Frank Thelen

Investor

TEQ Capital

Founder & CEO

Chief Research Officer

Freigeist

former e42 - seed stage investor looking for cutting edge deep tech startups

Lilium

Seed Investor

Xentral ERP Software GmbH

Board Member

KRAFTBLOCK

EnduroSat

RobCo

PROSION Therapeutics

BioThrust

United Manufacturing Hub (UMH)

Founder.  Investor. Tech-Enthusiast. 

I'm a European serial founder and seed investor based in Bonn, Germany 📍 
Since 1994, I have founded several technology and design driven internet businesses. 

In my role as CEO of Freigeist Capital I focus on supporting outstanding European Tech Founders with my 20+ years of experience in building tech companies. We only do few selected seed stage investments per year to be able to give 360 degree support to our portfolio. The teams we back are all trying to solve a global issue with a disruptive technology. 

In 2014, I joined Sony's prime time TV-show "Shark Tank" 📺, broadcasted in Germany on VOX as "Die Höhle der Löwen". In 2018, I published my Autobiography 📖 "Startup-DNA" at age 42, which became a bestseller. My second best-selling book, 10xDNA, describes the laws of exponential technological development and is also available in English. 

I’m passionate about technology, exponential growth and sustainability. I believe that technology is our biggest chance at saving this planet. As one of the leading business influencers in the DACH region, I frequently share my insights on technological developments, the European Economy, digitalization and politics. I’m a huge fan of disruption. And of Elon Musk.

Follow me here on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, TikTok or YouTube to stay up to date on European Tech 🚀

Chief Executive Officer

Starkes und souveränes Statement von dm-Chef Christoph Werner – und solidarische Worte von Raoul Roßmann – gestern bei #Lanz! 🗣️
Das bewusste „Missverstehen“ von Menschen, die schlicht Gesprächsbereitschaft zeigen, und der Versuch, sie moralisch zu erpressen, haben in einer offenen Demokratie keinen Platz. Kritik sollte auf Argumenten beruhen, nicht auf reflexhafter Stigmatisierung.

Ich stehe ebenfalls für den Dialog mit allen im Bundestag vertretenen Parteien, auch wenn meine politische Heimat traditionell bei CDU/CSU und FDP liegt. 🏛️
Ich habe Vertrauen in unseren Rechtsstaat: Extremismus (egal ob von rechts oder links) wird durch unsere Gesetze begrenzt, nicht durch Gesprächsverbote. ⚖️

taplio