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Gründerfonds Ruhr is a venture capital fund based in Essen, which invests in early stage startups that drive innovation and change. Our foundation was laid in 2017 with the launch of our first fund. Since then, Gründerfonds Ruhr has been an investor partner for startups, providing financial capital to ambitious founding teams from various industries. In October 2024, we closed our second fund, Gründerfonds Ruhr II, with an initial fund volume of €31M to back the next generation of founders from the Ruhr region and beyond. We invest in seed stage B2B startups that have the potential to become market leaders in their market segment. We are active across Germany with a focus on the Ruhr region and we are not only providing financial capital, but also our entrepreneurial expertise and access to the industry through a leading network of international corporations.

We invest in and support ambitious entrepreneurs to get them where they want to go, whether at early stages with sights on the US market, or at later stages looking to the potential of Europe. Frontline today is a team of 17 people with a growing portfolio of over 80 exceptional companies across Europe and North America, and an expanding, global, investor base. EXPERTS IN EXPANSION Founders see what the world misses. In fast pursuit of opportunity, you make critical decisions with little certainty. We get it, because we’ve been there. Frontline is the venture firm for globally ambitious B2B companies on both sides of the Atlantic. Frontline Seed speeds up ideas at inception across Europe. Frontline X is a growth-stage fund, for fast and frictionless US-Europe expansion. WE'VE LEARNED IT THE HARD WAY As a team of entrepreneurs, we have built many businesses, many ways. And as a venture fund, we’ve helped tens of founders and CEOs cross the pond. We’ve scaled too – with team members in Dublin, London and San Francisco. Today, our team, LPs and advisors represent senior leadership at many of the world’s most successful B2B companies (Think: Segment, Stripe, Looker, Linkedin, Airtable, Google and Workday – to name a few). Collectively, we can add value when founders need it most – at company defining moments. CAPITAL IS CHEAP Look around; the venture market is drowning in noise. Hundreds of funds and millions of blogposts – all claiming to “add value” left and right. We believe that capital is cheap, and we know that value-add is not made equal. Our focus is clear; we back challengers with global ambition, and we dedicate our time to helping them fly higher – faster. Our experience makes us knowledgeable. Our global network makes us unique. Want more detail or first-hand accounts? we are happy to introduce you to our founders. SYMBIOSIS In nature, the best things work together. We see the landscape ahead and can warn you of the risks, while you stay strong and focused on your goals. Indispensable; that’s how we see our relationship.

We're an early stage venture capital limited partnership championing the next generation of B2B technology startups in Australia and New Zealand. Investing in ambitious founding teams at pre-seed, seed and series A funding. An open letter to startups Hello, it’s nice to meet you. We are Black Nova VC, a team of founders, turned investors. We have successfully built and exited companies and we can empathise with what you’re going through. We get it. We get you. That’s why we believe we can help. We strive to develop long, enduring and strong relationships that last well beyond the exit. We will roll up our sleeves and become an extension of your team in a heartbeat when needed. But we will also give you the time and space to focus on building without getting in your way. We support our portfolio companies with our time, our network, our experiences and our multiple initiatives. Our support is enabled by capital, not the other way around. We are a thematic fund focused on B2B SaaS companies. Our specialisation allows us to go deep in specific areas to the benefit of our portfolio companies. We want our best ambassadors to be our portfolio companies. We understand that investing is a two way street and a strong culture fit and capabilities between a VC and the portfolio company is key to make the relationship successful. That’s why we invest time to get to know each other before deciding to work together. On that note, if you have an idea, a company ready to raise capital or just want to reach out to discuss anything, reach out to hello@blacknova.vc. Onwards and Upwards, The Black Nova VC Team We invest in out of this world founders, building companies in the B2B SaaS technology spaceGetting a foot in the door It all starts with the intro, and honestly, we don’t mind where it comes from. Whether it’s a hot, warm or even cold intro, we look forward to speaking with you. Meet us at events, online or, if you fit the B2B SaaS category and want to chat, you can even send us your pitch deck. It’s great to meet you! From here we take a look at your pitch deck and do some light due diligence to see if the stars align. If you fit the mandate and we think we can help we will set up a pitch meeting. If not we will send you a quick email to let you know that we won’t proceed further and why that is. The Pitch Great! The stars have aligned, next step, you will sit down (in person or virtually) with a member of the Black Nova team to tell us more about your business. Here we will ask questions to deep dive into the company. Part of the meeting is also for you to ask us questions; it’s always a two-way street. The deep dive continues as we conduct further due diligence on you and the business. We most probably need additional meetings at this stage but we always try to find the right balance between getting to know each other but not taking much of your time. At this stage we will ask you to share specific data with us relative to the stage you are at (we really try to keep our data requests to the bare minimum and not divert you from building). If at this point we decide to bow out, we will let you know and offer feedback. Alternatively, once we have finished the due diligence we will discuss the opportunity to partner with you over our Investment Committee. At the investment committee meeting we may invite you to ask our final burning questions and answer any more questions you may have. Decision Time The final stage! We don’t want to keep you waiting so we aim to have a decision for you as quickly as possible. We aim to complete the whole process, from first meeting to money in the bank- in 6-8 weeks max. However, the truth is that sometimes we may need more time than that. This is because ensuring there is a cultural fit is a top priority and this may take time. If we do not go ahead with investment for this round we will be sure to provide feedback and happy to jump on a call to discuss. If it’s a yes… congratulations! We are looking forward to working with you and seeing your business grow. Black Nova Investment ThesisWe invest predominantly in Australian and B2B SaaS companies at the pre-Seed, Seed and Series A stages. We are comfortable investing in pre-revenue businesses We are excited with the opportunity to write the first check for ambitious founders When making our decisions, we weight the following: Team Market Product Defensibility Technology

Investment, expertise and network to help startups develop a repeatable, scalable and profitable sales model. Backing ambitious founders, from Seed to Series ABuilding a B2B software company is a rewarding but often also a challenging journey Even with great technology, the trickiest part is often to develop customer traction We back ambitious founders with capital and expertise to get them to their first million in revenue We support founders withInvestment (typically £200k – £2m) Market analysis Sales playbook development Hands-on sales resources Coaching from experienced entrepreneurs Corporate network to help accelerate sales Strong VC network to help raise Series A The SuperSeed AdvantageWe get founders: We have built software, managed product teams and authored multiple patents. And know firsthand how to build B2B tech companies. We get technology: We have authored multiple patents. If you are looking for a partner who understands deep tech, we can help. We get your customers: We have worked >40 years across B2B software and enterprise tech, and we have an Extensive corporate network which helps accelerate sales process for startups We get enterprise sales: We have delivered more than $100m in sales and revenue for B2B software / tech companies.

The VC next door for your path into the world. We believe that anyone with the right idea, ambition and execution can build a category-defining company. Bringing 'Made in Germany' to the digital age Germany has a longstanding reputation for first-class engineering, for high quality products that have a global impact. We believe that the label 'Made in Germany' needs to arrive in the digital age. We believe that the brands shaping the future will be tech companies. And we believe that some of these tech companies can and must be built here. Since our foundation in 2013, we've been supporting daring entrepreneurs from the German-speaking regions in building global category leaders that will shape the decades to come. Investment focus We get in early - from Pre-Seed to Series A. Our main expertise lies in supporting early-stage tech startups in their first crucial decisions: from setting up a finance department to the first executive hires. With our industry network, hands-on approach and our supporting functions such as marketing and finance, we help to turn a business idea into a fully-fledged company. As a VC firm with people on the ground in Cologne, Berlin, and Munich we have a deep-rooted network in the German tech scene. That’s why we strongly focus our investment activities on Germany and the German-speaking regions. That doesn’t rule out deals elsewhere - but we certainly need extra conviction then. Track record We have supported companies on their journeys from Seed right through to IPO. 44 active Capnamic investments 350 million EUR of capital under management 900 million EUR of funds raised by our portfolio companies We believein entrepreneurs changing the world: But they can’t do it all on their own. That’s why we try to play our part by being sparring partners available at all times, by opening doors, or simply by having your back. in empathetic honesty: We have a ‘Bullshit Buzzer’ in our main meeting room for a reason. We’re going to be completely honest with the founders we work with, and they in turn can depend on our loyalty and support. We won’t leave your side when the first rain drops fall. in team, timing, technology: A strong team is the core of every successful startup. But for an idea to thrive, it also needs the right timing and a defensible technology. If you have the three Ts, there’s a good chance you’re at the start of something big. in making our network your network: Having started as a multi-corporate VC with LPs from some of the biggest national and international corporations, we value a strong network above most other things. in realness not the hype: Not every company that gets massive funding has the substance to last. We always form our own opinion and we even tend to get skeptical when things are hyped. But once we’re convinced of a business idea, we give it everything we’ve got. in sparring not steering: We do our best to be active partners, coaches and mentors on an equal footing. But at the end of the day, nobody knows their product, company and market better than the founders.

We are active partners from seed to exit and work closely with visionary founders and teams thoughout the different phases of scaling and internationalization. We find great value in ensuring mutual compatibility and alignment, as well as understanding the DNA of your company, BEFORE committing to working together. We focus on getting to know you and the team, typically during a 3-months period. We’ll work closely with you to understand what value we can bring, and to align expectations from both sides. Together, we will map out the opportunities, the challenges and the growth journey ahead Only then, after this “kissing period”, you and we will know if a partnership feels right. This makes the final decision and commitment feel easy. Introduction & fit People matter…and team dynamics are important to us. Every individual and team is unique and have their own strengths and perspectives, which is why our introductions are preferably done over a cup of coffee, where we can get to know one another. Throughout our interactions we look for fit and common values. We cherish people with strong convictions, with the background and experience to back them up. We do not take a transactional approach to investing, but see this as the beginning of a long-term professional relationship based on integrity and transparency…and yes, working together also needs to be fun! Experts & team building Scale Capital brings more than just capital; we bring decades of know-how, domain expertise and access to relevant networks and stakeholders in Europe and North America. We bring our Scale advisor and investor network into play, with more than 80 industry and domain experts that can bring strategic and operational value, even before we invest in your company. This is way for you, as founder, to assess our value add and expertise before making the big decision of bringing us on board as an investor and active partner. Term-sheet & 100-day plan We believe that term-sheets should be a kept simple, founder-fair and with the future scaling of the company in mind. That means no terms that hinder future fundraising or are misaligning interests of founders and investors. It has to be a win-win situation for all parties involved. Before we close any deal, we actively work with your team to develop an acceleration plan, a 100-day plan covering all aspects of your business. That way everyone is well-aligned by the time the investment is transferred into the company account and ready to be put to work. Access to the Scale network of advisors As a founder, you sometimes need someone to lean on, and learn from. Someone who has been in your shoes; made the mistakes, felt the pains and successes. We understand. That’s why we offer access to a wide network of more than 80 advisors and specialists, who can share operational expertise, industry insights and strategic advice to companies in our portfolio. FAQ Why focus on the US market? The United States is by far the largest economy in the world. It has one of the highest GDP pr. capita and a homogeneous market with 330 million consumers. The technology adoption is high, and the market for B2B technology products and services is the largest in the world. In many ways this is a dream market for ambitious tech entrepreneurs. However, it's a highly competitive market and the go-to-market strategy may look very different from what you are used to in your home market. Scale Capital has been working with technology companies for over a decade and developed and tested approaches for acceleration and scaling in US market; this involves setting up operations, finding product/market fit and scaling teams. In addition, we work with US partners to provide the required growth capital for every part of your journey. Through an extensive network of more than 50 advisors, we provide expertise and value to founders whether it’s on the ground in New York or San Francisco, or the Nordics. We help you win in the US market. What do we invest in? We invest in early stage technology companies at the growth inflection point between the Seed and Series A round and deploy $500k-$1.5M initially, with reserves for follow-on investments. Our sweet spot is B2B tech founder teams in the Nordics, who are determined to build global companies they can be proud of. How do we add value? We understand the entrepreneurs’ journey, as we’ve been down that road ourselves. We know how to listen and when to step in. We have been working with technology companies for over a decade and developed and tested approaches for acceleration and scaling in US market; this involves setting up operations, finding product/market fit and scaling teams, and together with our US partners provide the required growth capital for the journey. We are company builders focused on scaling businesses and empowering change. We are an active partner for the duration of your company's growth journey. Why the kissing period? We find great value in ensuring mutual compatibility and alignment, as well as understanding the DNA of your company, BEFORE committing to working together. We focus on getting to know you and the team, typically during a 3-months period. We’ll work closely with you to understand what value we can bring, and to align expectations from both sides. Together, we will map out the opportunities, the challenges and the growth journey ahead. Only then, after this “kissing period”, you and we will know if a partnership feels right. This makes the final decision and commitment feel easy.