Paua Ventures
About Paua Ventures
Paua Ventures was founded in 2010 and has since rebranded as SquareOne, a change announced in a Medium post. A June 2022 SquareOne press release says the firm started in Munich under the Paua name, while several profiles list Berlin as headquarters. Christian Buchenau is listed as co-founder, managing director and partner, and Christophe Defforey as co-founding partner. Georg Stockinger and Federico Wengi are listed as partners and Charlotte Baumhauer as principal. The debut institutional early-stage fund, Paua I, had a first close of $45 million in late 2015, though a third-party profile gives a $65 million figure for its first fund.
Public sources do not describe a dedicated AI fund or AI-specific partner role. Investor directories list AI as one of several sectors next to SaaS, enterprise software and deep tech, and a startupintros profile names machine learning and Industry 4.0 among its B2B technology sectors. Named examples with AI or automation angles are Alokai, which a third-party profile describes as AI-driven solutions, and Wandelbots, a robotics software company that SquareOne's own profile lists among its portfolio. Round sizes and years for these deals were not found in the sources reviewed.
The firm's own profile on Crunchbase describes pre-seed and seed investments in B2B technology. A third-party profile lists Pre-seed, Seed and Series A, with an investment ticket of $5-10 million. Sources disagree on whether the firm leads rounds: one says it acts as lead or co-lead, another says it does not lead. No official check size policy was found.
- Alokai: AI-driven commerce solutions, per a third-party profile; round not public
- Wandelbots: robotics software company listed in the firm's portfolio; round not public
- squareone.vc/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/20220612_PR-EN_-New-100m-fund-
- medium.com/inside-squareone-vc/day-one-with-squareone-goodbye-paua-ven
- startupintros.com/orgs/paua-ventures
- privateequitylist.com/investors/paua-ventures
- wellfound.com/company/paua-ventures
- crunchbase.com/organization/paua-ventures
- tracxn.com/d/venture-capital/paua-ventures/__VZYHGXJhq6jYRCm_Y7Wh07VHt
- vcsheet.com/fund/paua-ventures
Investing activity
Paua Ventures is listed on AI Lounge as a venture capital investor based in Berlin. The deals desk records Series A and later AI rounds and seeds over $10M, so smaller checks may not show here yet.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Paua Ventures
Is Paua Ventures now called SquareOne?
Yes. Sources describe Paua Ventures as formerly named Paua Ventures, with the rebrand to SquareOne announced in a Medium post. Founders should check squareone.vc for the current team and contact details.
Does Paua Ventures invest in AI startups?
Public sources list AI as a sector the firm covers, but they do not describe a dedicated AI fund or thesis. Examples include Alokai and Wandelbots, and founders should confirm current focus directly with the firm.
What stages does Paua Ventures invest in?
The firm's own profile describes pre-seed and seed investments. A third-party profile also lists Series A as a stage.
What is the typical check size from Paua Ventures?
A third-party profile gives an investment ticket of $5-10 million. The firm has not published its own check size, so this figure is unverified.
Who are the partners at Paua Ventures?
Christian Buchenau, Christophe Defforey, Georg Stockinger and Federico Wengi are listed as partners, and Charlotte Baumhauer as principal. Public sources do not name which partner leads AI deals.
Where is Paua Ventures based?
Paua Ventures is based in Berlin.
How can founders reach Paua Ventures?
Founders on AI Lounge can see Paua Ventures's contact details in AI Investor Contacts (paid plans), check for a warm introduction through members who worked with the firm under Warm Paths, and add Paua Ventures to their Investor Pipeline to track the conversation.