Klaus Hommels
Encyclopedia
Klaus Hommels is a seed and early-stage venture capitalist based out of Zurich
, Switzerland
. He has founded his own venture capital fund by the name Hommels Holding through which he has been investing mainly in Internet businesses. He has been involved in successful internet investments such as Skype
, Facebook
and Xing
.
He studied for a Master of Science in Business Administration and PhD in Finance at the University of Fribourg
in Fribourg
, Switzerland
. He worked as Managing Director in business development, content and advertising for AOL
Germany
(1995–1999). After that he started at Apax Partners
in Munich as a Director (1999–2000). At the height of the dotcom bubble burst he started out as a private investor. In 2006, after six years as a private investor, Klaus joined Benchmark Capital
(now Balderton Capital) as a Venture Partner in London
. In 2007, he founded Hommels Holding which focuses mainly on internet businesses.
for USD 4.1 billion), Xing (IPO in 2006), QXL.com (acquired by Naspers
Group) and Adjug (sold to Hubert Burda Media
). His current investments include Facebook
, King.com
, Stardoll
, Woo Media
and Spotify
.
, INSEAD
, and the University of St. Gallen
.
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He has founded his own venture capital fund by the name Hommels Holding through which he has been investing mainly in Internet businesses. He has been involved in successful internet investments such as Skype
Skype
Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system...
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Xing
Xing
Xing may refer to:* an abbreviation for crossing, primarily used in North America* Qiao Xing Universal Telephone Inc. * XING, a social network platform* Xing County, in Shanxi, China* Xing - A Korean boyband...
.
He studied for a Master of Science in Business Administration and PhD in Finance at the University of Fribourg
University of Fribourg
The University of Fribourg is a university in the city of Fribourg, Switzerland.The roots of the University can be traced back to 1582, when the notable Jesuit Peter Canisius founded the Collège Saint-Michel in the City of Fribourg. In 1763, an Academy of law was founded by the state of Frobourg...
in Fribourg
Fribourg
Fribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He worked as Managing Director in business development, content and advertising for AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(1995–1999). After that he started at Apax Partners
Apax Partners
Apax Partners LLP is a global private equity and venture capital firm, headquartered in London. The company also operates out of eight other offices in New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Tel-Aviv, Madrid, Stockholm, Milan and Munich. The firm, including its various predecessors, have raised...
in Munich as a Director (1999–2000). At the height of the dotcom bubble burst he started out as a private investor. In 2006, after six years as a private investor, Klaus joined Benchmark Capital
Benchmark Capital
Benchmark Capital is a venture capital firm responsible for the early stage funding of some very successful startups. In 1997, the firm invested $6.7 million in eBay, which became worth more than $5 billion by the spring of 1999. Other high-profile investments include Ariba, Juniper Networks, Red...
(now Balderton Capital) as a Venture Partner in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 2007, he founded Hommels Holding which focuses mainly on internet businesses.
Investments
Klaus Hommels has made early stage investments in some very successful internet businesses. His successful investments included Skype (acquired by EbayEBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
for USD 4.1 billion), Xing (IPO in 2006), QXL.com (acquired by Naspers
Naspers
Naspers is a South Africa-based multinational media company with principal operations in electronic media and print media Naspers is a South Africa-based multinational media company with principal operations in electronic media (including pay-television, internet and instant-messaging subscriber...
Group) and Adjug (sold to Hubert Burda Media
Hubert Burda Media
Hubert Burda Media is a German privately held, family-owned global media company with its origins in printing and magazine publishing. The company is headquartered in Offenburg and Munich, has additional main offices in Berlin and Hamburg and has more than 7400 employees...
). His current investments include Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, King.com
King.com
King.com is an online skill-based games company. King.com is available in nine languages and in 10 countries. King.com is an international company with 85 employees and offices in London, Los Angeles, Rome, Hamburg and Stockholm.-Operations:...
, Stardoll
Stardoll
Stardoll is a browser game for girls and boys based around the paper doll concept. Launched in 2004, the website was attracting a reported 200 thousand unique users a month ; as of September 2011 there were over 124 million users worldwide...
, Woo Media
Woo Media
Woo Media was an online chat and video social network which offered a variety of interactive sites that provided live social entertainment through a computer or mobile device....
and Spotify
Spotify
Spotify is a Swedish-founded, UK-headquartered DRM-based music streaming service offering streaming of selected music from a range of major and independent record labels, including Sony, EMI, Warner Music Group, and Universal. Launched in October 2008 by Swedish startup Spotify AB, the service had...
.
Honors
Klaus Hommels was elected as Europe’s most successful Entrepreneurial Private Investor in 2006 by the leading European business schools IESEIESE
IESE Business School is the graduate business school of the University of Navarra. IESE has campuses in Barcelona, Madrid, and New York City and teaching facilities in Munich and Sao Paulo...
, INSEAD
INSEAD
INSEAD is an international graduate business school and research institution. It has campuses in Europe , Asia , and the Middle East , as well as a research center in Israel...
, and the University of St. Gallen
University of St. Gallen
The University of St. Gallen is a public research university located in St. Gallen, Switzerland. It is specialized in the fields of business administration, economics, law, and international affairs. The University of St. Gallen is also known as HSG, which is an abbreviation of its former German...
.