Claude Ritter, Cavalry Ventures: From Serial Entrepreneur to VC Partner

About this episode

From Switzerland to Berlin: An Unconventional Path

Claude Ritter embodies the classic serial entrepreneur: After training in eBanking in Switzerland, his journey led him via Hong Kong to Berlin, where he wrote one of Germany's most well-known startup success stories in 2010.

His career began pragmatically – with solid training in eBanking that gave him the necessary understanding of digital financial processes. However, the entrepreneurial spirit caught him during his studies, and he took the leap into self-employment.

Lieferheld: The Foundation for Delivery Hero

The international detour via Hong Kong broadened Claude's horizons before he settled in Berlin in 2010 and founded Lieferheld. What began as a local idea for food delivery would develop into one of Germany's largest startup exits.

Lieferheld later became part of the Delivery Hero empire, which eventually made the leap to the stock exchange. For Claude, however, this was not the end of his entrepreneurial career, but rather a springboard for further projects.

Book A Tiger: From Founder to Seller

After Delivery Hero's IPO, Claude founded his next company: Book A Tiger. The startup focused on services and was able to record a successful exit four years later when it was acquired by Helpling.

This experience – from founding through building to successful sale – rounded out Claude's understanding of the complete startup lifecycle. As a two-time founder, he had experienced both the highs and challenges of entrepreneurship firsthand.

The Switch to the Investor Side

Today, Claude stands on the other side of the table: As Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Cavalry Ventures, he invests in early-stage startups. His experiences as a serial entrepreneur make him a valuable partner for founders who want to follow similar paths.

At Cavalry Ventures, Claude brings not only capital but especially operational experience and a deep understanding of the challenges that founders face in various phases of their company building.

Learnings for Founders

Claude's career path demonstrates several important principles for aspiring entrepreneurs:

• –International experience pays off: The detour via Hong Kong broadened his horizons and influenced his later decisions.
• –Timing is crucial: Lieferheld emerged in 2010 when the food delivery market was still in its infancy.
• –From founder to investor: Experience as a serial entrepreneur qualifies one for the role of venture capital partner.

His story illustrates that successful founder careers rarely follow a straight line, but often emerge from bold decisions, international experiences, and the willingness to repeatedly face new challenges.