Venture fund CDTM, led by Michael Wax in collaboration with Helantic, focusing on closing the gender gap, partners with identity.vc.

In a significant development for the Munich startup ecosystem, Forto, a Berlin-based logistics unicorn, has announced that Guillaume Petit-Perrin, the company's CFO, will take over as CEO from its founder, Michael Wax. Wax will transition into the role of Chairman of the Board. No information about the future leadership or direction of Forto beyond this change was provided.

Meanwhile, the Munich startup incubator CDTM and some well-known alumni are founding the CDTM Venture Fund. The fund, with an initial capital of €8.2 million, will be operated by Franz Waltenberger, a long-standing member of the CDTM management team. The CDTM Venture Fund will exclusively invest in startups founded by former CDTM graduates, with plans to invest in around 60 early-stage startups over the next four years.

The CDTM Venture Fund's primary focus is on nurturing the success of startups born from the incubator's ranks. So far, alumni of the CDTM have founded more than 280 startups, including nine unicorns. The exact startups that the CDTM Venture Fund will invest in have not been disclosed.

Elsewhere, a new funding pot, Helantic, has been established with €100 million, focusing on AI, robotics, and defense tech. No details were given about the specific startups that Helantic will fund.

On a different note, Michael Wax's departure was announced on LinkedIn, with no further details provided about the reasons for his departure.

Looking ahead, the second edition of StartupLand is scheduled for November 5th. The event will feature talks by successful founders, insightful interviews, and pitches that inspire. Sam Eshrati, who has joined as a venture partner at Berlin venture capitalist identity.vc, is expected to be a key participant.

Forto, founded in 2016, has raised around 500 million in venture capital from investors such as Disruptive, Softbank, and G Squared. The company's growth and success are a testament to the vibrant startup scene in Berlin and Germany as a whole.

These developments underscore the continued growth and dynamism of the startup ecosystems in Munich and Berlin, with investors and incubators providing crucial support to the next generation of innovative startups.

Venture fund CDTM, led by Michael Wax in collaboration with Helantic, focusing on closing the gender gap, partners with identity.vc.