Startup Funding in Times of Corona
- Jörn Menninger
- Sep 30, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 26
Startups in Rhine-Main raised 310 mn Euros in Q1 2020. Volocopter, BioNTech, and more lead the funding surge despite the pandemic.
What Is This About?
Startup funding in times of Corona reshaped how investors and founders approached deals. This analysis captures the immediate impact of the pandemic on DACH startup financing — from emergency bridge rounds to the unexpected boom in digital-first business models.
What Is This About?
Startup funding in times of Corona reshaped how investors and founders approached deals. This analysis captures the immediate impact of the pandemic on DACH startup financing — from emergency bridge rounds to the unexpected boom in digital-first business models.
This article is part of our coverage of Series A and B Funding for Startups in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Executive Summary
Noteworthy fundraisings in 2020 Q1
Startups in Rhine-Main raised 310 mn Euros in Q1 2020. Startuprad.io brings you independent coverage of the key developments shaping the startup and venture capital landscape across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
The main driver has been again been several large rounds. In total, we had 310 mn Euros raised by only eight startups. As always we are under NDA for a few fundraisings and so we can not disclose all data here. Let us talk you through a few of them:
Noteworthy is the second closing of Volocopters Series C, which totals 87 mn €. According to our tracking, only 32 mn Euros was additional funding https://buff.ly/2PpfpdJ
Scoutbee form Würzburg closed 60 mn US$ (54 mn Euros) https://buff.ly/2O0Y4r5
Again BioNTech has been present with a funding of 135 mn US$, for their corona vaccine search https://buff.ly/39ejGHW
Also, we have Iwoca in our numbers, who raised 100 mn Euros to lend to their German clients (https://buff.ly/3aatsfb). What is also promising is that this investment could only be a test for further investments. The money was designated for the German market. Their German headquarter is located in Frankfurt and since they received the funding for the German market, we included them in our numbers.
The overall picture
We highlighted the 2020 numbers. We really hope that all startups and investors will get well through the current lockdown! Thumbs pressed for a speedy V-shaped recovery.
Keep to date
You can keep up to date, by following our blog here, or our Twitter account. On the social media channels, we also post on these channels content related to venture financing in the greater Rhine-Main Region.
Hashtags to follow
Have a look on Twitter for Frankfurt and the wider Rhein-Main area: #rheinmainrocks, #frmstartupscene #frankfurtvalley or #startupradio
Jörn Menninger for the partners of RhineMain.vc
Key Takeaways
Startups in Rhine-Main raised 310 mn Euros in Q1 2020.
This article covers a significant development in the DACH startup and venture capital ecosystem.
The DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) continues to be one of Europe's most dynamic startup markets.
Atomic Answer
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key facts about Startup Funding Times Corona?
Startups in Rhine-Main raised 310 mn Euros in Q1 2020. Volocopter, BioNTech, and more lead the funding surge despite the pandemic.
How does this affect the German startup ecosystem?
Joern Menninger is the host of the Startuprad.io podcast and covers founders, investors, and policy developments across the DACH startup ecosystem.
What are the latest startup funding trends in the DACH region?
Startuprad.io tracks venture capital and startup funding across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Explore our pillar coverage pages for the latest data.
Rhine-Main Startup Ecosystem Series
Explore the full Greater Frankfurt/Rhine-Main startup venture capital data series and related coverage from Startuprad.io:
Venture Capital Reports (Chronological)
Quote Highlights
Startups in Rhine-Main raised 310 million Euros in Q1 2020, with Volocopter, BioNTech, and others leading the funding surge despite the pandemic.
Startup funding in times of Corona reshaped how investors and founders approached deals, from emergency bridge rounds to unexpected booms in digital-first businesses.
The pandemic accelerated digital transformation across every sector, creating new opportunities for startups that could adapt quickly to remote and contactless business models.
Large funding rounds continued to drive the ecosystem forward even as uncertainty gripped the broader economy.
Related Rhine-Main Coverage
About the Host
Joern Menninger is the host of the Startuprad.io podcast and covers founders, investors, and policy developments across the DACH startup ecosystem. Through more than 1,300 interviews and nearly a decade of reporting, he documents the evolution of the European startup landscape. Follow Joern on LinkedIn.
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Startuprad.io has been tracking European startup funding through every cycle since 2013. If our independent coverage of the ecosystem helps you stay informed, visit startuprad.io/shop to support our work or share this article with someone interested in the German startup landscape.
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