BackBone Ventures

ActiveVenture Capital

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Updated: Jan 22, 2026 ·

Financial History

Total Raised

N/A

Valuation

N/A

Investments Made

Date	Company	Round	Lead Investor(s)	Co-Investor(s)
Oct 1, 2025	Zeeg	$1.0M Seed	—	Moonstone Venture Capital
Oct 1, 2025	Cartography Biosciences	$67.0M Series B	—	Pfizer Venture Investments, Samsara BioCapital, Daniel Vasella, Reinhard Ambros
May 1, 2025	ClearVector	$13.0M Series A	—	Across Capital Partners, Ballistic Ventures, C2 Investment, Flourish Ventures, Hetz Ventures, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Glenn Solomon, Okta Ventures, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, Yousuf Khan, Scale Venture Partners, Snowflake Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, Roland Brack
Sep 1, 2024	Torq	$70.0M Series C	—	Accel, Acrew Capital, Across Capital Partners, B Capital Group, Bessemer Venture Partners, Boldstart Ventures, C2 Investment, CRV, Cyberstarts VC, Evolution Equity Partners, Flourish Ventures, Greylock, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Notable Capital, Obvious Ventures, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, REMUS Capital, S28 Capital, Sapphire Ventures, Signal Peak Ventures, Silicon Valley Connect, Snowflake Ventures, Team8, Tekton Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, TY, U&I Ventures, WndrCo LLC, Alice Lloyd George, Ameet Patel, Arash Ferdowsi, Drew Houston, George Hu, Roland Brack, Shlomo Kramer
Sep 1, 2024	Evoralis	$3.0M Seed	—	—
May 1, 2024	Sigma Computing	$260.0M Series D	—	Across Capital Partners, C2 Investment, Dawn Capital, Flourish Ventures, Menlo Ventures, monashees, NewView Capital, Glenn Solomon, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, Snowflake Ventures, Spark Capital, Trajectory Ventures, Roland Brack
Feb 1, 2024	Proofcheck	$540K Seed	—	—
Jan 1, 2024	Torq	$42.0M Series B	—	Accel, Across Capital Partners, B Capital Group, Bessemer Venture Partners, C2 Investment, CRV, Cyberstarts VC, Flourish Ventures, Greylock, Insight Partners, Menlo Ventures, monashees, NFX, Notable Capital, Obvious Ventures, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, REMUS Capital, S28 Capital, Sapphire Ventures, Signal Peak Ventures, Silicon Valley Connect, Snowflake Ventures, Team8, Tekton Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, TY, WndrCo LLC, Alice Lloyd George, Ameet Patel, Arash Ferdowsi, Drew Houston, George Hu, Roland Brack
Oct 1, 2023	Unitary	$15.0M Series A	—	Creandum, Paladin Capital Group, Point Nine Capital, Possible Ventures, RRE Ventures, TrueSight Ventures, Gloria Baeuerlein, Keith Masback, Kelly Ford, Maximilian Tayenthal, Tom Blomfield
Sep 1, 2023	Tentarix Biotherapeutics	$35.0M Series B	—	Access Biotechnology, Amplitude VC, Andreessen Horowitz, Brendan Bulik-Sullivan, Pfizer Venture Investments, Samsara BioCapital, Versant Ventures, Daniel Vasella, Reinhard Ambros, Shinichiro Fuse
Dec 1, 2022	ClearVector	$3.0M Seed	—	Accel, Across Capital Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, Ballistic Ventures, C2 Investment, Flourish Ventures, Karim Faris, Liquid 2 Ventures, Luv Ventures, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Aaron Jacobson, Norwest Venture Partners, Glenn Solomon, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, Snowflake Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, True Ventures, Dheeraj Pandey, Roland Brack
Nov 1, 2022	amie	$7.0M Seed	—	Across Capital Partners, Amino Collective, Antler, C2 Investment, Creandum, EQT Ventures, Flourish Ventures, Frontline Ventures, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Glenn Solomon, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, Snowflake Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, Chris Murphy, Gloria Baeuerlein, Jonas Rieke, Julius Köhler, Mathias Ockenfels, Michael Wax, Roland Brack, Thijn Lamers, Guillermo Rauch
Sep 1, 2022	Polywork	$28.0M Series B	—	1/1 Capital, Across Capital Partners, Alchemy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Bond, C2 Investment, Coatue, Firework Ventures, Flexsteel Industries Inc., Flourish Ventures, GSV Acceleration, Heretic Ventures, Index Ventures, Mantis VC, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Glenn Solomon, Pareto Holdings, Pear VC, Precursor Ventures, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, S28 Capital, Sequoia Capital, Snowflake Ventures, The Hit Forge, Trajectory Ventures, Union Square Ventures, Charlie Cheever, Chris Fanini, Daniel Kan, Derrick Li, Henry Davis, Ian Hogarth, James Beshara, John Collison, Joshua Reeves, Michael Dell, Odell Beckham Jr., Pau Gasol, Peter Reinhardt, Roland Brack, Tobias Lutke
Aug 1, 2022	HAIR & SKIN	$5.0M Series B	—	—
Jul 1, 2022	Zharta	$4.0M Seed	—	Creandum, Possible Ventures, Gloria Baeuerlein, Kelly Ford, Maximilian Tayenthal
Apr 1, 2022	Procuros	$9.0M Seed	—	2.12 Angels, Cherry Ventures, Creandum, Cupule Ventures, EQT Ventures, Extantia Capital, foobar.vc, Frontline Ventures, FTX Ventures, Index Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, La Famiglia, Northzone, Possible Ventures, Spark Capital, Telescope Partners, Visionaries Club, Chris Murphy, Christian Bertermann, Christian Reber, Dominik Richter, Dylan Field, Hakan Koc, Haroon Mokhtarzada, Johannes Reck, Kelly Ford, Matthias Hilpert, Maximilian Tayenthal
Mar 1, 2022	Exakt Health	$2.0M Seed	—	Creandum, Possible Ventures, Stash Ventures, Gloria Baeuerlein, Kelly Ford, Paul Veugen, Stewart Butterfield, Tuomas Artman
Dec 1, 2021	Sigma Computing	$300.0M Series C	—	Across Capital Partners, C2 Investment, Flourish Ventures, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Glenn Solomon, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, Snowflake Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, Roland Brack
Dec 1, 2021	Torq	$50.0M Series B	—	Accel, Across Capital Partners, B Capital Group, Bessemer Venture Partners, C2 Investment, CRV, Cyberstarts VC, Flourish Ventures, Greylock, Insight Partners, Menlo Ventures, monashees, NFX, Notable Capital, Obvious Ventures, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, REMUS Capital, S28 Capital, Sapphire Ventures, Signal Peak Ventures, Silicon Valley Connect, Snowflake Ventures, Team8, Tekton Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, TY, WndrCo LLC, Alice Lloyd George, Ameet Patel, Arash Ferdowsi, Drew Houston, George Hu, Roland Brack
Oct 1, 2021	Tentarix Biotherapeutics	$50.0M Series A	—	Access Biotechnology, Amplitude VC, Andreessen Horowitz, Brendan Bulik-Sullivan, Pfizer Venture Investments, Samsara BioCapital, Versant Ventures, Daniel Vasella, Reinhard Ambros, Shinichiro Fuse
Aug 1, 2021	Polywork	$13.0M Series A	—	20VC, 645 Ventures, Kevin Hartz, Across Capital Partners, Addition, Afore Capital, Aglae Ventures, Amplo, Andreessen Horowitz, Jana Messerschmidt, Audrey Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, Banana Capital, BoxGroup, C2 Investment, Chaac Ventures, Chapter One Ventures, Craft Ventures, Dreamers VC, Earl Grey Capital, Electric Capital, Fifth Down Capital, Flourish Ventures, Friends & Family Capital, Gaingels, General Catalyst, Hyper, Infinite Niches, Innovation Endeavors, Interlock Partners, Khosla Ventures, KRM Interests LLC, Lerer Hippeau, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Luke Pappas, NewFund, Northzone, Glenn Solomon, Pareto Holdings, Pelion Venture Partners, Placeholder, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, Redpoint Ventures, Reform Ventures, Sapphire Ventures, Sarona Ventures, Seven Seven Six, Snowflake Ventures, SoftBank Capital, Sound Ventures, Spark Capital, The Hit Forge, Thirty Five Ventures, TitletownTech, Trajectory Ventures, Union Square Ventures, Volt Capital, Weekend Fund, Y Combinator, Adrian Aoun, Balaji Srinivasan, Baron Davis, Ben Davenport, Ben Porterfield, Brad Bao, Bradley Horowitz, Carmelo Anthony (Melo7 Tech Partners), Casey Neistat, Charlie Cheever, DROdio - Daniel R. Odio, Florian Huber, Fredrik Hjelm, Gregory Waldorf, Jared Leto, Jeff Morris, Joshua Reeves, Kevin Weil, Odell Beckham Jr., Pau Gasol, Paul Yacoubian, Roland Brack, Sahil Lavingia, Sahin Boydas, Sam Altman, Scott Belsky, Tobias Lutke, Varsha Rao
Jul 1, 2021	Dinie	$4.0M Seed	—	Across Capital Partners, C2 Investment, Flourish Ventures, K50 Ventures, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Glenn Solomon, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, Seaya Cathay Latam Fund, Snowflake Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, Tribe Capital, Musaab Hakami, Roland Brack
Jun 1, 2021	Neon	$8.0M Series A	—	Across Capital Partners, C2 Investment, Flourish Ventures, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Glenn Solomon, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, Snowflake Ventures, Trajectory Ventures, Guillermo Rauch, Roland Brack
Apr 1, 2021	Onepilot	$2.0M Seed	—	50 Partners, 50 Partners Impact, 75 & Sunny, Across Capital Partners, Acton Capital Partners, Alchemist Accelerator, Boosted Commerce, C2 Investment, Diaspora Ventures, Flourish Ventures, Global Founders Capital, J12 Ventures, Left Lane Capital, Menlo Ventures, monashees, Glenn Solomon, Not Boring Capital, Origins, Pareto Holdings, Propel Venture Partners, Quona Capital, Sequoia Capital, Singular, Snowflake Ventures, Team Global, Tiger Global Management, Trajectory Ventures, Y Combinator, Celine Lazorthes, Dennis Yang, Douglas Stark, Elias Aalto, Florian Douetteau, Fredrik Hjelm, Inbal Leshem, Luca Ascani, Maria Raga, Mats Diedrichsen, Mik Attisani, Philippe Teixeira da Mota, Roland Brack, Roxanne Varza, Thomas Rebaud
Apr 1, 2021	Boostbar	$820K Seed	—	—

Financial History

Total Raised

N/A

Valuation

N/A

Leadership Team

Key people at BackBone Ventures.

Leadership Team

Key people at BackBone Ventures.

Deep Dive

High-Level Overview

BackBone Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Zurich and Frankfurt, specializing in investments in innovative ICT, FoodTech, Fintech, AI, Health Tech, and blockchain startups primarily in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and Israel. The firm’s mission centers on empowering ambitious founders, particularly those who have overcome structural disadvantages related to gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background—referred to as "Glass Ceiling Breakers." Their investment philosophy emphasizes backing founders early, even at the idea or pitch deck stage, provided they address large markets with the right skillset. This approach aims to generate positive impact for future generations by supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs and fostering sustainable growth in disruptive technologies[1][2][3][4].

Origin Story

Founded in 2018, BackBone Ventures began by investing on a deal-by-deal basis without a formal fund. Over four years, they invested in 26 teams across Switzerland, Germany, the US, and Israel. In September 2022, they launched their Backbone Ventures 5502 Fund, a EUR 20 million pre-seed fund with a strong focus on Germany and Switzerland. The firm was established by partners including Philippe Bernet, Miklos Stanek, and Dr. Jan Claudio Muñoz, who bring extensive experience in venture capital and technology sectors. Their evolution reflects a growing commitment to structured, impact-driven early-stage investing, particularly targeting founders who have historically faced barriers in entrepreneurship[2][4][7].

Core Differentiators

Unique Investment Model: Focus on pre-seed and seed investments with a deliberate emphasis on founders overcoming structural disadvantages (gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status).
Network Strength: Active presence in DACH and Israel, leveraging cross-regional connections to support portfolio companies.
Track Record: Over 42 investments with successful backing of startups in ICT, FoodTech, and disruptive tech sectors; recognized for multiple high-value exits.
Operating Support: Data-driven investment style emphasizing sustainable growth and operational efficiency, providing hands-on support to founders.
Impact Focus: Dedicated fund (5502 Fund) targeting "Glass Ceiling Breakers," aiming to foster diversity and inclusion in the startup ecosystem[1][2][6].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

BackBone Ventures rides the global trend toward inclusive entrepreneurship and early-stage investment in transformative technologies such as AI, blockchain, and health tech. The timing is significant as markets increasingly recognize the value of diversity in innovation and the need for sustainable, impact-driven growth. By focusing on underrepresented founders in the DACH region and Israel, the firm addresses a gap in venture capital funding, helping to democratize access to capital and accelerate the development of disruptive technologies. Their influence extends beyond capital, shaping a more equitable startup ecosystem and encouraging other investors to adopt similar inclusive strategies[1][2][3].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Looking ahead, BackBone Ventures is poised to deepen its impact by expanding its portfolio within its core sectors and geographic focus, leveraging its EUR 20 million fund to back more early-stage, diverse founders. Trends such as AI integration, digital health innovation, and sustainable food technologies will likely shape their investment journey. Their influence may grow as a leading advocate for diversity in venture capital, potentially inspiring broader systemic changes in funding practices. The firm’s commitment to backing founders "not just ideas" positions it well to identify and nurture the next generation of breakthrough startups, reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in early-stage innovation[2][4].

Sources

High-Level Overview

Origin Story

Core Differentiators

Unique Investment Model: Focus on pre-seed and seed investments with a deliberate emphasis on founders overcoming structural disadvantages (gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status).
Network Strength: Active presence in DACH and Israel, leveraging cross-regional connections to support portfolio companies.
Track Record: Over 42 investments with successful backing of startups in ICT, FoodTech, and disruptive tech sectors; recognized for multiple high-value exits.
Operating Support: Data-driven investment style emphasizing sustainable growth and operational efficiency, providing hands-on support to founders.
Impact Focus: Dedicated fund (5502 Fund) targeting "Glass Ceiling Breakers," aiming to foster diversity and inclusion in the startup ecosystem[1][2][6].