How to Find Investors in Germany — and Close Them Efficiently

Fundraising is one of the most critical and time-consuming responsibilities for founders. In Germany, the process can feel especially complex — from finding the right investors to managing legal and cap table formalities. But if you’re only looking in the obvious places or following generic advice, you’re likely missing major opportunities.

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This article outlines:

• Creative and overlooked strategies to find investors in Germany
  
  
• How to prepare and deliver a pitch that gets results
  
  
• What investors actually care about at early stages
  
  
• And how to streamline the investment process using Tokenize.it
  
  

Finding Investors: Going Beyond the Usual Channels

The German startup ecosystem is well-connected, but not always transparent. While VC websites and demo days are useful, they’re only part of the picture. To increase your chances of success, consider these less conventional but highly effective approaches.

1. Start With Your Product Community

If you have active users or early adopters, they may be your first — and most aligned — investors. Reach out directly to those who rely on your product and ask if they’d consider participating in your funding round. This approach works especially well if you’re using a platform like Tokenize.it, where onboarding multiple smaller checks is fast and compliant.

2. Use Second-Degree Networks Intentionally

On LinkedIn, filter by “angel investor” or “early-stage investor” and narrow to second-degree connections. Identify mutual contacts who can make a warm introduction. Be specific in your request. For example:

“I saw you’re connected to [Investor]. We’re raising a €250K pre-seed round for [brief one-liner]. I believe there’s a strong fit. Would you be open to making an intro?”

3. Target Investors Based on Past Deals

If an investor has previously backed a startup that overlaps with your domain, your pitch is more likely to resonate. Look at their existing portfolio, find thematic patterns, and tailor your outreach accordingly. Highlight why your business builds on or complements their prior interests.

4. Engage with Local Ecosystems — Not Just in Berlin

While Berlin is a hub, strong investors exist in Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, and across university innovation ecosystems. Leverage:

• Accelerator networks (e.g. UnternehmerTUM, TechQuartier)
  
  
• University spinouts (TUM, HHL, RWTH, WHU)
  
  
• Regional demo events and pitch nights
  
  

These communities often have untapped angel capital and close-knit referral networks.

5. Create Visibility Through Thought Leadership

Investors pay attention to founders who articulate their thinking publicly. Publish regular updates on your traction, your market insights, or product lessons learned. Focus on consistency over virality. End your posts with subtle signals like:

“We’re preparing for our pre-seed round. If you’re an operator or investor in this space, I’d welcome a conversation.”

Preparing the Pitch Deck: What Matters and What Doesn’t

A pitch deck is not just a formality — it’s a litmus test for clarity of thought. Investors review hundreds per year. To stand out, structure yours with precision and focus on what drives conviction.

Core Slides to Include

• Problem
  
  
• Solution
  
  
• Market Size and Opportunity
  
  
• Product Overview (with visuals)
  
  
• Business Model
  
  
• Traction and Key Metrics (e.g. MRR, DAUs, retention rates)
  
  
• Go-to-Market Strategy (launch plan, distribution strategy)
  
  
• Competitive Landscape
  
  
• Team
  
  
• Financial Projections
  
  
• Funding Ask and Use of Funds
  
  

Keep it under 15 slides. Include real metrics, screenshots, and one-liners that demonstrate clear thinking. Avoid buzzwords. Investors prefer evidence over enthusiasm.

What German Investors in Particular Want

• Conservative, rational projections — overly optimistic numbers are red flags
  
  
• Clear insight into your burn rate and runway
  
  
• Strong focus on product-market fit and early traction
  
  
• A team that combines credibility with domain knowledge
  
  

Transparency builds trust. Don’t shy away from discussing risk — show how you’ve thought it through. For example:

“Customer acquisition costs are still volatile” or “Product adoption outside our core niche is untested.”

Making the Pitch: From Deck to Decision

When you’re in the room (or on the call), your job is not just to present — it’s to demonstrate control, credibility, and conviction.

Focus on Timing and Urgency

Investors want to understand why this opportunity matters now. Highlight regulatory shifts, market gaps, or customer behavior changes that make your solution urgent.

Know Your Numbers

Every founder should be ready to answer:

• What’s your current monthly burn?
  
  
• What’s your CAC vs. LTV?
  
  
• How long is your sales cycle?
  
  
• What are your retention rates?
  
  

Having this data at your fingertips signals that you run a tight ship.

Frame the Round Strategically

If you already have interest or commitments, use that to drive momentum:

“We’re raising €300K and already have €75K committed from two strategic angels.”

This creates social proof and a sense of progress.

Simplifying the Legal and Cap Table Complexity with Tokenize.it

Onboarding investors is where most fundraising momentum breaks down — especially when dealing with multiple angels or smaller checks. In Germany, each investor often requires notary appointments, cap table changes, and a legal review. This is time-consuming and expensive.

Tokenize.it eliminates that bottleneck.

What Tokenize.it Enables

• Issue virtual shares representing economic rights — fully compliant under German law
  
  
• Onboard multiple investors (5 or 50) without altering your GmbH shareholder structure
  
  
• Eliminate notary overhead and paperwork delays
  
  
• Manage contracts, KYC, and investment terms in one digital workflow
  
  

This approach is ideal for community rounds, customer-led investing, or syndicates of smaller checks that would otherwise be operationally prohibitive.

Practical Use Cases

• Raising €100K from early adopters or angels with immediate, individual closes
  
  
• Allowing advisors to invest without restructuring GmbH  ownership or giving away voting rights
  
  
• Opening community rounds without the need for SPVs before engaging larger VCs
  
  

Tokenize.it provides the infrastructure to do this with speed, compliance, and clarity.

Conclusion

Raising capital in Germany is absolutely achievable — but it requires more than a standard process. Successful founders build momentum by activating their networks creatively, preparing thoughtful materials, and closing with operational efficiency.

Finding the right investors is just the first step. Making it easy for them to say yes — and onboarding them without friction — is where great founders differentiate themselves.

To learn more about how Tokenize.it supports founders with legally clean, scalable investment infrastructure, get in touch with our team.

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