Advanced Television

RTL Ventures invests in consumer tech companies

March 2, 2023

RTL Deutschland has set up a new unit, RTL Ventures, to invest in consumer tech companies. The idea is to build up a portfolio of innovative European firms that aspire to become category market leaders in the long term and for which the DACH market (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) offers relevant growth potential. The investment team can call on substantial cash and media resources to achieve this.

RTL Ventures will give the companies in its portfolio access to strong media brands such as RTL, VOX, ntv, Stern and Gala across a wide range of media: TV, ATV, digital and print. Its key asset is large audience reach in different target groups, which will help the companies build and scale up their brands during the growth phase as part of a marketing mix.

The investments are the responsibility of a separate team led by Beate Koch. Ute Henzgen and her Unit 3 team are responsible for media performance and media consulting for the investments. Urs Cete, Managing Partner of the Bertelsmann Investment Fund BDMI, will be part of the RTL Ventures investment committee with his many years of experience and will work together with the investment team.

Beate Koch, Senior Vice President Growth & Investments at RTL Deutschland, said: “By launching RTL Ventures, we have the chance to develop a new portfolio at an ideal time in the market. We will invest with a focus on yield, independence and partnership, and will always be there for our entrepreneurs. I’m delighted that we’ll have the benefit of the support provided by Urs Cete and his team at BDMI. We have big plans for the near future.”

Ute Henzgen, General Director Sales at Ad Alliance Unit 3, added: “We’ve been working closely and successfully with German and international start-ups and e-commerce businesses for the past decade, and have a wide-reaching portfolio and a huge wealth of experience. We know the right media strategy to adopt, as well as providing assistance and advice. Our partners stay with us for the long term because we give them all the ingredients for a successful partnership: publicity, branding and performance. We look forward to passing this experience on to new entrepreneurs.”

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