Rethink Ventures Research
Investment Thesis
Rethink Ventures is a specialist, Munich-based early-stage venture fund exclusively focused on the transformation of mobility, logistics, and transportation. Co-founded by Jens-Philipp Klein (formerly Atlantic Labs) and Matthias Schanze (formerly Siemens-backed Next47, where he led the mobility practice), the firm believes the transportation sector - responsible for roughly 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions - is undergoing a generational shift toward digital, automated, and sustainable operations. Rethink backs founders building the technologies that drive that shift and pairs capital with direct access to an automotive and logistics corporate network to help portfolio companies win customers and establish partnerships. The firm is an SFDR Article-8 fund, meaning positive environmental impact is a formal part of its investment mandate, not just a marketing angle.
Sector Focus
Rethink organizes its thesis around four areas of expertise within transportation:
- Vehicle Technologies - next-generation vehicles that are digital, autonomously operated, and sustainable
- Mobility - clean, comfortable, safe, and affordable mobility for everyone
- Logistics - digital, automated, and sustainable logistics operations
- Energy - new powertrains and infrastructure for a clean, emission-free transportation future
In practice the portfolio spans autonomous off-road vehicles (driveblocks), maritime and retail robotics (Nautica Technologies, Cota Robotics), EV charging and energy management (Delta Charge, eMabler, Deftpower), freight and logistics software (cargomotion, Rail-Flow, Logistikbude/Loopario, s2data, shipzero), automotive data and insurance-adjacent AI (Good2Know, InsureVision, Sandra AI), and used-EV marketplaces (Eccasion).
Stage Focus
Rethink is an early-stage fund investing primarily from Seed through Series A, frequently as the first institutional investor. The portfolio also includes a meaningful number of Pre-Seed checks (Cota Robotics, Supplied, Fleevo, Deftpower), so effective stage coverage runs Pre-Seed through Series A, with later rounds in the portfolio (e.g., Rail-Flow's €12.5M Series A) typically representing follow-on funding rounds led by other investors rather than new Rethink-led entries.
Check Size
External data (Capital Atlas) puts Rethink's typical check size at roughly $530K-$5.3M, consistent with a €50M fund built for concentrated early-stage bets plus reserves for follow-ons.
Lead Tendency
Rethink positions itself as "often coming in as first institutional investor" and has led or co-led several rounds (Delta Charge's $4.3M raise alongside Vireo; Nautica Technologies' $4.0M raise alongside b2ventures). It also appears as a continuing investor in later rounds led by other firms (Rail-Flow's Series A led by Trill Impact, Bonsai Partners, and Climentum; Shipzero's round led by ETF Partners), indicating a mixed lead/follow posture depending on stage and syndicate.
Recent Activity
Fund status is actively deploying. Rethink's first and only disclosed vehicle is a €50M ($51.6M AUM) fund announced in March 2023. Recent portfolio activity into 2026 includes new investments in Cota Robotics (Pre-Seed, robotic retail automation, ~August 2026), Eccasion (used-EV marketplace, ~April 2026), Good2Know (AI vehicle-data platform, Seed, 2026), and cargomotion (AI freight automation, 2026), alongside 2025 vintage deals in Delta Charge, Hyperdrives, Skypuzzler, pyck, Supplied, and Nautica Technologies.
Portfolio Highlights
The portfolio spans roughly 23 companies across Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, France, Estonia, Finland, Austria, Sweden, and Denmark. Notable names include driveblocks (autonomous off-road vehicle stack for agriculture, construction, and defense), Rail-Flow (rail freight marketplace and SaaS, 80+ employees, 350+ customers), NAVIT (corporate mobility budget platform), shipzero (freight emissions tracking, 30M+ tracked transports), and Eccasion (used-EV marketplace founded by the ex-Swapfiets founders). No exits or acquisitions were identified in public sources as of this research.
Team
- Jens-Philipp Klein, General Partner and Co-Founder - former Partner at Atlantic Labs; board experience with Cluno, Vimcar, and Wandelbots
- Matthias Schanze, General Partner and Co-Founder - former head of the mobility practice at Next47 (Siemens-backed VC); built Beyond1435 and the Next47 Catalyst program
- Romina Affé, Operations & Communications
- Mark Werner, Associate - prior experience at Celonis, Ocean Insights/project44, and Siemens Mobility
- Michael Buchinger, Associate - prior experience at Allianz X (Insurtech/Fintech growth investing)
- Lukas Loers, Investor - former CCO at Wunder Mobility, ex-ViaID (Mobivia's mobility VC fund)
- Artur Hasselbach, Venture Partner - co-founder and former CFO of Orderbird
- Sven von Loh, Venture Partner - founder of LeasingTime.de (exited to AutoScout24/LeasingMarkt Group)
- Heiko Huber, Venture Partner - co-founder of EGYM, former McKinsey and Siemens NEXT47
- Aaron Gaba, Venture Partner - prior VC and BD experience across mobility, consumer, and retail, including HP Ventures
Decision Process
Rethink operates as a partnership led by its two General Partners (Klein and Schanze), supported by an associate/analyst bench and a group of operationally focused Venture Partners who bring sector expertise and network access rather than day-to-day deal execution.
Founder Preferences
Rethink favors technical and domain-expert founders building within its four core transportation pillars - many with engineering PhDs or backgrounds from institutions like TUM, ETH Zurich, and EPFL (driveblocks, Nautica Technologies), as well as repeat/experienced entrepreneurs with prior exits (Eccasion's founders previously built and scaled Swapfiets).
Geographic Focus
Pan-European, with a home base in Munich and a portfolio concentrated in Germany but reaching the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, France, the Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Sweden), Estonia, and Austria.