BMW i Ventures
Profile, fund size and portfolio
BMW i Ventures is the venture arm of BMW Group. Its third fund targets AI across the automotive ecosystem, from seed to Series B.
- Single fundS3
- USD 300M
- Investments, per the firmS3
- 90+
- Exits, per the firmS3
- 30+
- Public companies among exitsS3
- 11
Every figure links to its source
Snapshot
Data behind this graphic
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Seed to Series B |
| Sectors | Physical and agentic AI, Industrial software, Advanced materials, Manufacturing and supply chain, Circularity |
| Geography | North America, Europe |
| Offices | Mountain View, Munich |
Sources: S3 BMW i Ventures, Fund III announcement, April 2026; S4 EU-Startups Podcast, episode 97, November 2024.
Data behind this graphic
| Item | Companies | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Active | 58 | 69.9% |
| Acquired | 17 | 20.5% |
| Public | 8 | 9.6% |
Entries on the BMW i Ventures portfolio page that carry a status tag.
Sources: S9 BMW i Ventures, Portfolio page.
Data behind this graphic
| Measure | Value | Unit | Kind | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headline size | USD 300M | Single fund | Stated by the firm or its parent | S3 |
| Total raised across three funds (over USD 1.1B) | 1,100+ | USD millions | Stated by the firm | S3 |
| Investments, per the firm (90 or more) | 90+ | investments | Stated by the firm | S3 |
| Exits, per the firm (30 or more) | 30+ | exits | Stated by the firm | S3 |
| Public companies among exits | 11 | companies | Stated by the firm | S3 |
Sources: S3 BMW i Ventures, Fund III announcement, April 2026.
Where it invests and who leads it
Geography
- Headquarters
- Mountain View, United States
- Offices
- Mountain View
- Munich
Investment regionsS3S4
- North America
- Europe
LeadersS8
- Marcus BehrendtManaging PartnerFind on LinkedInFirm page
- Kasper SageManaging PartnerFind on LinkedInFirm page
- Baris GuzelPartnerFind on LinkedInFirm page
Key facts
| Fact | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Corporate venture capital with dedicated funds | Confirmed by two sources | S3 |
| Founded | February 2011, as an independent venture firm since 2016 | Confirmed by two sources | S1S2 |
| Fund III | USD 300M, closed April 2026 | Confirmed by two sources | S3 |
| Across three funds | Over USD 1.1B | Single source | S3 |
| Leaders | Marcus Behrendt and Kasper Sage, Managing Partners | Confirmed by two sources | S8 |
| Investments | 90+, across three funds | Single source | S3 |
| Exits | 30+, of which 11 are public | Single source | S3 |
| Stage | Seed to Series B | Confirmed by two sources | S3 |
| Offices | Mountain View and Munich | Single source | S4 |
Overview
BMW i Ventures is BMW Group's venture arm. Fund III targets AI across the automotive ecosystem: physical and agentic AI, industrial software, advanced materials, manufacturing and supply chain, and circularity.S3
Parent company
BMW Group is based in Munich and makes premium vehicles. The "i" in the name comes from BMW's electric and digital mobility sub-brand. The partners say BMW usually does not acquire startups. It prefers that they become suppliers that scale.S4
Funds and size
The firm says it has raised over USD 1.1B across three funds.S3
Stage and check size
Seed to Series B. Decisions are made by majority vote of the partners and principals. The partners describe their fastest deal as 10 days. The firm leads rounds and takes board seats.S3S4
Sectors and themes
Fund III themes are physical and agentic AI, industrial software, advanced materials, manufacturing and supply chain, and circularity. Earlier search fields included in-car technology, smart production, supply chain and digital sales.S3S4
Geographies and offices
Mountain View and Munich. Investments are focused on North America and Europe.S3S4
Portfolio
The firm reports 90+ investments across three funds, with 35+ in Fund II. Named companies include Skylo, Tekion, Rive, Solid Power, ChargePoint, Xometry, Boston Metal, Kodiak and GaN Systems, and more recent ones such as CodeRabbit, Alitheon and Synera.S3S4
| Tag | Companies | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Active | 58 | 69.9% |
| Acquired | 17 | 20.5% |
| Public | 8 | 9.6% |
Exits
The firm reports 30+ exits, 11 of them public. Infineon acquired GaN Systems, backed since 2017, for USD 830M. ChargePoint, Xometry and Solid Power are listed.S3S4
Co-investors and partnerships
The partners say the firm sometimes invests alongside other automotive makers.S4
Team
Leaders shown on the firm's team page include the following.S8
- Marcus BehrendtManaging Partner
- Kasper SageManaging Partner
- Baris GuzelPartner
Investment activity
Fund III closed in April 2026. The firm reports 90+ investments across its three funds.S3
History
What different sources say
- Start date: BMW dates the brand and first fund to February 2011. TechCrunch dates a first fund to 2016, which refers to the relaunch as an independent firm in Silicon Valley.S1S2S3
- Investment count: the firm says 90+. FundingWatcher counts 140. Databases often count follow-ons and rounds separately.S3
Common questions
Official pages
Read the firm's own pages for current information.
- BMW i Ventures home www.bmwiventures.com
- Fund III announcement www.bmwiventures.com/news/bmw-i-ventures-closes-300m-fund-iii-to-back-ai-across-the-automotive-ecosystem
- Portfolio www.bmwiventures.com/portfolio
- Team www.bmwiventures.com/team
Sources
- S1BMW press release, 31 March 2011, and bmwblog, 21 February 2011Firm
- S2BMW press release T0266254EN, 2016Firm
- S3BMW i Ventures, Fund III announcement, April 2026Firm
- S4EU-Startups Podcast, episode 97, November 2024Press
- S5Reuters, 30 June 2021Press
- S8BMW i Ventures, Team pageFirm
- S9BMW i Ventures, Portfolio pageFirm
Disclaimer and corrections
Not affiliated. This page is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by BMW i Ventures or any company named on it. Names and trademarks belong to their owners. Informational only. This is a public-source reference. It is not investment, legal or tax advice and not an offer or solicitation. Sources. Each figure names its source. Figures may have changed. Please read the firm's official pages, linked above. Corrections and takedown. To report an error or ask for a change or removal, use the correction form or email Richard@CorporateVentureCapital.com.
Spotted a mistake? Report a correction.