Frank Thelen is the Founder and CEO of Freigeist Capital, a German venture firm where he focuses. See portfolio, sector focus and contact routes.
Frank Thelen is the Founder and CEO of Freigeist Capital, a German venture firm where he focuses on early-phase and deep tech seed investments after founding and managing over 10 technology companies since 1994. His investment thesis targets pre-seed through Series A stages in deep technology, artificial intelligence, mobility, and aerospace, with a global geo-scope centered on European innovation. Thelen typically acts as a lead investor, having been the first investor in notable startups, though specific check sizes are not publicly detailed in available sources. His portfolio includes prominent companies such as Lilium Aviation, Wunderlist, Xentral ERP Software, and EnduroSat, alongside investments in RobCo and YFood. A distinctive point of view is his advocacy for exponential technology and disruptive innovation, articulated in his bestselling books *Startup-DNA* (2018) and *10xDNA* (2020). He further shares insights on technology trends through his newsletter *Innovation Pulse* and maintains over one million social media followers. Thelen also gained public recognition as a seven-year judge on Germany’s *Die Höhle der Löwen* (Shark Tank),
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