Liefergrün receives €12 million Series A financing for further growth
eCAPITAL NEWSLiefergrün, which is currently present across Germany, uses a fleet of cargo bikes and electric vehicles based at scores of regional hubs to enable emission-free delivery of goods bought online to consumers.
The Series A will enable Liefergrün to expand its platform and delivery network, enhance its technical product and grow its team.
The investment comes just six months after Liefergrün’s €3 million Seed Round. In that time Liefergrün has increased its team to over 50 and strengthened its management with hires including ex-Hermes manager Stephan Böhm as VP of Sales. In addition, the company has entered into a new partnership with Mercedes Van Rental to expand its emission free delivery fleet in Berlin and landed major clients including Adidas, Dyson and ShopApotheke.
It’s no secret that the tech industry - particularly the ecommerce and grocery delivery sectors - are facing challenging economic conditions. This is why it is such a testament to the strength of Liefergrün’s green logistic offering that we have continued to grow rapidly and secured substantial funding from a number of top investors. In the past few months we have been able to win new well-known major customers and seen our sales expand more than tenfold in 2022. There is huge demand for sustainable delivery solutions and our investors share our vision of making this a reality. With this funding we will be able to take the next step in our journey to expand Liefergrün into new markets.
Niklas Tauch, Co-Founder and CEO, Liefergrün
By tackling the emission-heavy last mile of shipping, Liefergrün estimates that it prevents the release of 420 grams of CO2 per delivery. For context, there were 4.05 billion e-commerce deliveries in Germany alone in 2021, producing 2.43 million tonnes of CO2 or 600 grams per delivery. If Liefergrün’s sustainable approach was applied across Germany it would reduce delivery emissions by more than 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 per year – the equivalent of taking nearly 370,000 cars off the road each year.
Liefergrün also recognises that parcel delivery is only a part of the overall ordering experience. As a result, it is focusing on new digital features and services such as carbon offsetting and refund solutions to make the whole post-purchase experience more convenient and sustainable. This marks the beginning of the trend towards more value-added services.
Bringing together quick, consumer friendly and ecological last mile logistics is a hard nut to crack. Yet, Liefergrün has proven that it is possible. Leveraging their tech solutions, they have shown substantial growth with interesting e-commerce players offering the green and fast deliveries that no other player is able to offer and therefore starting a transformation of the market. eCAPITAL is excited to work together with Liefergrün and its existing investors from now on!
Ann-Christin Kortenbrede, Investment Manager, eCAPITAL
Liefergrün leads the way in emission-free and customer-friendly deliveries. The secret to making this possible is, according to co-founder Robin Wingenbach, the mix of technology and the human aspect on which the entire concept of Liefergrün is built. The cleantech startup shows that optimal customer service does not have to be at the expense of the environment.
Axel Höpner, editorial director of the Handelsblatt office in Munich, talked to Liefergrün founder Niklas Tauch, eCAPITAL CEO Paul-Josef Patt and Ann-Christin Kortenbrede about the newest member of eCAPITAL AG’s portfolio. He reports in detail about sustainability and CO₂ savings and also about the convincing work the Liefergrün team did with the investor. You can read the complete article online here (German language, paywall-protected).
About Liefergrün
Liefergrün is a leading provider of sustainable deliveries in Germany. Founded in 2020 by Niklas Tauch, Max Schleper and Robin Wingenbach, Liefergrün makes the last mile of logistics emission-free, fair and convenient. The company, originally from Münster, relies on delivery via (cargo) bikes and e-vans. Liefergrün is already used by brands such as Adidas, Dyson and Shop-Apotheke. Liefergrün’s mission is to become the sustainable delivery option for every online shop. Currently active in Germany, Liefergrün recently completed its next financing round of €12 million with new partners eCAPITAL and existing investors Norrsken VC and Speedinvest.
About eCAPITAL
Founded in 1999, eCAPITAL is an entrepreneur-led venture capital investor focusing on early and growth-stage deep-tech companies with a positive impact on society. eCAPITAL is based in Germany and invests in the areas of Sustainability, Enterprise Software, Cybersecurity, IoT and New Materials, with its own funds totalling over €280 million. In addition to financial resources, eCAPITAL offers its portfolio companies strategic support and access to an international network of entrepreneurs, scientists, investors and founders and was lead investor in several deep-tech companies such as sonnen, Novaled and Jedox, which were sold very successfully to international strategists or investors. To learn more about eCAPITAL, follow us on LinkedIn.
Contact
Liefergrün GmbH
Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 7
48153 Münster, Germany
Email: info@liefergruen.com
www.liefergruen.de
eCAPITAL ENTREPRENEURIAL PARTNERS AG
Bettina Schäfer
Hafenweg 24
48155 Münster, Germany
Tel.: +49 251 70 37 67 0
Email: info@ecapital.vc
www.ecapital.vc