Deutsche Börse Group announced today that it has invested in the first German growth fund for fast-expanding B2B-software companies. The fund has been initiated by Digital+ Partners; and the first subscription tranche of the ’Digital Growth Fund I’ has been closed with an amount of 131.5 million euros. Deutsche Börse has invested jointly with other institutional investors from Germany such as ZEISS. With its fund, Digital+ Partners contributes to the successful digitization of the German industry and the financial sector.

“Innovative and fast-growing companies are essential to our economic development. And so we support initiatives to ease their access to capital. Our investment in the fund launched by Digital+ Partners is the perfect supplement to our own direct investments in fintech firms via the DB1 Ventures platform,” said Carsten Kengeter, CEO of Deutsche Börse AG.

The ’Digital Growth Fund I’ invests directly and exclusively in technology companies with established, successful business models, which generate revenues between 5 to 25 million euros, and have a broad base of existing clients. The average investment per company – distributed over several tranches – has a target value of between 20 and 30 million euros, and an investment horizon of 5 years.

Digital+ Partners was founded in July 2015 with a view to strengthening growth financing for B2B companies in Germany. Digital+ Partners aims to build global world market leaders from Germany, the ’next-generation German Mittelstand’ (SME sector).