From Formula 1 world champion to investor in promising startups in Europe. Nico Rosberg, who founded his investment company Rosberg Ventures after winning the title in 2016, announced the launch of a new venture capital fund – his second – worth 75 million dollars. It is a fund of funds that collects capital from investors to in turn invest in other allocations. The aim is to put young companies, with brilliant ideas but limited economic capabilities, in contact with venture capital companies and investors from all over the world. In the first quarter of the year, the fund closed a first raising of 30 million dollars.
Innovative startups
«The world of startups has always been a passion of mine – says Nico Rosberg –, I really like it when young entrepreneurs have an innovative, often unique, idea and set in motion an incredible process with the aim of changing the world. So I decided to set up my own company and I studied some investment models to approach the market. The most effective, without a doubt, is that of American universities such as Yale or Stanford which spend around 10% of their assets on young business ideas, but we are talking about almost 8 billion dollars”. The sectors in which the startups being invested are concentrated of the fund – which are around 2 thousand – are of the most disparate types, but above all technological, innovative and future-oriented realities emerge, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, robotics and biotech. «It is a world that is much more concentrated in the United States – continues Rosberg – but there are also really interesting realities in Europe. So I decided to gather several families of investors between Italy and Germany, so as to diversify and enter the market with a generalist approach.”
The objectives
Not only economically, the former F1 champion actively participates in the collection and distribution of investments, but also in the search for the right emerging companies to bet on. «The main characteristics we look for in a startup to collaborate with us are two – he explains -. The founder must be brilliant, have a stand-out personality and be able to make me believe in the same idea as him. But above all, the idea must arise with the aim of solving a problem, even better if it is widespread among many companies. Means that it positions itself on a market by filling a gap.” The objectives of the fund are clear: «We want to reach a good base of high quality limited partners – declares Rosberg –. Many Italian and German families have already decided to participate, bringing value, with a team that takes care of matchmaking. But we are growing quickly and would like to expand by also involving some French funds. I don’t rule out that by the end of the year we could even exceed 75 million dollars. The second quarter results will arrive soon, we should be around 50. We have permission to go up to 100.”
In Italy
Although they seem like two very distinct, if not parallel, worlds, Nico Rosberg’s career as a professional driver influenced his career as an investor. First of all, in the choice of countries from which to start the company: in addition to the country of origin, Germany, also Italy. «After a career in Formula 1 it was not easy to find something that I was passionate about in the same way – says the former world champion –, but I feel I have succeeded: in a year and a half, from the first fund and now from this one, we have raised over $50 million. Then, in my years as a driver, Italy welcomed me, the people and the fans have always appreciated me, for me it was natural to choose to start investing in this country. Furthermore, there is no shortage of talent, polytechnics are really strong in launching new business opportunities.” The Italian partners of Rosberg Ventures are currently five, but they are destined to grow to help achieve this the aim of bringing European startups to compete with the giants of the United States and China. «Italy has a solid industrial strength – concludes Rosberg –, what is perhaps missing is the ability to shine the spotlight on its young companies and arouse the interest of investors. As individual countries, it is difficult to deal with an investment power on the scale of two world powers. This is why our goal is to create a European front capable of giving added value to the world of startups.”
