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§ Venture Capital · Menlo Park, CA, USA
Family office-led investment platform for early-stage tech companies in Europe & US, managing direct investments and a family office LP syndicate.
Key people at FM Ventures.
FM Ventures is a family office-led investment platform operating without a disclosed headquarters that deploys capital into early-stage technology companies across Europe and the United States. The firm manages direct private equity investments and acts as a founding limited partner for a dedicated syndicate of over 70 family offices to provide access to institutional-quality deal flow. Its broader investment strategy spans pre-IPO transactions, early-stage venture funds, and public tech markets, focusing on emerging sectors such as generative artificial intelligence, property technology, climate technology, and deep technology. The organization co-founded the early-stage technology fund superangels, which has built a diverse portfolio of more than 100 startup companies, and previously secured a 40x return on an early investment in Palantir. FM Ventures was founded by Franzi Majer, who currently serves as the investment firm's managing director.
Key people at FM Ventures.
# FM Ventures: Early-Stage Tech Investment Platform
FM Ventures is a family office-led investment platform founded by entrepreneur and investor Franzi Majer, focused on deploying capital into early-stage technology companies across Europe and the United States[1]. The firm operates with a dual mandate: managing direct investments through its family office vehicle while simultaneously serving as a founding LP for a broader syndicate of 70+ family offices seeking access to institutional-quality deal flow[1].
The investment philosophy centers on democratizing access to top-tier technology opportunities that have historically been concentrated among elite venture capital firms and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Rather than operating as a traditional venture fund, FM Ventures functions as a bridge between sophisticated family offices and transformative early-stage companies, particularly in sectors including generative AI, PropTech, Climate Tech, and DeepTech[1]. This model allows the firm to aggregate capital and expertise while maintaining the flexibility and patient capital characteristics that family offices bring to venture investing.
Franzi Majer's path to founding FM Ventures reflects a deliberate progression through technology and entrepreneurship[1]. She began her career at McKinsey & Company, gaining exposure to strategic business challenges across industries. She subsequently founded and exited multiple ventures in the re-commerce sector, building operational and scaling expertise before transitioning into investment.
The genesis of FM Ventures emerged from Majer's recognition of a structural gap in the venture ecosystem: family offices possessed substantial capital and long-term investment horizons but lacked systematic access to early-stage deal flow and the operational support networks that professional venture firms provide[1]. Her early investment in Palantir—which ultimately delivered a 40x return—demonstrated both her ability to identify transformative companies and her capacity to attract other family offices into syndicated investments[1]. This success catalyzed the formalization of FM Ventures as a platform.
Recognizing the power of collective action, Majer co-founded Superangels, an early-stage tech fund that invests alongside business angels and now maintains a portfolio of 100+ companies[1]. This complementary vehicle extends FM Ventures' reach into even earlier-stage opportunities while building a broader ecosystem of aligned investors.
FM Ventures' primary competitive advantage lies in its ability to aggregate and mobilize a syndicate of 70+ family offices around carefully selected opportunities[1]. This network effect creates a virtuous cycle: strong deal flow attracts quality LPs, which in turn enhances the firm's ability to lead or co-invest in subsequent rounds. The platform essentially functions as a private marketplace where family offices gain institutional-quality sourcing and due diligence capabilities.
The firm operates simultaneously as a direct investor (through Majer's family office) and as an LP aggregator, providing flexibility in ticket sizes and investment structures. This allows FM Ventures to participate in opportunities ranging from seed-stage companies through pre-IPO positions and public market tech investments[1]. The model also enables the firm to maintain optionality—investing directly when conviction is highest while syndicalizing opportunities to the broader LP base when appropriate.
Unlike traditional venture firms staffed primarily by career investors, Majer's background as a serial entrepreneur in the re-commerce space provides operational credibility and practical value-add beyond capital deployment. This founder-to-founder dynamic often resonates with early-stage entrepreneurs who benefit from guidance rooted in real scaling experience rather than theoretical frameworks.
While maintaining focus on transformative technology categories—GenAI, PropTech, Climate Tech, and DeepTech—FM Ventures avoids the narrow specialization that can limit deal flow[1]. This balanced approach allows the firm to identify cross-sector trends and opportunities while maintaining deep expertise in high-growth verticals.
FM Ventures operates at an inflection point in venture capital structure. The traditional model—where a small number of elite firms (Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Benchmark) controlled access to the best early-stage opportunities—has faced pressure from democratization forces. Institutional LPs, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices increasingly demand direct access to deal flow rather than accepting passive LP positions in venture funds.
FM Ventures capitalizes on this structural shift by positioning family offices not as passive capital providers but as active participants in deal sourcing and syndication. This aligns with broader trends toward alternative asset management, where institutional capital seeks to reduce intermediation costs and gain greater control over investment decisions.
The firm's focus on European and U.S. early-stage technology also reflects the maturation of venture ecosystems outside Silicon Valley. European tech companies have demonstrated increasing ability to scale globally—particularly in climate tech, fintech, and enterprise software—yet historically faced capital constraints relative to U.S. peers. By explicitly targeting European opportunities, FM Ventures taps into a market where valuations may offer better risk-adjusted returns than saturated U.S. seed and Series A markets.
Additionally, the emphasis on pre-IPO positions and public market tech investments suggests FM Ventures is positioning itself for a potential shift in venture economics. As IPO windows remain constrained and late-stage funding becomes more competitive, family offices increasingly seek exposure to mature private companies and public equities as alternative exit paths.
FM Ventures represents a meaningful evolution in how family offices access venture capital opportunities. Rather than remaining passive LPs in traditional venture funds, the platform enables family offices to function as quasi-venture firms themselves—maintaining conviction in long-term, transformative technology while avoiding the fee structures and governance constraints of institutional venture capital.
The firm's trajectory will likely be shaped by three factors: (1) the ability to consistently source differentiated deal flow that justifies the syndication model, (2) the performance of early portfolio companies, particularly the Palantir investment and subsequent bets in GenAI and climate tech, and (3) the broader macro environment for venture capital, which remains pressured by higher interest rates and extended fundraising timelines.
Looking forward, FM Ventures is well-positioned to benefit from a potential consolidation in venture capital, where smaller, specialized platforms gain share relative to mega-funds. The firm's combination of founder credibility, network effects, and focus on underserved geographies and sectors suggests it will continue attracting quality deal flow and LP capital. If the platform can demonstrate consistent returns while maintaining its founder-friendly reputation, it could evolve into a significant alternative to traditional venture structures—proving that family offices, when properly aggregated and supported, can compete effectively with institutional venture capital on deal quality and returns.
