Critical Ventures

We invest in early-stage R&D-focused individuals and teams solving complex technical challenges with large potential for commercial application. INVESTMENT AREAS We like to invest in teams building solutions in these technical domains: Software++AI & ML Big Data AR, VR & XR Cybersecurity Cloud/DevSecOps Distributed systems Performance computing Life SciencePersonalized medicine Drug discovery software Precision medicine Biofabrication Digital twins Organoids other BioTech, MedTech HardwareRobotics Automation IoT Industry 4.0 Nanotechnology Material Science Space

With offices in Europe, Silicon Valley, Boston, China and Israel, we are working with Deep-tech companies worldwide. Having our investment sweet spot in early stage we are also looking into later stage companies, as well as seed stage in selected cases. We prefer to syndicate our investments with existing or new investors in the company and can take the lead, co-lead or follow as necessary. Beyond the financial commitment, startups receive access to our vast network and support in commercial collaborations. At a glance:Up to EUR 25m per Company Up to 25% Equity Position and 100% Commitment Focus AreasAI / Deep Learning Automation & Digitalization Semiconductor & Next Generation Computer AR / VR Mobility Solutions Automation & ElectrificationElectronics & power electronics Sensors, actuators, and MEMS devices Electric systems, incl. robotics Autonomous systems Enabling TechnologiesConnectivity Signal processing and interpretation Human-Machine-Interface (HMI) Modern software technologies Web/internet based business models Climate TechLocal generation & energy harvesting Local distribution & storage Efficiency of energy conversion Energy management Environmental technologies HealthcareLab and point of care patient diagnostics Chronic diseases management with focus on pulmonary conditions Cancer diagnostics and treatment progress E-health devices, sensors, applications and services

Sierra Ventures invests in the future of The Enterprise. We invest early – primarily Seed and Series A – and look for proven product market fit, disruption in the market, and strong IP. We tend to lead investment rounds and reserve capital for follow on rounds to support our entrepreneurs as they grow. We believe that partnership is paramount. We work closely with all of the entrepreneurs we invest in, guiding them with expertise and capital to help their companies grow and deliver on their promise. We understand that great companies don’t get built overnight, and we don’t mind rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty. In fact, we enjoy it. Sierra’s Investment FocusDATA/AI The volume of data has exploded, and with the emergence of the cloud, new tools are being developed with many data infrastructure software platforms focusing specifically on artificial intelligence (AI) & machine learning (ML). We’re excited about companies that make it easier to ingest, access, and analyze data. Sub-sectors within Data/AI include AI/ML and Big Data. VERTICAL SAAS Many industries that rely on excel or pen and paper have been forced to dramatically increase the pace of technology adoption. Vertical SaaS represents the shift to specialization where software is business-specific and is designed for a specific domain. Sub-sectors within Vertical SaaS include FinTech, EnterpriseApps, and Security. INFRASTRUCTURE Next-Gen Infrastructure will be the core connecting fabric for all future technology capabilities. Wide-scale improvement is needed in order to enable applications to run consistently in almost any location across the globe. Organizations have expedited infrastructure modernization strategies which continues to drive growth in the sector. Sub-sectors within Infrastructure include Cloud and IoT. Next-Gen TechnologiesDIGITAL HEALTH Adoption of Health software has been faster than ever before due to the pandemic tailwind and technology trends that put the consumer in charge. New tools are being developed to reach patients creating opportunities with Pharma, Providers, and Payers. We anticipate a dramatic shift towards more value based care (payer / provider) and digitization and decentralization (pharma). WEB3 Web3 promises to make the internet as accessible, open sourced, secure, and decentralized as possible with the goal of benefiting the people engaging, not central organizations. We are looking at the full Web3 ecosystem including Decentralized Applications (DApps), Decentralized Finance (DeFi), Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), Cryptocurrencies, and more. A sub-sector we focus on within Web3 includes Blockchain. INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION Digitally non-native industries like Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Logistics are seeking ways to find cost parity and production reliability while adhering to increasing demand across the globe. Humans alone will not be able to keep pace with these market trends and automation will be a key driver in movements like Industry 4.0. Sub-sectors within Industrial Automation include Robotics and Devices. CONSUMER The ubiquity of smartphones has enabled consumers to access goods and services with relative ease and companies are tuning into customer needs and engaging with their increasingly loyal customer base, leading to viral adoption patterns. Additionally, Consumer social platforms have allowed individuals to express themselves and make money doing it, giving more power to the “Creator Economy”. We are interested in Creator Economy and mission driven D2C Applications & Marketplaces. ECOMMERCE A fast growing eCommerce market has been bolstered by the pandemic and every part of the value chain is seeing disruption. The eCommerce software market is driven by market trends like headless eCommerce and ReCommerce. B2B eCommerce has exploded globally and we think the US market will catch up in the coming years. A sub-sector we focus on within eCommerce is Marketplaces. EDTECH Digital and tech-enabled learning has been accelerated in the classroom and the boardroom by the pandemic and social trends such as “the great resignation”. Trends like VR/AR and the Metaverse becoming mainstream combined with the price of enablement devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers decreasing to make technology more accessible than ever have created a market that is ripe for EdTech to flourish.

Us We are the radically human venture capital firm. We are here to make sure you’re always in good company on the rather bumpy ride of fast-paced growth. We’re a team that knows scaling. Its many paths and painful pitfalls. Of course, more money can make a difference. However, being in good company makes all the difference. You You’re a fast growing tech scale-up in Europe. You're thinking about a Series A or B round of investment. You’re looking to work with like-minded people to build a meaningful company. Let’s get to know each other. The sooner the better, because let’s be honest, you also value having a relationship well before you need any funding. We are keen to work with ready-to-scale European tech companies in the following categories: Data and Intelligence; Software Services, Digital Models. We do not invest in Life Sciences, Clean Tech, Gaming Studios, Digital Media, Ad-Tech. We do not invest in companies based outside of Europe or at the pre-seed stage. The very earliest stages are critical, challenging, and essential, but we focus on early growth. Tech we like We have a vision of the future. We are looking for like minds who will shape this future. Our investment ideas are based on fundamental trends in specific areas of technology. Areas where we can make a real contribution with our experience and network. Smart Building Blocks We see a world where intelligence is no longer centrally accessed through ONE single point. Instead, it is distributed in an omnipresent fashion around the end user. Connectivity, cloud architecture and continued miniaturization of hardware are laying the foundations for new, exciting categories. We look for teams that are building category leading companies in Next Generation Networks | Virtualization | IoT Platforms | Big Data | Machine Learning | Smart Hardware and Robotics. Accessible Software In our opinion it’s clear that enterprise users want consumer level simplicity. While consumers want the power of sophisticated technology. These user groups are converging towards software applications that offer the best of both worlds. We’re looking for web and mobile services companies where smart software tools can be applicable to users in both a personal and professional context. Categories include: Productivity and Collaboration Tools | File Management | Analytics. Digital Transacting Technology has widened circles of trust and diminished transaction costs. As a result, consumption habits are changing fast. We see great opportunities for companies to unbundle the traditional service economy through digital models. As well as companies that can support the foundations of these new models through improved security, authentication and easier payment and fulfilment. Categories we’re interested in include: Marketplaces | Payment Services | Fin-Tech Platforms | Digital Security | Identity Solutions. How we like to work Every venture firm promotes their added value activities. We know that. Heck, some even have a talent pool ready to help with the design of your next logo. These are mostly used as a means to propel an investment once the ink has dried on the contracts. But there is life before the deal. We invest time first, money later. Our approach is to start by sharing our network, experience and capabilities. Well before any investment possibility arises. We believe getting to know each other, gaining trust and proving demonstrable value, are the foundations for a long-term relationship. We hope you agree. Ultimately, this approach helps both sides gain a higher degree of conviction when the actual opportunity to invest arises. We always stick to our promises, providing a fast and fair investment process. Sometimes our conversations are not followed by a capital investment. Time spent with the right people is never a waste. We also learn every day. When we do invest, we'll make sure that you’re in great company. Because money can sometimes make a difference but being in good company makes all the difference. That's why we're radically human in everything we do.

After managing two successful funds, we now present YourNest Innovative Products VC Fund III. Focused on disruptive technologies to enhance the way mankind leverages the value of time, this US$ 75 mn fund will invest in startup founders across a spectrum of DeepTech domains: AI, IoT, Robotics, AR/VR/MR, Dev. Tools, Edge Cloud and other Digital products. As always, our intent is to create an opportunity for Indian entrepreneurs to scale into global markets with IP-led innovations: many of our portfolio companies in YourNest VC Fund II have secured patents and attracted customers in international markets. As a pioneering, pre-Series A, early-stage venture capital fund established in 2011 to support audacious startups building life-changing businesses, YourNest strongly believes in the human capability and works with the dictum of ‘what is impossible today is routine tomorrow’. We believe, too, that we are Challengineers: a team that actively pushes boundaries and engineers outcomes, standing shoulder to shoulder with our founders and supporting them with ‘Nurture Capital’. With an established network of professionals, innovators, business leaders, advisors and mentors, we offer the most enabling eco-system for any startup whose business is validated by customers. Our team prides itself on identifying committed entrepreneurs with the highest level of integrity, enabling their business ambitions and helping them to scale for international markets. In 2020, we launched our fast-track funding program SOAR which invested in five startups. The year also saw us exiting Uniphore and SmartQ from our first fund – YourNest Angel Fund – with a 0.7x DPI. Between the two funds, we are confident of multiple exits to deliver significant returns to our investors in the foreseeable future. Investment Thesis With the rise of entrepreneurs and the growth of startups in the past few years, we believe there are critical sectors, rooted in technology, that will fuel the next level of disruption in the coming decade. YourNest Innovative Products Fund-III will primarily seek to invest in enterprise-oriented, innovative, IP-led, tech-product startups. Its mission is to select products that are built around emerging technologies and have applications at scale. These product companies could be in sectors including Mobile Internet, Cloud Technology, Automation of Knowledge Work, Low-code or No-code Platforms, AI-based Cybersecurity, IOT, Edge Computing, Digital Twinning, Autonomous Technologies, Robotics, Electronic System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM). The focus of the Fund will be to invest in unlisted companies. The investment may start at an early seed stage and continue investing in promising companies at various stages of their growth. One or more rounds are likely to be made with co-investment from other investor(s) who may be an individual or an institution or an AIF or international investor such that the risk and reward of the portfolio company’s success is shared. ESG Policy Statement The YourNest Capital Advisors Pvt Ltd. i.e. Investment Manager (“IM”) of the Fund, commits to being a responsible investor, considering environmental, social and governance issues across all its investments. The IM is committed to comply with its ESG policy, applicable laws of the land and to be responsive to existing and emerging ESG concerns. We adhere to our responsibility to people and the planet while setting the stage for long-term success. Through ESG integration in our investment approach, we will endeavour to maximise business and investment opportunities. ESG integration will enable us to grow and improve the companies in which we invest, for long-term value generation opportunities for the benefit of all stakeholders. At the same time, we believe that ESG integration will help mitigate any liability, credit, market or reputation risks emanating from such issues. Nurture Capital Philosophy YourNest is a sharply focused early-stage DeepTech VC fund from India. The first fund established in 2012, raised US$ 14 mn and has several companies in the portfolio that have had multiple up-rounds and are on their way to a 4X+ return. Having completely invested its first two funds, YourNest is currently raising its third fund of US$ 75 mn to invest in Indian start-ups with a focus on DeepTech domains like AI, IoT, Robotics, AR/VR/MR, Dev. Tools, Edge Cloud and other Digital products. The YourNest team combines what may well be India’s widest access to prospective investees along with a rigorously prudent selection process that enables us to stay true to our investment thesis of nurturing high-potential entrepreneurs. In addition, we give our investors transparent access and exposure to high-growth, under-the-radar tech start-ups in India. In a country where entrepreneurship is encouraged but comes with its own challenges, the Indian DeepTech eco-system is rapidly evolving. As local Fund Managers, the YourNest team of experienced partners operates as unified enablers who have become adept at spotting emerging enterprises, nurturing and guiding them up the ladder of success. With a leadership coach as a founding partner, other partners bring complementary skillsets that including M&A, Financial Governance & Restructuring, Executive Development, Deal Flow Management, Building Intellectual Property and Global Scale. Brand building, Marketing and HR Practices are other competencies which have been added via the Venture Partners and Entrepreneur-in-Residence and are available to the portfolio companies. Our portfolio companies benefit from:‘Nurture Capital’ rather than plain ‘Venture Capital’. Our ability to mentor and coach entrepreneurs of investee companies. Our advisory expertise in key entrepreneurial matters: strategy, compliance, legal, HR, secretarial, talent sourcing, etc. Our network of corporates and individuals who can collectively multiply advantage for our investees.

We are looking for entrepreneurs and their brilliant ideas. We want to be there when technologies call entire industries into question. Since 2014, we have seen this as both an opportunity and a challenge. Today, DvH Ventures is one of the most active early-stage investors in Europe managing various venture capital funds from its offices in Cologne and Vienna. Our story began with our first venture capital fund and the significant backing of publisher Dieter von Holtzbrinck. We focused our early stage investments on publishing-related, digital business models and supported startups from then on not only with funding, but also with an enormous media reach of the publishing groups Handelsblatt, Tagesspiegel and DIE ZEIT. This fund was soon followed by a dedicated investment fund with a focus on Fintechs and InsurTechs and fund investors from the banking and insurance industries. Thanks to the business-related media, we were able to build up one of the most successful FinTech portfolios with such stars as LIQID, Compeon or Nect. Both funds are now disinvesting. Today, we operate two independent and very active early-stage investment funds. With DvH Ventures Fund III, our Digital Tech Fund, we have been investing primarily in deep tech and education startups since 2017. This enabled us to attract the founders and potential of companies such as LiveEO, StudySmarter, Masterplan or buynomics at an early stage. In August 2020, DvH Ventures launched a new €60 million Digital Health Fund in the first closing, which invests in technologies across Europe that solve future healthcare challenges. OUR APPROACH As an independent venture capital fund, we invest in early investment rounds with initial tickets between € 500k and € 2m, often acting as lead investor. In addition to financial resources, we support our portfolio companies with management expertise and an international investor network. An exclusive media-for-equity program also offers access to strong brands such as Handelsblatt, WirtschaftsWoche, DIE ZEIT and Apotheken Umschau, and thus an enormous reach into the respective target groups. INVESTMENT FOCUS We invest in ideas whose success we believe in. We are building successful investment clusters including but not limited to the fields of digital health, education or financial services and will stay hungry for more digital innovations. These can be ideas in artificial intelligence, enterprise software, Internet of Things and Big Data. The same applies to mobility, energy or the future of work. On the other hand, some of our most successful startups are those with ideas that we hadn't even thought of yet. So, if you want to pitch convincing ideas that don't come from the areas mentioned above – we'd ❤️ to hear about them.