Despite the Trump administration's tariffs impacting target sectors, Bosch Ventures has launched a sixth fund, focusing on deep tech.
Photo credit: P. L. on Unsplash
Bosch Ventures has announced a new €250m ($284m) deep tech fund despite the growing economic uncertainty affecting its target sectors.
It is the sixth fund to be managed by Bosch Ventures, the CVC arm of the German multinational engineering and technology company Robert Bosch. It will focus on energy efficiency and AI startups.
“With disruptive technologies, startups can boost innovation in a way that delivers important growth impetus for a country’s economy. That is why we want to remain a reliable partner for the startup sector worldwide, even in an adverse business environment,” said Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of Robert Bosch.
The Trump administration’s tariff policy has created uncertainty for hardware startups, a category Bosch Ventures typically invests in. Founders and investors are now worried that startups relying on intricate cross-border supply chains will be taxed heavily. Similarly, the administration’s rhetoric on energy policy has led to a decline in climate tech investment in the US, although this is thought to be drawing investors to Europe.
Bosch Ventures was founded in 2007 and has offices worldwide, including in the US, Europe, China and Israel. It invests in six to ten companies a year and its portfolio currently consists of over 60 active investments.
These span tech areas including AI, semiconductors and autonomous systems, as well as climate tech and healthcare. Its portfolio includes the Chinese autonomous driving company TrunkTech, German AI company Aleph Alpha, and US company Li Industries, which is working to develop technologies for a circular supply chain for lithium-ion batteries.
Bosch Ventures is also one of a small number of CVC units investing in quantum computing startups. Most recently, it backed UK startup Quantum Motion, which makes silicon-housed qubits designed to be scaled.
Commenting on the new fund’s focus, Ingo Ramesohl, managing director of Bosch Ventures, said “We invest in particular in deep-tech startups, which are based on scientific breakthroughs or technological innovations.”
“These young companies have great potential to bring about fundamental market change.”
