N&Q: Co-investment initiative by big family group; family/family office deals

Pritzker Group looks to co-invest with other families

The investment group of brothers J.B. Pritzker and Tony Pritzker wants to raise $1.5 billion for a new private-equity fund, according to The Wall Street Journal. Quoting people familiar with the matter, the report said the Pritzker Group will seed the fund with $750 million of its own money. Also quoting people familiar with the matter, the Journal said the Pritzker group is part of a network of family offices organized by Ross Perot Jr.’s family office, but gave no further details about the network.  

Family/family office deals

Tengelmann Ventures, a venture capital/private equity group owned by the German Haub family, has backed a Munich-based startup called Blickfeld. Tengelmann has seeded the startup along with three other investors with $4.25 million. The Haubs, one of Europe’s wealthiest families, also own Emil Capital Partners – which together with Tengelmann Ventures have made close to 70 investments in more than 40 companies.

Kulczyk Investments, a family investment group controlled by Sebastian Kulczyk, Poland’s wealthiest individual, has backed a Polish startup called Brainly. Kulczyk, along with four other investors, led the Series B round worth $14 million.

Esther Dyson, who owns an investment group called EDventure Holdings, has joined a group of seven other investors backing a startup called Mia Contacts. The investors are backing the San Francisco startup with $3 million.

Family-backed VC group called Talis Capital, have co-invested in a startup called Homelyfe, which has launched an insurance app. Talis along with another investor has funded the group with £2.4 million. Earlier this month UK-based Talis backed Talis Capital backed a finance company called PremFina.