Cologne-based Realyze Ventures, a VC platform driving sustainable transformation in the real estate, construction, and skilled trades sectors, has successfully completed the first closing of its fund – AUM totalling approximately €50 million.
This includes investments from partners such as Art-Invest Real Estate, Cordes & Graefe, Goldbeck, MOMENI, and ZECH – complemented by an institutional investor from the European banking sector.
“We don’t just see technologies on pitch decks – we test them directly in reality,” says David Nadge, General Partner at Realyze Ventures. “This approach enables faster, better-informed decisions, providing startups direct and accelerated access to capital, expertise, and relevant markets.”
Founded in 2023, Realyze Ventures invests in European technology startups driving climate and process efficiency in the construction and real estate industries. Their goal is to accelerate the sector’s transformation by activating relevant stakeholders, thereby also addressing the shortage of skilled labor.
The General Partners – consisting of Tim Fischer, Manfred Heid, Stefan Läufer, David Nadge, and Kai Panitzki – aims to seise promising opportunities and deliver high returns for investors. Collectively, they completed more than 40 investments and currently manage venture capital exceeding €120 million.
Following the successful development of their ecosystems at BitStone Capital and MOMENI Ventures, they now jointly build Realyze Ventures.
“It is not about niche investments, but profound transformation,” says Fabian Lenz, Managing Director at Goldbeck. “The building sector, construction industry, and skilled trades play a decisive role in shaping Europe’s climate performance and global competitiveness. That’s exactly the focus of Realyze Ventures, and we are pleased to be part of it.”
The fund’s closing marks the operational start of the investment platform, which specifically targets technology-driven solutions for decarbonisation, digitalisation, and efficiency improvement. The goal is to further expand AUM, financing technologies that make the real estate, construction, and skilled trades sectors climate-friendly, digital, resilient, and facilitate the integration with the energy industry.
According to Realyze Ventures they are more than just a capital provider – they are a sector specialist, and that their unique advantage lies in deep, integrated industry access, rapid validation of technologies, and close market integration.
“We combine strategic capital with operational execution capability, creating a venture capital platform that attracts startups as well as institutional investors,” adds Manfred Heid. “With this closing, we lay the foundation for an ecosystem set to sustainably transform Europe’s construction and real estate sectors.”
