Germany’s Uplift Ventures launches €100 million fund to tackle Europe’s DeepTech funding gap

Uplift Ventures, the Hamburg- and Berlin-based venture platform, has launched its first €100 million venture capital fund to invest in Europe’s next generation of DeepTech startups and founders.

Backed by its parent company, German intralogistics group Jungheinrich, the fund will invest in up to 20 startups and selected DeepTech funds, primarily across Europe and the US. Uplift Ventures aims to build a global network that provides continued support to founders beyond their initial investment.

“DeepTech requires patient capital and partners who understand both industrial challenges and entrepreneurial ambition. Uplift Ventures invests in the next generation of industrial leaders, making them an important partner for Jungheinrich, firstly with world class financial returns and with immense value for our 2030+ strategy,” said Dr. Lars Brzoska, CEO, Jungheinrich.

Founded in 2025, Uplift Ventures operates as an independently managed venture platform backed by Jungheinrich. The firm has already built compliance automation startup turnus.ai in-house and invested in several European DeepTech funds.

With Europe home to established industrial leaders such as ABB, Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Rolls-Royce, Uplift Ventures aims to use the region’s industrial expertise as a foundation for building the next generation of globally competitive technology companies.

The firm says its €100 million DeepTech fund is designed to address a major funding gap in Europe’s technology ecosystem, particularly the limited availability of capital for ambitious DeepTech startups at the late Seed and Series A stages.

The fund will focus on four key sectors: physical AI, energy, enterprise AI, and logistics. Uplift Ventures plans to take a flexible approach to investments, serving as a lead, co-lead, or participating investor depending on the needs of founders and individual funding rounds.

Christian Noske has joined Uplift Ventures as Founding General Partner to lead the new fund. He joins the existing leadership team of Kerk Wichmann, Christina Hammes, and Maike Steding.

Noske brings more than a decade of experience in DeepTech investing. He previously led European investments at NGP Capital and was a founding partner at BMW i Ventures and Alliance Ventures. His previous investments include The Exploration Company, ANYbotics, Tekion, Dataloop, and WeRide. He also hosts the podcast DeepTech Unleashed.

“We’ve spent years investing in Deep Tech and have seen both the many ways these companies can fail and what it takes to build exceptional outcomes. I’m excited about launching Uplift Ventures’ new fund: Europe needs dedicated Deep Tech investors who are in it for the long run. Founders build great companies—we’re here to have their backs and provide resources, experience and a global perspective,” said Noske.

Noske will be supported by an investment team comprising Katharina Schild, Lukas Böttcher, Susan Suzart, and Helge Jelinski. Collectively, the team has experience at firms including Cathay Innovation, Speedinvest, Mimic Robotics, and Start Global, and has previously backed more than 30 startups across a range of technology sectors.

Uplift Ventures plans to expand its team further in the coming months as it begins making its first investments in 2026.