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Marcus Börner is the Managing Partner at 42CAP, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Berlin, Germany. Before transitioning to institutional investing, he co-founded the online custom merchandise platform Spreadshirt, which was ultimately acquired by the private equity firm TA Associates in 2019. At 42CAP, Börner manages over €100 million in assets and recently closed the firm's €120 million Fund III in March 2024 to back pre-seed and Series A startups. His active portfolio encompasses more than twenty companies, featuring notable 2023 investments such as the artificial intelligence startup DeepL, and he frequently co-invests alongside other established venture funds. Educated at the University of Applied Sciences Europe, Börner leverages more than fifteen years of operational tech entrepreneurship to guide his current focus on scaling European businesses across the deep tech, SaaS, fintech, and climate tech sectors.
Marcus Börner stands out as a highly influential angel investor and a serial entrepreneur with a remarkable track record in the European tech ecosystem. Renowned for his strategic insights and deep understanding of scalable business models, Börner has become a pivotal figure in supporting early-stage technology companies. His investment philosophy is deeply informed by his own entrepreneurial journey, providing invaluable guidance to founders.
Börner's entrepreneurial career includes co-founding optile, a leading global payment orchestration platform that was successfully acquired by Payoneer. This experience provided him with firsthand knowledge of building and scaling a successful tech enterprise from the ground up. Following optile, he co-founded Magyar Labs, further cementing his commitment to fostering innovation and developing new ventures. As an active angel investor, Marcus Börner operates independently, leveraging his extensive network and expertise to identify and nurture promising startups.
His investment focus is broad yet strategic, primarily targeting sectors poised for significant disruption and growth. Key areas of interest for Marcus Börner include Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Financial Technology (FinTech), Business-to-Business (B2B) solutions, Artificial Intelligence (AI), deep tech, and marketplace models. He is particularly drawn to companies that demonstrate strong product-market fit, innovative technology, and ambitious founding teams.
Before venturing into entrepreneurship and angel investing, Börner honed his analytical and strategic skills through a distinguished career path. He studied Computer Science at the Technical University of Munich, laying a strong technical foundation. His professional experience includes stints at global powerhouses like Google, where he gained insights into large-scale technology operations, and McKinsey & Company, where he developed a robust understanding of business strategy and execution across various industries.
Marcus Börner's portfolio boasts an impressive list of successful and high-growth companies, underscoring his ability to spot future leaders. Notable investments and advisory roles include Personio, a leading HR software company; Contentful, a content platform for digital experiences; Trade Republic and N26, prominent FinTech innovators; Gorillas and Flink, rapid grocery delivery services; Pitch, a collaborative presentation software; Taxfix, a mobile tax filing app; Caya, a digital mailroom service; Hive, an e-commerce fulfillment solution; Xentral, an ERP software; and CoachHub, a digital coaching platform. These investments reflect his diverse interests and his consistent success in backing companies that achieve significant market impact and valuations. His reputation as a "super angel" is well-earned, reflecting his consistent ability to identify and support the next generation of tech giants.
Marcus Börner is a highly successful angel investor and serial entrepreneur, known for co-founding optile (acquired by Payoneer) and Magyar Labs. He is a prominent figure in the European tech ecosystem.
Marcus Börner primarily invests in early-stage technology companies, with a strong focus on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Financial Technology (FinTech), Business-to-Business (B2B) solutions, Artificial Intelligence (AI), deep tech, and marketplace models.
Marcus Börner primarily operates as an independent angel investor and is a co-founder of Magyar Labs. He previously served as CEO of optile, which was acquired by Payoneer.