ZOHO.VC, a newly spun-out venture capital firm born from Nuremberg-based ZOLLHOF – Tech Incubator, has announced a first close on its inaugural fund at roughly 70% of its €10 million target, about ten months ahead of its planned final close. The fund currently stands at approximately €7 million and is backed by a limited partner base that includes entrepreneurial families and startup founders.
The new vehicle is focused on pre-seed and seed investments in technology-driven startups that benefit from close proximity to the ZOLLHOF ecosystem, including companies coming out of ZOLLHOF’s incubation program, as well as selected co-investment opportunities. The team is emphasizing deep tech and university spin-offs across both software and hardware, aiming to pair capital with hands-on access to ZOLLHOF’s network of corporate partners, technology experts, and co-investors.
Alongside fundraising, ZOHO.VC says it has already completed five investments, including Merge Labs. The firm is led by partners Dennis Kirpensteijn and Benjamin Bauer, with Nicolas Sievers as Principal, and it has signaled that continued demand and an expanding pipeline could support an increase in fund size beyond the original €10 million target during 2026.
KEY QUOTE:
“Securing 70% of our capital by the First Closing is a massive vote of confidence from our LPs. They support us not only with capital but with their own networks, expert knowledge across a variety of industries and technologies, and immense entrepreneurial experience. It also shows that our approach – being deeply rooted in the operational startup ecosystem – strikes a chord in today’s market.”
Dennis Kirpensteijn, General Partner, ZOHO.VC
