Still young, but we have already reached a solid stand on the market. Since it was founded, eCAPITAL has been able to acquire a good reputation in the Venture Capital market.

May 1999: Founding of eCAPITAL as “KAIROS Venture Fonds AG”

September 1999: The specialisation in young technology ventures convinces the TFG Venture Capital, located in Marl and Frankfurt, to participate at an early stage in the first fund. Thanks to long-term preparatory work we already had five companies in our portfolio at this time. Our company is renamed “eCAPITAL Unternehmensbeteiligungen AG” (investment PLC).

December 1999: successful accreditation of eCAPITAL by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW - Reconstruction Loan Corporation) in Frankfurt.

June 2000: The subsidiary of the Deutsche Ausgleichsbank, the tbg, based in Bonn, participates as a so-called fund investor. With a share of 25% of the total volume, it is the largest institutional investor in the first fund. The tbg only makes such commitments as a fund investor in very few German VC companies.

November 2000: Due to the great demand, the first fund —with a volume of € 10 million– was closed 12 months earlier than planned. Thereupon, the partners of the fund decided to increase the fund to € 12 m, also with the tbg.

2001: At times eCAPITAL holds investments in 20 young, promising technology ventures. The first investments have been sold.

November 2001: eCAPITAL Unternehmensbeteiligungen AG & Co New Technologies KG is renamed eCAPITAL entrepreneurial Partners AG & Co Unternehmensbeteiligungsgesellschaft KG. This step was necessary to be authorised by the ministry of economics to be a holding company. Only a few investment companies in Germany have this authorisation.

End of 2002: The executive board of eCAPITAL is able to buy TFG’s shares. TFG has had a stake in eCAPITAL as a strategic partner since 1999. Thus, eCAPITAL gains a strong private investor as new partner.

Beginning of 2003: The first fund is finally closed after the last subscriptions were submitted.

July 2004: The second fund is started after a first closing of € 5 m as a portfolio partnership. The aim is to achieve the target volume of € 50 m by the end of 2005. First investments are planned for 2004. Pöllath & Partner in Berlin helped eCAPITAL structure the second fund.

August 2004: By way of a capital increase, the circle of investors of the eCAPITAL AG (PLC) is expanded to include additional reputable private investors, who will strengthen eCAPITAL’s network and Deal Flow. The management looks forward to working with Dr. Paul Bösken-Diebels, former managing director of the Diebels Brewery, Josef H. Boquoi, chairman of the advisory committee of the *bofrost family-owned company and Thomas Philippiak, managing director of the ebmpapst plant in Mulfingen.

August 2004: After the end of its first term, the supervisory board of eCAPITAL holds new elections. The board is able to gain Walter Auel, manager of the tbg investment company, as a new member of the supervisory board. Dr. Paul Bösken-Diebels is the new chairman of the supervisory board. Michael Stammler, on the board of directors of the FERI Finance company in Bad Homburg, is the deputy chairman of the supervisory committee.

November 2004: In order to focus and strengthen the business, the future activities of eCAPITAL are concentrated on the office in Münster. The office in Rheinbach is closed in mid-November.

July 2005: Another successful exit is realised. The finvision AG, a 100% subsidiary of Appcon GmbH, is sold to ion trading, London.

Fall 2005: The fundraising for fund II is progressing according to our plan. Until December 2005, € 20 m will be subscribed. In the meantime, the first investments of the second fund are transacted. eCAPITAL, together with experienced international co-investors, invested in COMCO AG, Dortmund, Novaled GmbH, Dresden, and Lumics GmbH, Berlin.

2006/2007: eCAPITAL invests in Anycom Technologies AG, Mönchengladbach; the leading blue-tooth specialist in Germany with international experience. The eCAPITAL team is also expanding over the year. The second fund is closed with over € 40 m. eCAPITAL’s management team wins over Dr. Bernhard Termühlen as shareholder of the eCAPITAL AG. 

January 2007: Anycom Technologies AG is already, as the first investment of eCAPITAL, successfully placed on the “Deutsche Wertpapierbörse” (German Stock Exchange).

März 2007: Under the lead of eCAPITAL, the Dutch Strategic European Technologies N.V. (SET) and the VC-fund Berlin provide € 3 m for the Pace GmbH, Berlin. The investment was closed in March 2007.

May 2007: eCAPITAL realises an investment in the “innovative services” sector with freshnails GmbH. In cooperation with Stephan Schubert, member of eCAPITAL’s advisory board, eCAPITAL fund II invests in this new franchise concept.

June 2007: Dr. Michael Lübbehusen, Ph.D. complements the management team as new partner.

July 2007: Successful first closing of Gründerfonds Bielefeld Ostwestfalen.

August 2007: eCAPITAL New Technologies AG is renamed eCAPITAL entrepreneurial Partners AG. The new name underlines the entrepreneurial approach with focus on coaching and net-working.

November 2007: eCAPITAL invests with Fund II in Pyramid Computer GmbH, extending its portfolio with this medium-sized company.

December 2007: Dr. Vasant Desai, Ph.D., former member of the advisory board is appointed Venture Partner of eCAPITAL.
2008: eCAPITAL invests with Fund II in Jedox, 4Jet, Calory Coach Holding and Open-Xchange. The Gründerfonds Bielefeld Ostwestwalen makes its first investment with Divolution GmbH, after being closed successfully with €10 m. The portfolio company Epigap is successfully sold to Jenoptik.

January 2009: After the successful first closing of Cleantech Fund III, its first investment is Novaled AG.

April 2009: Successful final closing of Gründerfonds Münsterland with €8 m.

May 2009: Gründerfonds Bielefeld Ostwestfalen invests in Smarthouse GmbH.

September 2009: The supervisory board appoints Dr. Michael Lübbehusen to the board of directors of eCAPITAL entrepreneurial Partners AG.

Oktober 2009: Cleantech Fund III invests in Amynova Polymers GmbH.

November 2009: In cooperation with prominent investors, eCAPITAL Cleantech Fund III joins in for the second financing round for Heliatek GmbH.

December 2009: eCAPITAL realises a new investment in the Cleantech sector with eZelleron. Technologies Fund II invests in Gollmann Kommissioniersysteme, Dresden. Variowell GmbH becomes the first investment of Gründerfonds Münsterland.

March 2010: Dr. Paul Grunow, Ph.D., former member of the advisory board is appointed Venture Partner of eCAPITAL.

May 2010: eCAPITAL invests with its Fund II in svh24.de GmbH. Thus, eCAPITAL invests currently with its 5 funds in 22 companies and manages a volume of € 85 m.

September 2010: Gollmann Kommissioniersysteme is nominated for the “Deutscher Gründerpreis”, one of the most important German founder awards.

December 2010: eCAPITAL successfully closed its Cleantech fund, achieving its goal of € 50 m. In the meantime the fund invests in its fifth portfolio company Feranova alongside eCAPITAL’s seed fund “Gründerfonds Münsterland”.

2011: eCAPITAL manages a total fund volume of € 120 m and currently invests in 22 portfolio companies.

January 2011: Gründerfonds Bielefeld-Ostwestfalen (eCAPITAL seed fund) and the High-Tech Gründerfonds invest in saperatec. Gründerfond Bielefeld-Ostwestfalen now has three portfolio companies.