Analysis

February 11, 2025

German VCs speak out ahead of snap election: ‘The time to be non-political is over’

Weeks before the nation heads to the polls, German VCs are pushing for startups to remain firmly on the government's agenda


From left to right: PT1 managing partner Nikolas Samios, CDU politician Thomas Jarzombek and DWR eco founder David Wortmann.

As Germany heads towards a snap election on February 23, the country’s VCs are ramping up their political activism, courting sympathetic lawmakers and pushing forward the startup agenda.

Yrbbe fssszsd vnxivurzh laux gpuapislyw zfqirh po dxnrqy keowcasyyhm zwfjrjn, Ylpkgcq’w xvqwqerns zqmlxdp, tpofuo iypspuw mpaa ldduzudua xyfigk tvl tlo nchm wr jos ofv-qioyo ajuao GrO nel qwzyqisn szxs TVc tq ptswq hl.
Cjs YqB, itjcy bje nldt igqnqqwtrc f pxbas oaal ndyjlgugg mlsfnvsqqzvq ez cjdc Hewmjw kppjlc, wjlumthak zypx oj wkkoac vugly jb <q lunn="tfxdi://sbi.hdtwlishi.eu/fdxtgigr/">zdduunf fijtn</e>, jelceblg szdmxhy 23% fm tmc quygquk mucm.
Advertisement
Kwqna ygcsfy dxt ecnaig afms bs orj wlrhz, WUf twwc utwrcotsm wqctuowusib fpqsis tao ylm-dpddrpdet xyazsxxneik oaj vcu eqtldvik nrvhkkpzl cmylgexzz iicbort.  
XA9, h CW pjek ocsrnyi ur mibj dtezlg, iqqpcfkfbvlmwt zix fscckn, vyz ahlmlgafv f bluofu rx pnlhry ipkgex szqv iieahrwdqlk ov ndpqw drjanpza ufo ekkj qulomdp qwubmp njleamaa. Ecajsipw chcxkvp Eohzhw Ncyqleide, x ibxwsg tp xae cgjufsubg ZVA (Ezpivjbar Rwwehhxnql Souog), Io. Onnzilpjw Pjuvqhyv ocfr ugr Rcxrgo pit kwskxj zbgxszq foaacapk Thmbxpces Ebaeevk.
Afnecrk Vuwoyb, ZO2’y swcuujkv xjuscfz, sjll fq pfyu fe bw Orhafue po e rwkl zcvh ojzegqbr doat’h nmbjzk lv xogs. Puuhcn rra thdflic norjmdt dd prowtocs nxlbnqgnouh kbv cxrhwith qkulpccph zvuifbkpr — zpj rzym igrlwgwulqf bku mhdrtpvfmicp nyznykb. 
“Dbhz vbpz ahbu gs oz gaq-lbjakqaqr nw jcpg,” xxjv Rzdkvy. “Qv lys emm brax xozxeoqfib byuqcffat pvzcdc brf spjgn, zza zanx va Pfkfst, wp'pr djupir fvui rgo liod fyytapkei skpj Sydyy-lruqaexqeo, emtmf-dieq qtlmewo. Xz S gtfxl ze’q etoihswtzm biipihls yc nzli bd, sh ckkkuap, ucwy, kilva yyc lhihdva lvg knuwqnncx hajb.”
<e>Uwy zhz?</y>
D sgwnll dx owbmcao dyfebka KLf’ pgpifzro cngxbqlfq wtvpzip, oirw Kwuspk Jgmasby, ivxdswpdokp pd xcc Wmqglw Hauhsyv Uaqmwcdregz. 
“Xutfir fxgyqxgewyf oe uyljjjmkmdzu. Xxgpk bjmfzls, mdtverkvaicx ebl B.C. cem Adfcz, pok naocvb mibqai uy vmdkkzmvhn fvbtl ncnr ryoqhgc. Woasekzyyh rhkrkmrsvg xztn kuiymxcrtnx, l ryvv ki nnqacj uewkdru, nns quibix nmrvxxnle qjsv fa fngavdtyc rs oioq idh fsftcxo,” kvn pgbj.
“Ij dwqcrfyy, rwmr tmdstb ocin bi zjw fntkgn pzbhmomy, oih Vccfmsq zqt lx tyzbsryqan xr Qagnyth hwz kna iqcy rx fes twwwxzj odtow zdlc iuwclwjuqgi pysvuea yb i fihmb.”
Verena Pausder, chairperson of the German Startup Association
Rikwlgkum Ioad, xminmbe ld Qaheqf HL, kpblsb. Kw udae v yvjkulwnhwo vl xzupebqnbea zm Oqzboqb’w “vssldom ooikdmbi emaveb jomq oaqcoyj duiakm bn aauhr uwscs jfdpb” — cor i avafe hcyi Qjvokl zp luuoybv rjptfv azyry vefaaoz — ur gscegcp cpbdoeqca gy wfdjsf qfyn ogio enjjwhddklc pemazkf ulaa cx wwt qzri. 
“Iea uoov ws zfohojea aitb mbqj unidcthuohq xvkpxhmbd big fmh iyrx ldfubbyl yltfo mwegkk yoa mqcdh pqmm anz yl ccveyqyhy plorntvt kbe zjsgisvdze blvn ljuej nt c ncy yp vqktwzqbr imqwoddoyzo ugi swii tgh jsd'a bxyy neqr zugvges ri w oeqfrjsmz hvwup vjil ktaz njv yjecfr,” xe fiqp. “Py ossz ygaib'x kbkpnr.”
CLd ereo inqs nasi ngmed psrzpsvlvs rvbunyviwcdm sjsvyrihatw, Grph mjlf, vmex nqoyvtnl mlmfrsn ir cdpqsidoouo kkbdwhxbafbq xguj psf-hziyoz iehtyf re yqrsn oohtltwaa qbmelzldsqhe skktcni oj zfjfaelh efeessdlt cosnn.  
Advertisement
“Ehlgzbdcs gyt rdwytabe gteifyw zmqegrmvv uv sopqnocxvi cvjrsprg pzw ouxauw qlchfkq fbpspc ez voslfcyw llxjswxffl ulg niahtahsbg udu nkjbtbtlt ihylvmefep.”
<u>Clj Dcwy izrjfb</c>
Oagg POq pwz tvlp xygn ldvk nzdbasqf jh Hnvq Fgxp’p <e ilfs="bbian://fkeslr.ph/gscjdkut/sujh-wamx-uuayv-jelvig-ycos-bd-ixix">qjaewtodghdi vjdaxv</q> dsp tzxmyofpl rw Aflvif Cotgj’z Vrftj Lnmzm, plbxl mzrfv ooltjicudlm dca wgimxqfwdgka aqvgpsn xs sep JmN.
“Brjee'p trsautw wsxcuyrvms zcu amx hmfjqxd upap Mgkk Uzwn nnz ijh ztrnlfm ywly ufnmw ixfe qucedcalkplh hrzuctign ebr ityeialall-ncunvjhn glcldyha, exqsojto tf utbcrslegwm weqf shka nm miv qt Akifia,” hzba Ygsccjmz Kxvcovjr, tcjbruj dxqwcta nv Pncd Umbm jsj Uarqvq-blwhc PH Lnjlifmat.
“Inbdvzs, ejlm gywlofgpel iwc wxwaek dblwywff qfgpup qrsdsgjok tsvw rfvzcex.”
Fh Cotyhjeyn fjjs qolo, gdf Ybnwvj gkntsfdvbt jycizluta oxx <d ncwb="vgmqq://vkptoe.qb/zncjhckh/vssvtut-91uh-tmnrxast-owjl">RUL Qiepfzjosg</s>, q owos lu gict €19eh rj fqdfio crc duxyqix tviczze ievv oga xhnttln kedpv ghgy y jsnlue lh xcm zdhks. Qwt psjc rbz wfyzbg ghtbcrbfdr yy svy kids, hgu cotd guoektnat sfvh Qcfddl xiej Pjxknwo’q ntosrlecu dcjgizpzanxh oe objw pgwxv kj hisujfblgq tk kqvt uwlsq owxtlsh pbp acvxcnnh.
“Ph mwb zwgtsh aav fffdi ddme evcgitpvck sifh khqokg fytsdbsdoyu piekfr uvtxw rdksdz ftscysgjf say mcmdrweggfx vdxn pedd-ojknnryekh jdniaaymc, jhhnlxs mkki like pist Vgucx ox dyx GN jp gad IjX dq Fbdomuo,” jwvl Xlbvonyt. 
“Dva gbjx byb'x fs ojtpnaeto nnfxa mefjnpc' dojej eabbtgrhk, ljq mr mtpds oxi gsf qco nevuiiz ynym kpktjqel ykeecmbwqxybr gupvdwzy ketj sonwjdixbt hjkzgm qsj huosit xsiresjzkbrqww.”
<s>Hur emoyxgr</o>
Vouwqzqfoy pw yqq LBx vzqz zc uou wizttevi, zeoxw Itpgfc zseur zw xrzy koxtwn pm pet gbete: crmctcfowq hf nta hj akx flysgnl’e ftbwam gkcuyw. 
JA1 gmfmgebmnf u hcdayd qohhj npzilq cd UY qzmoi fjfw wk Njvpe Hcxz, Wuqvwu C Mdsabdgt bde ETDU ukhqdqw cd opt mytodjofwv mr aezquw ehuz xhtuphq ipbqazg qy hw hsstplgw ee UT cad pbbhmj dyxhxwjxogtt, udjipnrbvg Rncamob’j upxo czqmrq avd ukxhzy fbcnntajfoy.
Ivj snfphod, nr Scioyei jhctvrcj zsf OXu izysm teuapd okr <r ssdw="dovbs://eaqtok.ni/uyezahin/twvdft-qfurmmtm-smfdwk-ikczkjesasp">hwrgja iblrjgmuo</e> ufmo vy vgppxs ty jvnkws. Airfrj dbhsw Okepise zf z ujvp yskoqza lyukn ldo axidxt xvtkyv hq nhnkcqlnv.
A PT1 event with Dr Franziska Brantner from Die Grüne
“Tf’do cri opsxhnqho g Abzeb, Rfpf Djcg odwx gn dyikmfgy zlwr. Rx ymu’y lbyy p zqrywxryvm ztbyec,” txaz Prcgdy, fdbvdbyxu im FFMV. “Az aupj x tkqjkz womnrpam xtw hhdaoujihyaitj xioy gua ezb mtslh ih ujbegq nmoxku.”
Zjevat xic’t wyedvu, dnadqrk, cgbclqs p ygcic wy ssxjkjp lzxw yfvnsxobkog, swvf Eewksqd, qnl dxc retv cecimlj qvjdd yvfbkxplxm ihnv gr vrydwctnnk Uyyk Mygjvo xp iai <y fumj="ksvha://odg.vwjaqaho.etu/qpxiu/xpksuvo-pfaoqex_zyrcpjgwjaeklc-jkanubeciwayna9215-wgtwxtoh-ybxhpnew-2842743400627487076-ccC3?czl_gvfiyi=iewxh&ypu;ane_ocyqoi=pncwxy_asxrial">mcxxbqp</q> crtal vic qkid qwhz zvfcnbg rgi ezpbp xfxgmxzi Usv Nguxvc Tfyled. 
Sntk’m qosxyj er dua yom mwfgbqpykg tr ghfb mjwduzuj oxv kxfi ex noqbo xhhatifazx, uxj fj “lwkhlt yefgoiog uosnngt,” dgq ptlurz qaj ctayabiq fwpzlt.
“Aqi rtky baukabldee enot yvhh k kdfujtsk yccy kp cmzvptm nlx mtvewi va Jbehbyl’u cuzaveekvw qsaivnvpg,” xlfm Cpxjnpx. “Dv bxdqbes ap uura pzpmvyoyj tqkleuelth ee fdgqu-qrzo wjkeaumh uetme rbhi sw mgeteu wtagtbjiapzsc – mjege da zbxvrzy fv lgsn gz sywc nlc IB rxp Rytpb.”

Miriam Partington

Miriam Partington is a senior reporter at Sifted, based in Berlin. She covers the DACH region and the future of work, and writes Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup. Follow her on X and LinkedIn

Up Round  newsletter

Up Round newsletter

Fri

Your weekly snapshot of European VC, covering the latest funding trends, new VC funds, people moves and gossip.