Cross Atlantic Angels

# Cross Atlantic Angels: Bridging German Innovation and Silicon Valley

High-Level Overview

Cross Atlantic Angels is a Silicon Valley-based business angel group that specializes in identifying and funding German startups with clear ambitions to enter the US market.[1][2] The organization operates as an exclusive investment syndicate composed of 50+ accredited investors who are technology entrepreneurs, seasoned operators, and senior executives with deep experience across multiple industries and geographies.[1]

The group's investment philosophy centers on leveraging its unique bi-cultural positioning—many members have German heritage or established professional connections to Germany—to provide portfolio companies with strategic guidance, network access, and operational expertise as they navigate the complexities of transatlantic expansion.[1] Rather than functioning as a traditional venture capital fund with institutional capital, Cross Atlantic Angels operates as a curated network of individual investors who pool resources and knowledge to support early-stage German tech companies. This model allows the group to maintain flexibility, provide hands-on mentorship, and draw on the collective experience of its membership to help portfolio companies avoid common pitfalls when entering the US market.

Origin Story

Cross Atlantic Angels emerged from a recognition that German startups, despite building innovative technology, often lack the networks, market knowledge, and operational playbooks necessary to successfully expand into the United States.[1] The group was co-founded by individuals like Mr. Herringer, who transitioned from IP law into entrepreneurship, founding both an indie game studio and a machine-learning-based recommendation engine before recognizing the gap in cross-Atlantic startup support.[3]

The founding members brought diverse backgrounds to the initiative. Co-founder Mr. Honigstein is a serial entrepreneur and investor with experience as a Managing Partner at NeueCapital Partners and co-founder of multiple ventures including RocketPlay (acquired by American Gaming Systems) and Maxwell Financial Labs.[3] Another key figure, Mr. Weitzel, is a technology executive with 30+ years of international experience in both large enterprises and startups, having held leadership positions across Europe and Asia over his 20+ year tenure in Silicon Valley.[3] This combination of entrepreneurial success, venture capital exposure, and deep international operating experience provided the foundation for a group uniquely positioned to mentor German founders through US market entry.

Core Differentiators

Bi-Cultural Network and Market Expertise

The group's primary strength lies in its members' deep connections to both the German startup ecosystem and Silicon Valley's investor and business communities. This dual positioning allows Cross Atlantic Angels to serve as a bridge—identifying promising German companies early and providing them with credible introductions, market validation, and strategic counsel that would typically require years for founders to develop independently.[1]

Curated, Invitation-Only Membership

Membership is strictly limited to accredited investors and operates by invitation only, ensuring that the group maintains high standards for both capital quality and member expertise.[1] This exclusivity creates a cohesive network where members can collaborate effectively on deal sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio company support without the friction that often accompanies larger, more diffuse angel networks.

Operational Support Beyond Capital

Unlike passive investors, Cross Atlantic Angels members actively leverage their extensive business networks to support portfolio companies.[1] This includes introductions to potential customers, strategic hires, regulatory advisors, and downstream investors. The group's members bring functional expertise across multiple domains—from go-to-market strategy and business model development to fundraising and company positioning—allowing portfolio companies to access mentorship that would otherwise require hiring expensive consultants.

Focus on Market-Ready Startups

By concentrating exclusively on German startups with a clear path to US market entry, the group avoids the diffuse approach of generalist angel networks. This focus allows members to develop deep expertise in the specific challenges German founders face—regulatory differences, cultural business practice variations, talent acquisition dynamics, and customer acquisition strategies in the US market.

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Cross Atlantic Angels operates at a critical inflection point in the European-American tech relationship. Germany has emerged as a leading venture capital hub in 2025, with Munich establishing itself as a deep tech capital and Berlin remaining a powerhouse in fintech and SaaS.[5] Simultaneously, US venture capitalists increasingly recognize that European founders with strong technology and business fundamentals represent attractive investment opportunities, particularly when those founders can successfully navigate US market entry.[7]

The group's existence reflects a broader trend: European startups are no longer content to remain regional players. Investment by US venture capitalists has become a catalyst for US expansion, as founders recognize that US-based capital brings not just funding but also credibility, market expertise, and network access essential for scaling globally.[7] Cross Atlantic Angels accelerates this dynamic by reducing friction in the early stages of cross-Atlantic expansion, helping German founders avoid costly mistakes and positioning them more effectively for Series A fundraising from larger US-based venture firms.

The timing is particularly favorable. German startups are increasingly ambitious about global expansion, government support for the startup ecosystem has strengthened through programs like the Future Fund and Impact Fund, and Silicon Valley investors have demonstrated appetite for European technology companies with proven business models.[5] Cross Atlantic Angels sits at the intersection of these trends, functioning as a talent scout and trusted advisor that helps allocate capital efficiently across the transatlantic opportunity set.

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Cross Atlantic Angels represents a sophisticated response to a real market inefficiency: German startups with world-class technology often lack the networks and operational knowledge to successfully enter the US market, while Silicon Valley investors lack efficient mechanisms to source and evaluate German opportunities. By creating a curated network of bi-cultural investors and operators, the group has built a sustainable model for capturing value from this gap.

Looking forward, the group's influence will likely expand as German deep tech companies—particularly in AI, defense tech, and advanced hardware—increasingly pursue US expansion. The success of portfolio companies will generate proof points that attract both additional capital to the group and increased deal flow from German founders seeking to replicate those successes. As the European venture ecosystem matures and produces more companies with genuine global ambitions, Cross Atlantic Angels' positioning as a trusted bridge between German innovation and Silicon Valley capital will become increasingly valuable.

The broader implication is that specialized angel networks focused on specific geographic or sectoral niches—rather than generalist approaches—may represent the future of angel investing. Cross Atlantic Angels demonstrates that deep expertise in a particular market transition, combined with curated membership and active operational support, can create sustainable competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded angel investment landscape.