex Koch at several early-stage companies), a level of involvement enabled by the firm's deliberately low investment cadence.
Does Freigeist maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
The firm does not disclose a philanthropic foundation, donor-advised fund, or other charitable vehicle associated with the Freigeist partnership or its founders. There is no public separation of philanthropic governance.
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