Christoph Braun caught what he calls the 'startup virus' while earning an MBA in the US, then completed a PhD at LMU Munich and worked as a strategy consultant in Frankfurt and San Francisco before co-founding Acton Capital in 1999. His first deal became legendary in German startup history: in February 1999, he signed an investment agreement with three young, energetic founders - the Samwer brothers - behind Alando, an online auction site that eBay acquired within 100 days for $43 million, creating the core of eBay Europe and sparking an entire wave of German startup activity. Braun has since built Acton into a leading European growth-stage investor, backing more than 100 startups including Mambu, Zooplus (IPO 2008), iwoca, and AlphaSights, with more than €400 million invested across six fund generations since founding.
Studies for an MBA in the US and becomes infected with what he calls the 'startup virus,' before earning a PhD from LMU Munich and working as a strategy consultant in Frankfurt and San Francisco.
1999
Signs Acton Capital's first investment agreement in February with a young startup called Alando, founded by Oliver, Marc, and Alexander Samwer.
1999
Alando is acquired by eBay within 100 days for $43 million, sparking a wave of German startups and helping establish Berlin as a startup hub.
2008
Zooplus completes its IPO; AbeBooks, another Acton investment, is acquired by Amazon.