
Doepfner Capital
Venture capital fund making concentrated enterprise bets.
Doepfner Capital is a venture capital investment firm located in Los Angeles, California. The firm was established by Moritz Döpfner, who serves as its Managing Director. Moritz, the son of Axel Springer SE's CEO Mathias Döpfner, previously held the position of Chief of Staff at Thiel Capital, the family office of investor Peter Thiel. His experience at Thiel Capital involved negotiating investments, such as the one in the drone startup Quantum Systems, where he also represented Thiel on the company's advisory board.
The firm's inaugural fund, Doepfner Capital Fund I, L.P., was formed in 2024 with a target of raising $75 million. It secured a significant anchor investment of $50 million from Peter Thiel, reflecting a pattern of Thiel backing former employees to launch their own funds. Doepfner Capital's strategy involves making "concentrated bets" on companies, with an investment focus that includes Europe. The firm has already participated in funding rounds for companies like Stark Defence, a German startup developing autonomous military drones.
Registered as an Exempt Reporting Adviser (ERA) with the SEC and in California, Doepfner Capital Management, L.P. is not required to register as a full investment adviser due to certain exemptions. The firm operates out of West Hollywood, California. Its connection to Peter Thiel is seen in the investment community as a potential advantage for its portfolio companies, particularly in navigating relationships with a potential new Trump administration.
Keywords: venture capital, investment firm, concentrated bets, enterprise startups, Moritz Döpfner, Peter Thiel, Thiel Capital, Axel Springer, Doepfner Capital Fund I, early-stage investing, technology investment, European startups, Los Angeles, defense technology, drone startups, Stark Defence, Quantum Systems, family office, anchor investor, SEC filing