# Henkel Ventures

Henkel Ventures is a Venture Capital based in Düsseldorf, Germany.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Venture Capital
- **Headquarters:** Düsseldorf, Germany
- **Region:** Europe
- **Address:** Düsseldorf, Germany
- **Founded:** 2015
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.henkel-ventures.com

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Henkel Corporation is an investment firm. It has made one investment, deploying $15 million in total capital. The firm focuses on the manufacturing sector.

## Sectors

- Industrial Tech
- Digitalization
- ClimateTech
- Consumer Brands
- Adhesives
- Sustainability
- AI/ML

## People

- Marc Thom — Corporate Vice President & Head of Henkel Ventures
- Michaela Bessell — Corporate Director Ecosystem & Partnerships
- Tobias Botenwerfer — Investment Principal
- Lena Kahles — Investment Manager
- Delia Nagis — Investment Manager
- Matias Concha — Investment Manager
- Saskia Becker — Senior Portfolio Manager
- Bryan Gamboa — Investment Manager
- Vivian Titze — Investment Manager
- Maximilian Kammerinke — Investment Manager
- Geetika Das — Investment Manager
- Samuel Hasenpusch — Investment Associate
- Stephanie Rees — PA & Project Manager

## Questions

### Is Henkel Ventures a separate fund or a balance-sheet investment unit?

Henkel Ventures invests directly from Henkel AG's corporate balance sheet rather than raising external limited partner capital. This structure gives the team flexibility on check sizes and holding periods, but also means investment pace fluctuates with corporate earnings cycles rather than a fixed fund deployment schedule. The unit's mandate is distinct from Henkel's corporate M&A, taking minority positions rather than acquisition stakes.

### How does Henkel Ventures differ from other corporate venture arms in the chemicals sector?

The primary differentiator is access to Henkel's operational infrastructure as a testing environment. Portfolio companies working on adhesives, coatings, sensors, or digital manufacturing tools can pilot inside active production facilities that serve legacy clients like automotive and aerospace manufacturers. This 'living lab' model accelerates technical validation for startups in a way that cash-only CVCs cannot match, particularly in materials science where lab-to-factory scaling is the hardest technical gate.

### Which sectors does Henkel Ventures explicitly prioritize?

Digital enterprise platforms — including industrial IoT, predictive maintenance, and manufacturing SaaS — form one pillar. Advanced materials, particularly bio-based adhesives, compostable packaging polymers, and recycling technologies, form the second. These sectors map directly onto Henkel's Adhesive Technologies and Consumer Brands divisions, where new chemistries or software tools can be evaluated inside active production workflows before commercial rollout.

### Does Henkel Ventures syndicate with external venture capital funds?

Yes, syndication is core to the firm's operating model. Henkel Ventures co-invests alongside traditional European and North American venture funds rather than building proprietary deal flow exclusively. This syndication strategy gives portfolio companies access to standard venture networks and follow-on capital paths, while giving Henkel a structured window into technologies being validated by independent investment committees.

## Related profiles

- [Henkel dx Ventures](https://altss.com/profile/henkel-dx-ventures)
- [Henko Capital Partners](https://altss.com/profile/henko-capital-partners)

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Last updated: 2026-07-06T00:34:22.551Z

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