BERLIN: The word on the street is that Rocket Internet, the publicly-listed ‘Internet company builder’ out of Germany, is raising money for a growth fund with a target size of up to €1 billion.
German business publication WirtschaftsWoche (WiWo) reported the news on Thursday after speaking to several industry insiders, saying that the vehicle will likely simply be called ‘Rocket Internet Growth Fund’.
Deutsche Startups’ Alexander Hüsing followed up on the news this morning with a report that the infamous Oliver Samwer – fresh from making it to numero uno on Wired’s list of most influential people in the European tech industry – will be the new fund’s sole general partner.
Aside from Rocket Internet (arguably also an investment fund of sorts), Oliver and his brothers used to invest in non-Rocket startups out of a firm called European Founders Fund, which was later rechristened Global Founders Capital (GVC) and raised a €150 million fund in early 2013.
Global Founders features Oliver and Marc Samwer as partners, alongside Daniel Jones – former Delivery Hero co-CEO Fabian Spiegel was also a full partner but has since founded a new company called Marley Spoon, even though he remains listed as a ‘Venture Partner’ at GVC.
