Engelhardt Kaupp Kiefer & Co.

What is Engelhardt Kaupp Kiefer & Co.?

Engelhardt Kaupp Kiefer & Co. (EKK & Co.) is a Corporate Venture Capital firm headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. They practice Holistic Growth Investing, which is built on the belief that success is multi-dimensional, encompassing personal growth, financial success, economic significance, and societal relevance.

They consider these elements as mutual reinforcements in a fulfilling entrepreneurial career. EKK & Co. supports portfolio companies by focusing on all essential dimensions of success and assisting in their development.

They emphasize personal growth as a key success factor, which they view as the prerequisite for business growth. They acknowledge the importance of financial success and assist companies in generating growth and profitability, emphasizing a sustainable increase in company value rather than short-term financial gains.

They also value the economic impact of companies on their industries, including how they shift established benchmarks and outpace competition. Societal relevance is equally crucial for them, with a strategy that involves ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable products or services.

EKK & Co.'s investment philosophy does not limit them to specific industries but they look for outstanding teams characterized by passion, ambition, hard work, and talent. Their investment criteria include company stage—specifically those ready for scaling, capital needs, growth potential, and a shareholder structure where founders retain the majority stake.

The firm aims to be a 'professional family', with a strong percentage of entrepreneurs staying connected even after investments. They support growth-oriented companies like Happy Sprinkles and freshtaste, providing not only capital but also broadening perspectives and making complex acquisitions simpler.