Investor Profile: BMW i Ventures — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Building automotive or industrial AI and wondering how to get funding from BMW i Ventures? This is the independent venture capital fund of the BMW Group — founded in 2011, operating from Silicon Valley and Munich — with $1.1 billion in total capital under management. BMW i Ventures funding comes with a rare promise for a corporate VC: the firm operates with the independence and speed of a traditional venture firm. Its $300M Fund III, launched in April 2026, targets the AI reshaping of the automotive ecosystem — from physical AI to circular supply chains.

Thesis and sweet spot

BMW i Ventures invests in companies shaping the future of the automotive industry, manufacturing and the supply chain. Fund III ($300M) focuses on physical AI, agentic AI, AI-native enterprise and industrial software, manufacturing and supply-chain technologies, advanced materials and circular supply chains. The firm invests from seed to growth across North America and Europe, with emphasis on Series A and B.

The independence point matters: BMW i Ventures describes itself as operating with the speed of a traditional venture firm rather than a corporate committee. The sweet spot is AI-native founders whose technology touches mobility, manufacturing or industrial supply chains — companies where BMW Group can be a customer or validation partner, but where the investment stands on venture merits.

Cheque size and fund

BMW i Ventures manages $1.1B in total capital including the $300M Fund III, per the BMW Group press release of 29 April 2026. (Earlier BMW materials described the platform as 'EUR 500 million' — superseded by the Fund III announcement.) The firm does not publicly disclose a cheque-size range. Since 2011, the firm reports 90+ companies invested, 30+ exits and 11 portfolio companies gone public.

Notable portfolio

The portfolio includes GaN Systems (acquired by Infineon for $830M), ChargePoint, Xometry, Tekion, Kodiak, Skylo, Embotech, Rive, Synera, Blackmore, CelLink, CodeRabbit, Motorway, Alitheon and Formant — spanning EV charging, manufacturing marketplaces, autonomy, satellite connectivity and AI code review. The GaN Systems exit is the signature outcome to date.

Partners

The firm is led by managing partners Marcus Behrendt and Kasper Sage, per BMW Group announcements. The partnership has run the fund since its early years, giving founders continuity across the three funds.

Programs, credits and perks

BMW i Ventures does not run a public accelerator or credits programme. Its value-add is commercial: portfolio companies get structured access to BMW Group's engineering, manufacturing and procurement organisations — pilots and partnerships that can de-risk industrial go-to-market.

How to apply for funding

BMW i Ventures does not publish a pitch email or application form. Founders typically reach the team through warm introductions in the mobility, manufacturing and AI ecosystems of Silicon Valley, Munich and beyond. A pitch that shows both venture-scale ambition and a credible BMW Group touchpoint — engineering, manufacturing or supply chain — plays to the fund's strengths.