Martin Karschkes

Principal at Lightrock | Technology Growth Investor

📍 United Kingdom🔄 Updated September 2026💼 12 investments📅 11 years investing🗓 Last invested Jan 2025
VC🌍 United Kingdom
12
Total investments
0
Early stage
5
Mid stage
4
Late stage
11y
Years active

Portfolio

9 investments · sorted by recency
All investments
Early stage
Mid stage
Late stage
Investor & Board Observer
2025
Makersite is transforming how products are made by accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy. We’re the leader in delivering supply chain digital twins for product sustainability, risk, and cost optimization for the world’s leading brands. Our technology combines AI, data, and apps to power sustainable product and supply chain decisions at scale, helping manufacturing enterprises solve complex challenges in minutes where previously it would take them months. We do this by empowering engineering and procurement teams in manufacturing companies with the data they need to make better decisions about what to make their products out of and from where they should buy from. Makersite’s AI automatically maps a company’s product data, suppliers, and manufacturing processes against more than 140 material and supply chain databases. It then constructs granular, precise digital twins of each product and how they are made, used, and disposed of. It is these dynamic, multi-criteria models and deeply integrated apps that enable transparency and understanding of multiple factors, including environmental footprints, should-costing, and compliance risks, faster than any current approach. Makersite is an award-winning software-as-a-service provider helping manufacturing enterprises solve complex challenges around their products and supply chains. Founded in 2018 by CEO and Founder Neil D’Souza, the Stuttgart-based company employs more than 60 employees across Europe, the USA, and Asia. Their customer portfolio includes Microsoft, Bekaert, Barco, Cummins, and Vestas. Amongst other areas, Makersite is the leader in MCDA for product design and procurement, as well as full automation of LCAs and Scope 3 reporting. Just in 2022, 20+ Million LCAs were processed through the cloud platform. You can find our social media privacy policy here - https://makersite.io/social-policy/
Investor & Board Observer
2024
AiDash is making critical infrastructure industries climate-resilient and sustainable with satellites and AI. Using our full-stack SaaS solutions, customers in electric, gas, and water utilities, transportation, and construction are transforming asset inspection and maintenance - and complying with biodiversity net gain mandates and carbon capture goals. Our customers deliver ROI in their first year of deployment with reduced costs, improved reliability, and achieved sustainability goals. Learn more at www.aidash.com.
Investor & Board Observer
2022
We make ground transportation accessible. Distribusion is the technology platform providing access to ground transportation worldwide, enabling a better travel experience from search to settlement. We developed the first global B2B booking API and the largest network of carriers and retailers in the industry. Through our platform, global travel brands connect with hundreds of bus, airport transfer, train and ferry providers. Travel retailers use our API to access the largest content while carriers benefit from a full end-to-end booking solution. We continuously look for smart, versatile and digital-native individuals to help us develop what is to become the world’s standard for ground transportation. Check out our exciting job opportunities and join our fast growing team here: https://careers.distribusion.com/
Investor & Board Member
2022
Were on a mission to help homeowners make more of what they already own. We offer secured finance solutions through our Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) and Home Equity Loan, designed to support a wide range of life plans from home improvements to education or property investment. We’re a fully regulated UK lender, trusted by thousands of customers to deliver transparent, flexible funding with control and confidence. Our growing Selina Finance team brings together decades of experience in financial services. Since launch, we’ve advanced millions directly to customers, as well as through trusted brokers, and have expanded our offering to other types of secured loans.
Investor
2022
We empower entrepreneurs around the world with the tools and resources they need to flourish.
Investor & Board Member
2019
We believe healthcare should be accessible, dependable and affordable for everyone. Now part of Hims & Hers Health, Inc., one of the fastest-growing digital health companies in the world, we’re entering an exciting new chapter as we expand our reach and accelerate our impact. Our team of Doctors, Engineers, Patient Care Advisors, Marketers, Product Managers, UX Designers, Pharmacists and Commercial and Operations Specialists works together to build digital healthcare that truly fits around our patients’ lives. The pandemic changed how people access care, and we’ve led the way by providing millions of consultations across the UK, Germany, France and Ireland. More patients than ever turn to us for help with weight loss and other conditions that can be safely treated online. We’re evolving our service to make care even more personal, supportive and effective. We’re doing more than providing healthcare. We’re empowering people to take control of their health, and with the support of Hims & Hers, we’re scaling our vision to become a global leader in digital healthcare. It’s an exciting time to join. If you want to be part of our journey, make an impact, grow with us and help us define and influence the future of digital healthcare, check out our current vacancies now.
Investor
2018
Uberall is a multi-location marketing platform that enhances brand visibility and engagement when customers search the world around them. The platform provides a comprehensive suite of tools to manage location data and listings, store locators, messaging, local social media, and social ads – making it easy for businesses to get found, be chosen and drive more sales. Established in 2013 in Berlin, Germany, Uberall powers over 1.3 million locations globally and is trusted by leading brands across various industries, including retail, hospitality, food & beverage, and automotive.
Investor
2016
EGYM is a global fitness technology leader providing fitness and health facilities with intelligent workout solutions. EGYM makes exercising smarter and more efficient with its comprehensive suite of connected gym equipment and digital products that integrate seamlessly with 3rd-party hard- and software. The result is a fully connected training experience that drives measurable business and health outcomes on and off the training floor. EGYM also offers subscription-based corporate wellness solutions built on a combination of gym-access and EGYM fitness programs that directly target costly chronic conditions and boost employee health, leading to higher productivity and well-being.
Growth Equity Investor
2015
Established in 2010, HPE Growth is a leading sector specialist pan-European private equity firm focused on early-mid growth capital investments in technology companies throughout Europe with assets under management in excess of EUR 600 million. HPE invests in high-growth software and internet-enabled businesses that have shaken off the risks associated with early, venture-type investments and have an option to leverage their proven technology and the status of a (local) champion. By bringing in additional equity and active support, HPE acts as a catalyst to expansion and enables portfolio companies to execute on their vision of securing market leadership. Typically, HPE aims to deploy about EUR 10 to 40 million in equity per transaction for a meaningful minority or majority position. Portfolio investments include companies such as PPRO, Tiqets, eGym, Uberall and WeTransfer. HPE’s team has diverse backgrounds with international experience in Investing (General Atlantic, TPG), Finance (Morgan Stanley, ING) and Operations (Walt Disney, Shell) and a global network supported through its regional offices in Amsterdam (HQ), Düsseldorf and San Francisco.
Experience · 16 entries
All (16)
Investments (12)
Board (5)
2025
Investor & Board Observer
2025
Makersite is transforming how products are made by accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy. We’re the leader in delivering supply chain digital twins for product sustainability, risk, and cost optimization for the world’s leading brands. Our technology combines AI, data, and apps to power sustainable product and supply chain decisions at scale, helping manufacturing enterprises solve complex challenges in minutes where previously it would take them months. We do this by empowering engineering and procurement teams in manufacturing companies with the data they need to make better decisions about what to make their products out of and from where they should buy from. Makersite’s AI automatically maps a company’s product data, suppliers, and manufacturing processes against more than 140 material and supply chain databases. It then constructs granular, precise digital twins of each product and how they are made, used, and disposed of. It is these dynamic, multi-criteria models and deeply integrated apps that enable transparency and understanding of multiple factors, including environmental footprints, should-costing, and compliance risks, faster than any current approach. Makersite is an award-winning software-as-a-service provider helping manufacturing enterprises solve complex challenges around their products and supply chains. Founded in 2018 by CEO and Founder Neil D’Souza, the Stuttgart-based company employs more than 60 employees across Europe, the USA, and Asia. Their customer portfolio includes Microsoft, Bekaert, Barco, Cummins, and Vestas. Amongst other areas, Makersite is the leader in MCDA for product design and procurement, as well as full automation of LCAs and Scope 3 reporting. Just in 2022, 20+ Million LCAs were processed through the cloud platform. You can find our social media privacy policy here - https://makersite.io/social-policy/
Investor
2025
AMBOSS is a medical technology company with offices in New York, Berlin, Cologne and Cagliari. Its knowledge platform has fundamentally changed the way medical know-how is acquired and utilized at the point of care. Students use the interactive library and high-yield question bank for general study and exam preparation, while clinicians rely on AMBOSS to make effective clinical decisions guided by evidence-based recommendations. Founded in 2012 by physicians for physicians, the company’s international team has grown to over 400 physicians, scientists and software engineers, all striving to better serve physicians around the world. Today, more than a million healthcare professionals in over 180 countries rely on AMBOSS. Privacy Policy: https://www.amboss.com/us/privacy Terms of Conditions: https://www.amboss.com/us/terms German Datenschutzrichtlinien: https://www.amboss.com/de/de-legal/datenschutz-uebersicht German Impressum: https://www.amboss.com/de/impressum
Investor
2025
Our mission is to transform how people and machines work together to push the boundaries of human productivity. A pioneer in Machine Health and Process Health solutions, we help customers eliminate production downtime, improve process efficiency, maximize yield, and reduce waste and emissions. Powered by purpose-built AI, trained by industry experts and the world’s largest data library, Augury’s global customers achieve 5-20x ROI.
2024
Investor & Board Observer
2024
AiDash is making critical infrastructure industries climate-resilient and sustainable with satellites and AI. Using our full-stack SaaS solutions, customers in electric, gas, and water utilities, transportation, and construction are transforming asset inspection and maintenance - and complying with biodiversity net gain mandates and carbon capture goals. Our customers deliver ROI in their first year of deployment with reduced costs, improved reliability, and achieved sustainability goals. Learn more at www.aidash.com.
2022
Investor & Board Observer
2022
We make ground transportation accessible. Distribusion is the technology platform providing access to ground transportation worldwide, enabling a better travel experience from search to settlement. We developed the first global B2B booking API and the largest network of carriers and retailers in the industry. Through our platform, global travel brands connect with hundreds of bus, airport transfer, train and ferry providers. Travel retailers use our API to access the largest content while carriers benefit from a full end-to-end booking solution. We continuously look for smart, versatile and digital-native individuals to help us develop what is to become the world’s standard for ground transportation. Check out our exciting job opportunities and join our fast growing team here: https://careers.distribusion.com/
Show all 16 entries ↓
Investment activity
2015–2025 · 12 investments
2015120161201812019120211202232024120253
Recent (last 2 years)Earlier