> At a Glance
> – Mario Götze has built a 70-company angel portfolio through vehicle Companion M
> – Two of his picks-Flatpay and Parloa-became unicorns in 2025
> – He writes €25k-€50k pre-seed/seed tickets in B2B SaaS, health, and biotech
> – Why it matters: A top-tier athlete is beating many full-time VCs at their own game
Mario Götze’s 113th-minute goal won Germany the 2014 World Cup; his next act is winning at startup investing. Through Companion M, the 33-year-old midfielder now commands a portfolio of more than 70 companies and two 2025 unicorns.
The Investment Playbook
Companion M zeroes in on B2B SaaS, software infra, cybersecurity, health, and biotech-sectors where Götze’s team has deep networks. He won’t back a founder unless “the startup and its founders check all the boxes,” he told News Of Philadelphia.
- Ticket size: €25,000-€50,000
- Stage: pre-seed & seed
- Geography: Europe & U.S.
- Exits already secured: Berlin’s KoRo among them
From Pitch Decks to the Pitch
Still starting for Eintracht Frankfurt, Götze schedules pitch calls around training and Champions League travel. He credits growing up in a tech-minded household-his father is a Dortmund University electrical-engineering professor-for his ease with founders.
> “I have to schedule calls before or after practices and align meetings with weeks when I don’t have away games.”
>
> – Mario Götze
Portfolio Snapshots
| Company | Sector | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Flatpay | Danish fintech | 2025 unicorn |
| Parloa | German AI | 2025 unicorn |
| Sanity Group | German cannabis | 10% German med-cannabis share, 2024 |
| Arcee AI | Miami AI | Series A raised |
| Qualifyze | Frankfurt compliance | Growth round raised |
Beyond direct stakes, Companion M has parked LP capital into 20-plus funds-20VC, Cherry, EQT, Planet A, Merantix, Visionaries, World Fund-giving Götze optionality for the day he hangs up his boots.
Key Takeaways
- A top athlete is systematically outperforming many career VCs
- Deep sector focus and disciplined check-writing drive returns
- Götze plans to shift full-time to investing after soccer
- He already views startup bets as “another passion apart from sport”
Whenever his playing days end, Götze’s next trophy chase will be carried out from boardrooms, not locker rooms.
