Access
Investing.
WE GIVE GENERATIONAL FOUNDERS ACCESS TO CAPITAL MARKETS
We believe in generational founders from the earliest stages and our evergreen structure allows us to support them to IPO and beyond
Early-stage
Through our fully owned early-stage investment vehicle, Collective Ventures, we invest in pre-seed to Series A founders. We bring together a strong co-investor network of family business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs.
Growth-stage & Beyond
Through our Evergreen structure, we invest directly from our balance sheet, free from fund life cycles – allowing us to be long-term partners, even beyond an IPO.
OUR HERES:N CAPES, JUSTIMPCT
In times when investors hardly differ from each other, we think there should be distinctive superpowers.
Ours is providing access to capital markets.
Access to the right capital at the right time defines success. Our Collectives, dedicated experts in venture debt, equity financing, and M&A, help portfolio companies structure the right financial strategies, secure growth capital, and navigate strategic exits. That means sustainable growth, better deals, and more value creation.
The Capital
Collective
Backed by A Success Squad
Julian Kappus
Julian Kappus
Julian, Heliad Co-CEO since June 2022, previously spearheaded Bank of America’s Continental Europe Structured Finance Division and played a pivotal role in establishing the bank’s European footprint in Paris. He independently executed some of the largest transactions in European structured finance over the last decade. His expertise extends to advising, optimizing, and raising alternative capital with best-in-class institutions. Besides that, Julian is a founding member of the Berlin-based angel syndicate Collective Ventures.
Can Kuloglu
Can Kuloglu
Can holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Exeter, UK, and a Master’s in Computer Science from IE University, Spain. Having grown up in a multicultural environment with Turkish roots, he brings an international perspective to his work. Before joining Heliad’s investment team, he gained hands-on experience across four startups in sectors ranging from logistics to fintech, worked with early-stage founders at Antler’s Berlin office, and supported investments at Turkish venture capital fund 212.
Ibrahim Köran
Ibrahim Köran
As Head of GovTech at Heliad, Ibrahim is responsible for setting up a dedicated GovTech investment strategy. He previously headed the GovTech division at PwC and, as a venture developer and shareholder representative, supported the spin-off and further development of the joint venture GovMarket – now active in the market as Possible Digital. He has also been involved in the GovTech Campus in Berlin since its establishment. Before focusing on venturing activities, he spent many years advising the public sector at KPMG & PwC at EU and federal level on strategic digitalization initiatives and the establishment of new organizations, e.g. in the area of digital sovereignty.
Cecil von Croÿ
Cecil von Croÿ
Cecil, Founder and Venture Partner at Collective Ventures is an entrepreneur with a strong track record in building and scaling digital and sustainability-driven ventures. He is the Co-Founder and CEO at Alva Energie where he leads the development of decentralized energy solutions for the real estate sector, transforming properties into smart energy hubs. Previously, he founded StudyTogether and charly.education, both successfully acquired. At Collective Ventures, Cecil leverages his hands-on experience and broad investor connections to guide early-stage startups in achieving scalable growth.
Peter Renato Schneider
Peter Renato Schneider
Peter oversees the structuring, administration, and management of SPVs – from fund setup and investor onboarding to signings, capital calls, and reporting. Before joining Heliad, he worked in Investor Relations at COI Partners. His academic background in European Cultural and Intellectual History (Philosophy), International Relations, and International Business Administration enables him to approach complex investor processes with clarity and efficiency.
Dr. Nicolaus Berlin
Dr. Nicolaus Berlin
Nicolaus, Founder and Venture Partner at Collective Ventures, is an entrepreneur and operator with a strong track record in building and scaling consumer and hardware ventures. He is CEO at mute-labs, one of Europe’s leading office phone booth manufacturers, and previously led Podimo’s entry into the German market following the sale of his podcast company BesserFM. At Collective Ventures, Nicolaus helps early-stage ventures grow by applying his operational expertise and investor network to support founders in scaling their businesses.
Margarita Zittel
Margarita Zittel
As Head of Finance, Margarita is an integral part of Heliad and brings extensive experience and financial expertise to the team. She has been a valued member since 2011 when she joined as an accounting professional. Prior to that, she served as a senior audit professional at EY, showcasing her dedication to excellence in financial practices and the everchanging regulatory landscape. Her commitment to the company’s success has been instrumental in shaping Heliad’s financial strategies.
Christopher Garlich
Christopher Garlich
Christopher deals as the Head of Emerging technologies at Heliad, building Europe’s first pure on-chain multi-strategy hedge fund. Prior to Heliad, he looks back on roles at various institutions within financial industry, with key M&A roles at Berenberg and Morgan Stanley, where he gained significant experience in M&A. He is also a founding member of Raymond James’ European mid-cap presence, reflecting his involvement in establishing and building this important aspect of the business. Additionally, Chris serves as the lead partner of an on-chain investor collective that focuses on decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible token (NFT) protocols, playing a central role in the collective’s investment activities and strategies.
Falk Schäfers
Falk Schäfers
Before joining Heliad as our CEO in May 2021, Falk played a pivotal role in co-building the DACH Corporate Finance business at Berenberg. He successfully oversaw the initial public offerings (IPOs) of the majority of German Tech businesses from the Rocket Internet era, including the listing of MDAX companies like HelloFresh and Delivery Hero. He assists our founders in fine-tuning their equity story, conducting valuations, and ensuring companies are well-prepared for M&A Exit / IPO.
Philip Kurzrock
Philip Kurzrock
Philip joined Heliad as an Investment Manager in 2024 and will be an integral part of the continued growth and expansion of our early and growth-stage investment strategies. Following his studies at Maastricht University and Bocconi University, Philip began his career at Berenberg, covering pan-European mid-cap transactions. Since then, he has substantiated his experience as an Associate Director within the UBS Industrials Group in London and as a founding team member of the mid-cap private equity fund SEVEST. Having advised management teams of industry-leading innovators such as Siemens, ABB, and Hitachi on complex projects, Philip’s insights span process structuring, valuation, and the advisory of founders on diverse strategic options.
Alexander Wagner
Alexander Wagner
Alex completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in international business and strategic management in the US and Sweden while researching on the perceived value-add activities of early stage VC investors. He gained experience in product management, consulting and business development at both SMEs and large-scale international corporations before joining Heliad as a visiting analyst in August 2022. He first transitioned into the investment analyst role before moving on to build and manage Heliad’s platform. Here he is focusing on fostering relationships with investors, portfolio companies, industry partners while taking on internal operations.
Esra Akgün
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