Bosch Launches €250 Million Fund to Support Global Deep-Tech Startups

Bosch, one of Europe's largest corporate venture capital investors, announced today the launch of a new €250 million fund through its subsidiary Bosch Ventures. The announcement comes as the company continues its bold commitment to providing venture capital to startups worldwide despite current economic turbulence.

Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH, emphasized the dual benefits of these investments during the presentation of the company's annual figures for 2024. "Our investments in startups promote technological progress in business and society, and this collaboration also benefits our divisions," Hartung said. "With disruptive technologies, startups can boost innovation in a way that delivers important growth impetus for a country's economy."

The new fund will primarily target deep-tech startups based on scientific breakthroughs or technological innovations, with a particular focus on energy efficiency and artificial intelligence. Ingo Ramesohl, managing director of Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH, explained that these young companies "have great potential to bring about fundamental market change."

Since its establishment in 2007, Bosch Ventures has built a global presence with offices in key technology hubs including China (Shanghai), Germany (Stuttgart, Frankfurt), Israel (Tel Aviv), and the U.S. (Boston, Sunnyvale). This global footprint helps the company identify promising startups early.

"Our investment professionals screen more than 2,000 startups every year," Ramesohl noted, adding that only about a hundred make the shortlist, with investments ultimately made in just six to ten carefully selected companies annually.

Beyond capital, Bosch Ventures offers operational support and runs the Open Bosch program, established in 2018, which connects startups with Bosch's operating units. This program gives startups opportunities to become suppliers, customers, or technology partners of Bosch, while providing the company with early access to emerging technologies.

Bosch Ventures currently maintains more than 60 active investments across various regions. Its portfolio includes several successful exits through IPOs, including Xometry, an on-demand marketplace for industrial parts, and IonQ, the first publicly listed quantum computing company. Other notable investments include UK-based Quantum Motion, the Italian open source electronics platform Arduino, German AI startup Aleph Alpha, and various companies in China and North America focused on battery recycling, autonomous vehicles, and AI-based solutions.

The Bosch Group, which employs approximately 418,000 associates worldwide and generated sales of €90.3 billion in 2024, continues to focus on automation, electrification, digitalization, connectivity, and sustainability across its four business sectors: Mobility, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology.