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Lakestar

Overview

Lakestar is an investment firm founded by Klaus Hommels in 2012, covering early-stage and growth technology investments as well as defence and security technology. Its website presents Funds and Resilience as two areas of activity. Website operator Lakestar Advisors GmbH is incorporated and domiciled in Switzerland, in Zurich.⁠[1][2]

Contents14 sections
Key facts

First Institutional Fund

Lakestar’s partners launched the €135 million Lakestar I in 2013. Its 2015 fundraising announcement listed investments in Harry’s, Oscar, Algomi, GoEuro and Teralytics and said the fund continued follow-on investments in its existing portfolio.⁠[3]

€350 Million Lakestar II

Third-Generation and First Growth Funds

On June 4, 2020, service provider Aztec Group confirmed parallel closes for Lakestar III and Lakestar Growth I at €252 million and €426 million respectively, totalling €678 million. The funds targeted early-stage and growth businesses. Aztec’s Guernsey team supported formation and ongoing administration and accounting; Ferbrache & Farrell and Clifford Chance handled legal work.⁠[4]

Lakestar SPAC and HomeToGo

Lakestar SPAC I SE listed in Frankfurt in February 2021. Following its combination with HomeToGo and renaming, its shares began trading as HomeToGo SE in Frankfurt’s General Standard on September 22, opening at €8.70. The exchange confirmed the combination had received the required investor approval and completed within its specified timetable.⁠[5]

Early IV, Growth II and Angel Programme

In 2024, Lakestar Early IV and Lakestar Growth II raised a combined $600 million. On May 14, legal adviser Clifford Chance said the closes brought assets under management to €2 billion. Areas included AI, digitalisation, deep tech, healthcare and fintech, with investments in Fuse Energy, Swan, Nelly, Neko HealthNeko HealthNeko Health is a Swedish health technology company co-founded in 2018 by Daniel Ek and Hjalmar Nilsonne and headquartered in Stockholm. The company provides preventive health assessments combining sensor scans, blood tests, and doctor consultations, and operates scan centers in Sweden and the United Kingdom.Open the full entry and Colossyan. Lakestar also co-invested in pre-seed deals with European angels through Halo Fund and maintained university partnerships involving UnternehmerTUM, ETH Zurich, Aachen and Oxford.⁠[6]

Continuation Fund

On October 2, 2025, Aztec Group announced its support for the $265 million (€228 million) Lakestar Continuation Fund I. The vehicle included selected companies from four Lakestar funds, using a secondary process to provide liquidity to existing limited partners while retaining investment exposure and financing support. Backers included institutional and professional secondary investors; Aztec provided administration from Guernsey.⁠[7]

Shift Away from New Generalist Funds

Co-leading Onodrim’s Seed Round

Resilience I Defence and Dual-use Fund

Defence Portfolio and Asset Scope

Lakestar said its defence-related portfolio had developed across fund generations since 2017, covering autonomy, AI defence software, drones, missiles, space and maritime technology. Named companies included ARX Robotics, Auterion, Cambridge Aerospace, Helsing, Isar Aerospace, Onodrim Industries, Tekever and UFORCE. Its 2026 platform AUM of over $6 billion includes institutional venture funds and private investments, a broader scope than the earlier €2 billion fund figure.⁠[10]

Follow-on Onodrim Investment

On November 9, 2026, Onodrim Industries announced a $300 million Series A at a $1.3 billion valuation led by Lux CapitalLux CapitalLux Capital is a U.S. venture capital firm founded in 2000 by Peter Hébert, Josh Wolfe and Robert Paull, with offices in New York and Silicon Valley. Focused on emerging science and technology, the firm backs companies in fields including life sciences, artificial intelligence, robotics, manufacturing, aerospace and defense through fund investments and by helping to found companies.Open the full entry, with Lakestar, General Catalyst, Altimeter CapitalAltimeter CapitalAltimeter Capital is a US technology investment firm founded by Brad Gerstner in 2008, investing through public and private market funds. Its legal entity is Altimeter Capital Management, LP, with offices in Menlo Park and Boston. Disclosed investments include Snowflake financing, Grab’s listing transaction and AI company financing.Open the full entry, 137 Ventures137 Ventures137 Ventures is a San Francisco-based technology investment firm supporting growth-stage businesses through shareholder liquidity solutions and direct equity investments.Open the full entry and 8090 Industries8090 Industries8090 Industries is an investment firm headquartered in New York that backs early- to growth-stage companies in industrial sectors including advanced manufacturing and supply chains, AI infrastructure, aerospace and defense, and energy. It was co-founded by Kerem Ozmen and Rayyan Islam, and its investors are mainly families and institutions around the world that operate major industrial enterprises; as of August 2026, it managed about $1.382 billion in assets.Open the full entry among participants. Onodrim planned controlling-stake acquisitions and development of European aerospace, defence and industrial manufacturers using permanent capital, with first acquisitions expected in subsequent months.⁠[11]

Affiliated Organisations, Website and Public Accounts

The official website is https://www.lakestar.com/ (opens in a new window). Funds manages early-stage and growth investments, while Resilience invests in technologies supporting European security and strategic capabilities. Additional website-listed advisers include Simon Collins, Thorsten Dirks, Matteo Renzi and Philipp Rösler. The legal notice identifies Lakestar Advisors GmbH as website operator; this entity is distinct from the individual funds and Lakestar SPAC.⁠[1][12][13][2]

Sources

  1. Patient. Principled. Founder-centric. (opens in a new window)
  2. Legal Notice / Imprint (opens in a new window)
  3. European VC Lakestar closes new €350million fund (opens in a new window)
  4. We’ve supported Lakestar with €678 million venture capital fund closings (opens in a new window)
  5. HomeToGo SE neu im General Standard der Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse (opens in a new window)
  6. Clifford Chance is pleased to announce the successful fundraisings and closing of Lakestar's latest fund generation, Lakestar Early IV and Lakestar Growth II, bringing Lakestar's assets under management to a total of €2 billion (opens in a new window)
  7. Aztec Group supports Lakestar on landmark US$265 million continuation fund (opens in a new window)
  8. Lakestar calls time on generalist venture funds (opens in a new window)
  9. Onodrim Industries Raises €40 Million in Seed Funding to Accelerate Europe's Defence & Industrial Technology Renaissance (opens in a new window)
  10. Lakestar Closes USD 300 Million Resilience I Fund, Europe’s Largest Dedicated Dual-Use and Defence Technology Fund (opens in a new window)
  11. Onodrim Industries secures $300 million Series A at $1.3 billion valuation to strengthen Europe's defence and industrial foundations (opens in a new window)
  12. Backing Europe's most ambitious founders (opens in a new window)
  13. The Capital of European Defence (opens in a new window)