With a particular expertise in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, healthcare and technology sectors, the venture capital practice at CMS is the port of call for start-ups, company founders, financial and strategic investors seeking counsel on foundations, financing rounds, and exits. High-volume later-stage venture capital and growth capital transactions are additional strengths of the offering. Stefan-Ulrich Müller and Jörg Zätzsch jointly lead the group, with Müller excelling in venture debt, investments and financing rounds, and Zätzsch a key contact for start-ups, venture capital funds and strategic investors. Friedrich von Spee is an additional name to note for start-ups in this area.

Taylor Wessing continues to operate at the top of the German venture capital market, assisting with substantial equity rounds, as well as every other step on the investment value chain. Recent areas of growth and focus for the practice have been in AI, defence and climate tech, and the team has also been prominent in the increasing market for down rounds and rescue financings. Jens Wolf heads the VC group, leading advice to start-ups and investors on business-angel investments and unicorn funding rounds. As technology, media and communications head, Norman Röchert has a strong presence in the firm’s teams of VC counsel, and he is particularly experienced in acting for national and US investors. Niclas von Woedtke is a further key name and stands out in the biotech and e-commerce sectors. Armin Bartsch and Philipp Hoegl are additional key figures, indicating the strength in depth.

The venture capital offering at V14 encompasses the full range of work in the area. Its client base ranges from family offices and strategic investors to start-ups focused on B2B business. Formation through to growth financing and exit are all covered by the team, and it continues to act on a high volume of equity and convertible financing rounds. Key names in the team include Frank Vogel, expert across venture and growth capital; Clemens Waitz, who excels in advice to tech clients; Samuel Aebi and Simon Pfefferle, who both have broad VC practices; January 2025 partner appointment Florian Kozok; and Lorenz Frey, who assists with equity and mezzanine financing.

Top international investors and VC funds are among those that instruct YPOG‘s sizeable team on large-volume equity and venture debt financing rounds. The group has notable strength in the technology sector and is sought after by scale-ups and start-ups alike. Martin Schaper leads the team and is an accomplished corporate and financing lawyer. Benjamin Ullrich has a strong reputation in venture capital transactions, and Stephan Bank receives client commendation for VC structuring and transactions. Frederik Gärtner focuses on growth-oriented companies in regulated industries, while Adrian Haase is another transaction specialist. Tobias Lovett took up an in-house role in October 2025.

Hogan Lovells International LLP‘s venture capital offering makes a three-pronged assault on matters in the field: advising VC funds, corporate VCs and start-ups; supporting companies from start-up to exit; and assisting with expansion, investments and development. After joining the firm from Ernst & Young in January 2025, Jan Philipp Feigen oversees venture capital work as part of his remit as head of private equity. Experienced corporate partner Volker Geyrhalter is a key contact here, as is transactions expert Christoph Naumann. Nikolas Zirngibl draws on 20 years of finance and M&A experience, and at a more junior level, Thiemo Woertge is forging a strong practice across the private capital cycle.

VC fund investors and healthcare sector clients are among those to frequently instruct LUTZ | ABEL RECHTSANWALTS PARTG MBB for challenging transactions. The team is well equipped to advise on early financing rounds through to exits. Bernhard Noreisch leads the VC practice group and has a number of key investors as repeat clients, as well as assisting with exit transactions and M&A projects. Philipp Hoene acts for investors, start-ups and shareholders, and Marco Eickmann has established a strong reputation for advising on large-scale international financing rounds and multi-seller exit transactions. Financing rounds and mid-cap M&A are both regular features of Lorenz Jellinghaus's workload, with Björn Weidehaas being a key contact for family offices, angel investors, and start-ups. Frank Hahn and Jan-Phillip Kunz are additional contacts to note.

Buy and sell-side finances of considerable value are within the wheelhouse of the VC team at Noerr, which is counsel of choice to VC funds and technology start-ups, among others. Governance, commercial issues, sales, and exits are also covered by the practice group that is headed by Felix Blobel, whose international practice covers all facets of venture capital advice. Sascha Leske is also a key contact; he has extensive expertise in legal, tax support and structuring of VC transactions across all development stages.

POELLATH fields a venture capital team that assists clients with transactions from seed to exit, as well as strategic sales, and relevant tax planning and other strategic matters. The group is particularly strong and active in the fintech, e-commerce and automotive sectors, and advises various strategic and institutional investors, start-ups and growth companies. As joint leaders of the M&A and private equity teams, Jens Hörmann and Tim Kaufhold oversee venture capital advice. Christian Tönies has a specific VC focus to his M&A practice, as does Sebastian Gerlinger, a regular advisor to venture capital funds, corporate venture capitalists, start-ups, and investors. Markus Döllner and Sebastian Rosentritt are additional names to note.

Continuing its growth and focus on the development of younger lawyers, GSK Stockmann acts on a variety of venture capital investments, including an increasing number of cross-border deals. Leading the practice are Katy Ritzmann, a specialist in tech sector VC transactions; and Thomas Derlin, a key advisor for investors in technology, internet and media companies. The future of the practice can be seen in Clara López Hernando, who has a digital and tech focused practice and VC fund expertise; and Dennis Gehnen, reliable counsel for mobility, digitisation, technology and insurtech matters.

Jones Day continues to act on venture capital matters, leveraging its strengths across related tax, data protection and M&A matters to provide a rounded service to clients. It has also recently attracted new work in the tech, internet, fintech, medtech, and renewable energy spaces. Ansgar Rempp oversees transactions and private equity matters, with new hire Michiel Huizinga, who joined from A&O Shearman in January 2025. Stefan Schneider has a strong track record of advice to investors and growth companies in the high-tech and life science sectors, and Christian Krebs is an additional M&A expert to note.

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH is the destination of choice for a number of investors with broad target ranges, as well as a variety of domestic start-ups. Technology, infrastructure, energy, healthcare and life sciences are all fields in which the team has a strong track record. Its notable strength in depth is evident at various levels of seniority. Leadership is shared between Philipp Glock, who is building a notable practice assisting venture capital and private equity funds, family offices and business angels, as well as start-up companies; and company law advisor Andreas Tüxen. Michael Ströbel is a strong choice for tech sector private equity matters, and key support to the partners comes from Moritz Mentzel and Dominique Kurtz.

An experienced full-service M&A and private equity offering at Raue covers the range of VC matters and integrates with teams in tax, labour, regulatory and others to assist its client base of start-ups and investors. Energy, healthcare and IT are particular sectors of strength, and the practice frequently handles financing rounds, corporate law issues, convertible loans and management participations. Practice head Andreas Nelle‘s team includes Jörg Jaecks, who comes with client commendation for his negotiation skills, healthcare sector specialist Nadine Hartung, and talented counsel Louise Fußy.

Investments in the high-tech sector are a notable strength of Bird & Bird LLP‘s venture capital team, which acts for start-ups, business angels, VC funds and corporate VC investors on financing rounds and VC investments. Stefanie Orttmann oversees VC work, with Stefan Gottgetreu being the lead lawyer on the majority of key matters. He has particularly in-depth knowledge of the automotive and manufacturing industries. Counsel Andrea Schlote assists with the full range of matters.

Well versed in handling small and mid-cap transactions in the venture capital space, GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB takes a full-service approach in its advice to both start-ups and investors. To this end, the firm has robust IP and labour law practices that collaborate closely with its corporate and transactional experts. Corporate law specialist Bernt Paudtke oversees the VC group, with Sebastian Frech being the frequent leader on such matters, assisting tech companies, their founders or investors, with growth equity and venture capital investments, and exit transactions. Stephan Göthel has strength in financing VC deals, and Max Zeisler is the key name on the more junior side.

Greenberg Traurig Germany maintains a clear focus on transactions and VC fund structuring. It has a client list of investors that target high value and emergent industries, and the team has particularly strong reputations in fintech, proptech, biotech and edtech. A trio of lawyers coordinate VC advice: co-chair of the corporate group Peter Schorling; his fellow co-chair Henrik Armah, who has a significant venture capital practice; and Natalie Hsiao, who advises on all aspects of VC transactions. The firm’s additions of Stephan Rau in November 2024 and Björn Biehl in February 2025, both from McDermott Will & Schulte, bolster its broader corporate service.

GreenGate Partners Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG was founded in 2022 and is well placed to advise on financing rounds for start-ups and growth companies. Its client base spans strategic investors, VC funds and business angels, as well as start-ups in the technology space. Tobias Schönhaar is an accomplished advisor on company formation, individual financing rounds, and exits; he co-leads the team with VC expert René Spitz  and transactional lawyer Nikolaus Uhl.

The German tech sector is the focus of the venture capital offering at Lambsdorff Rechtsanwälte. Its clients include a number of the rising domestic companies in the space, and investors, including HNWIs and businesses. Leading the team are Pablo Rüdiger de Erice, frequent advisor of financing rounds to a host of companies and investors; and tax law specialist Konstantin Graf Lambsdorff. Louis Meyer focuses on corporate law and venture capital transactions in the tech sector, and both Lea Krech and Rebecca Dreyer are younger lawyers to note.

Coming under the remit of its fast growth team, venture capital advice from White & Case LLP covers financing and seed rounds, with a tech sector focus. The practice group is jointly led by Tobias Heinrich and corporate lawyer Carola Glasauer. Heinrich is the most involved partner in this area, frequently advising at the intersection of M&A and venture capital. VC and growth equity matters are the focus for Johannes Goossens, handling transactions across the technology and industrial sectors.