Backing founders shaping the next Generation of tech

early-stage Investments to Transform the Internet, e-Commerce and Longevity.

Our team is composed of some of the most successful European Internet entrepreneurs. Most notably, we have co-built Germany’s leading price comparison portal CHECK24 and scaled C24 Bank. For three decades, we have witnessed many startups succeeding and (many more) failing.

Through Check24 Investment Office, we back the boldest and most impactful ideas, not only by providing capital, but also by contributing with our entrepreneurial experience, tech expertise, and network.

Our approach

Our scope
We are an long-term oriented investor active within the segments Internet, E-Commerce, and Longevity. Given our own background, we are most excited about ideas based on a strong tech foundation and driven by courageous founders.

Our terms
We initially invest from pre-seed to Series A with ticket sizes between €250k to €5mm. We can (co-)lead, but don’t have to. We prefer to meet certain minimum ownership thresholds to ensure that we can contribute meaningfully.

Our value proposition
We are bold and dynamic with flat hierarchies. We have built and scaled various digital ventures ourselves. Once invested, we will challenge and nudge you where we feel we can add strategic value - and will let you roam freely, where not.

Our Investment vehicles

  • Investing in the CHECK24 Ecosystem

    Our motivation: We are proud of what we’ve built with CHECK24 over two decades – serving 20 million+ active customers daily across insurance, finance, banking, energy, travel, and beyond. We bring in operational know-how and strategic synergies from joint customers to distribution channels. With Apollo Capital, we leverage this foundation and support innovative ideas that benefit from and contribute to the CHECK24 ecosystem.

    Investment areas: Internet startups that are operating in or adjacent to CHECK24’s core markets as well as enabling technologies strengthening the ecosystem.

  • Investing in Exceptional Founders

    Our motivation: We know from our own experience – scaling up 50+ CHECK24 verticals, treating each as its own venture – what matters most to achieve exceptional outcomes: Having an extraordinary team, that is willing to execute with conviction, distinction, and speed. With Pluto Capital, we act agnostically and opportunistically when founders, product, and market convince unisono, regardless of industry sectors.

    Investment areas: Industry-agnostic, i.e., startups solving meaningful and pressing problems, either by redefining categories or outperforming incumbents.

  • Investing in Longevity and Health

    Our motivation: We dislike aging - or more precisely - the inevitable decline of our health as we get older. Honestly, who doesn’t? We are convinced that science, technology, and data can fundamentally improve how we age, ultimately helping us to live happier, healthier, and longer lifes. With Callisto Health, we challenge the status quo of human health and help craft solutions that promote healthspan.

    Investment areas: Longevity-related startups with a focus on digital health and prevention reaching consumers and patients via D2C or B2B2C distribution.

THAT’S the team

  • Managing Director

    Henrich is one of the acting CEOs of CHECK24. Before co-founding Check24 in 1999, he worked in investment banking, as commercial lawyer, and as a project lead in a renowned strategy consultancy. By training, he is a fully qualified lawyer. He also holds a Business PhD.

    Henrich loves running and playing tennis - where in the latter, he was once ranked World’s #1 in the Men’s Double Age 50 Category.

  • Managing Director

    Matthias brings over 20 years of experience in the German digital economy. Most recently, he worked as MD for C24 Bank and before that as CFO for the CHECK24 Group. He also spent more than 10 years as a startup investor in the e-commerce and internet space. He holds a Business Degree (Diplom-Kaufmann).

    Matthias likes spending his leisure time on the golf course, where he is better known for his passion, than his handicap.

  • Managing Director

    Stefan has served as MD for various verticals of CHECK24 for more than ten years. Until recently, he held the overall responsibility for the CHECK24 vertical Finance Products. Prior, he was a Manager at Bain & Company. He holds a PhD in Theoretical Computer Science.

    Stefan has finished 10 Ironman triathlons, including the Ironman World Championships 2001 in Hawaii and 2023 in Nice.

  • Investment Manager

    Dennis has worked as Senior Associate at McKinsey & Company and Species Finance Manager for WWF International. His passion for the European startup ecosystem first sparked in 2020, when he worked for a Swedish VC in his studies. He holds a M.Sc. in Corporate Finance.

    Dennis played as a football goalkeeper for almost 20 years - nowadays, he loves any kind of team sport just as much as arduous HIIT workouts.

  • Investment Analyst

    Niklas has studied and worked in both Germany and the US, building a solid foundation in financial analysis through accounting and audit experiences. He also published research on cross-border M&A in the Review of Behavioral Finance. He holds a German-American double degree (B.Sc.) in International Management.

    Outside of work, Niklas is a passionate traveler and sports enthusiast. Formerly a football player, these days he is up for any athletic challenge.

Meet our Active portfolio

You(th) Health Tech
[via Callisto]

Empowering prevention through holistic health checkups in <2 minutes from smartphones.

studio vaai.
[via Pluto]

Helping people to find the perfect fit - before ordering, not after.

Mollie
[via Pluto]

Offering a single platform for businesses to drive revenue, reduce costs, and manage funds.

Everphone
[via Apollo]

Cutting costs and simplifying global fleet handling with Device-as-a-Service.

Getsafe
[via Pluto]

Revolutionising the dusty insurance market with a digital insurance platform and an app-first focus.

SAP Fioneer
[via Pluto]

Empowering top-tier banks, insurers, and disruptive challengers to redefine financial services.

eduki
[via CHECK24 Ventures]

Enabling teachers to deliver the best school education through class-tested teaching resources.

Code University
[via Pluto]

Empowering young entrepreneurs as state-recognized university with >200 startups to its name.

Testsieger.de
[via Apollo]

Creating transparency for consumers with test reports and integrated price comparisons.

Immomate
[via Pluto]

Empowering real estate professionals with a smart AI assistant for routine tasks.

Nosh.bio
[via Pluto]

Creating highly functional proteins from fungi for tasty, nutritious, and sustainable analogues.

ProtocolHero
[via Pluto]

Allowing professional craftsmen to create legal documentation/ protocols efficiently on site.

Bela Living
[via Apollo]

Manufacturing high-quality, stylish furniture at fair prices under four different brands.

Optilyz
[via Pluto]

Enabling postal mailings to be sent in a manner analogous to online marketing.

Culinu
[via Pluto]

Delivering needs-based catering at target budgets for nursing home kitchens through AI functionalities.

Game1
[via Pluto]

Unlocking the full potential of youth athletes through data layers.

Finanz-Szene
[via Pluto]

Providing the leading newsletter for the German banking and fintech industry.

Medexo
[via Pluto]

Improving patient care in the long-term by providing second opinions and medical assessments.

Legalbird
[via CHECK24 Ventures]

Helping customers to get legal advice within minutes.

Merantix
[via Pluto]

Building and scaling ML companies through a unique incubation platform and seed financing.

World Fund
[via Pluto]

Investing in early-stage climate tech companies primarily based in Europe.

Here are some of our exits

  • AnyDesk

    AnyDesk is a leading provider of remote desktop software, being used in more than 190 countries by over 200,000 customers, ranging from private users and academic institutions to large corporates. The firm has been acquired by General Atlantic.

  • OMNEA

    OMNEA is one of the leading geomarketing platforms. It enables companies and public institutions to automatically optimise their online presence for local searches. OMNEA is now part of Ströer Media Group.

  • WirWinzer

    WirWinzer is the largest DACH marketplace for wine lovers with 38,000 wines being sold directly from over 2,000 winemakers at farm-gate prices. The company was acquired by Hawesko.

  • askCharlie

    AskCharlie was a portal for generating customer enquiries for local suppliers and service providers. It has since been integrated into the CHECK24 Group, where it operates under the ‘Profis’ section of the comparison portal.

  • sendmoments

    The sendmoments product portfolio includes photo products and printed materials for special occasions setting new standards for customization. The company was acquired by Arcus Capital.