Organization · Corporate Venture Capital
butterfly & elephant
butterfly & elephant is the corporate venture capital arm of GS1 Germany, focused on investing in seed and early-stage startups primarily in the consumer goods, retail, e-commerce, and healthcare sectors. The organization leverages GS1 standards and a vast network to support sustainable growth.
Overview
What butterfly & elephant does
What butterfly & elephant is
butterfly & elephant is the corporate venture capital arm of GS1 Germany, focused on investing in seed and early-stage startups primarily in the consumer goods, retail, e-commerce, and healthcare sectors. The organization leverages GS1 standards and a vast network to support sustainable growth.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and community capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Corporate Venture Capital
- Founded
- Founded in 2024
- Approximate age
- About 2 years
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Community
- Last reviewed
- April 9, 2026
Official channels
Find butterfly & elephant elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
butterfly & elephant as a funder
Investment thesis
butterfly & elephant invests as a strategic partner in startups that combine technological innovation with standardization, particularly in product identification, data capture, and data exchange. Their focus is on supporting companies that adopt or advance GS1 standards.
Focus narrative
butterfly & elephant invests in seed and early-stage companies primarily within the consumer goods, retail, e-commerce, and healthcare sectors. The organization emphasizes entrepreneurial freedom, allowing startups to develop their product and growth strategies independently while providing access to GS1 standards, mentoring, coaching, and networking opportunities.
Value beyond capital
butterfly & elephant provides significant value beyond capital by granting portfolio companies access to GS1's extensive network of over 97,000 member companies in Germany and more than 2 million worldwide. This access facilitates market entry, enhances credibility, and fosters corporate introductions, which are crucial for startups in the consumer goods, retail, and healthcare sectors.
Terms and economics
- Typical check
- $300,000
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Seed · Pre-seed · Friends and Family · Accelerator
- Regions
- Europe
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Yes
Portfolio and track record
Portfolio context
Notable investments include amsight, a startup specializing in data-based quality management for industrial 3D printing, and Cyreen, an AI retail media startup focused on digital measurement for brick-and-mortar stores. Other portfolio companies include info.link and PickShare, which operate in the logistics sector.
Capability profile
butterfly & elephant as a community
Community overview
butterfly & elephant is the corporate venture capital arm of GS1 Germany, established to support startups in their growth journey. It focuses on creating an environment conducive to the development of innovative ideas, leveraging GS1 standards and a vast network of industry partners. The organization aims to foster sustainable growth in seed and early-stage companies primarily within the consumer goods, retail, e-commerce, and healthcare sectors.
Community focus
The organization emphasizes entrepreneurial freedom, allowing startups to develop their product and growth strategies independently. butterfly & elephant invests in companies that adopt or advance GS1 standards in identification, data capture, and product data exchange, making it a strategic partner in the startup ecosystem.
Member value
Members gain access to GS1 standards, mentoring, coaching, and networking opportunities, which are crucial for fostering sustainable growth. The backing of GS1 Germany's extensive network of over 97,000 member companies in Germany and 2 million worldwide provides significant market access and credibility.
Membership
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Investors
- Benefits
- mentorship and network-access
- Program types
- community
- Selection criteria
- application
- Stages
- Seed · Pre-seed
- Sectors
- ConsumerHealthcareE-Commerce
Community activity
Notable members
Notable investments include amsight, a startup specializing in data-based quality management in industrial 3D printing, and Cyreen, an AI retail media startup. The organization is backed by GS1 Germany, which has a vast network of industry partners.
Common questions
What to know about butterfly & elephant
Upseed classifies butterfly & elephant under the Corporate Venture Capital organization type. Its current public profile includes funder and community capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
April 9, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.