The strategic Internet stakes of the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group are unified in Holtzbrinck Networks. The goal of the division is to develop new areas of business on the Web through the management of interests in Internet companies and the acquisition of start-ups.
Holtzbrinck Networks aims to get involved in profitable B2C companies that have attained both a solid market position and a certain turnover volume. Its particular focus is on business areas such as e-commerce, online services, portals and social communities. While its core regional markets are in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Eastern Europe, Holtzbrinck Networks is also interested in investing in other European markets, if the business idea fits into the business models of the existing investments. Majority stakes are preferred, but minority shares are not ruled out as long as the investment is seen as a strategic one.
Holtzbrinck Networks views itself as a partner, not as an owner, of the companies it invests in, leaving the local management the freedom to develop the business and usually limiting its influence to monthly reports and regular supervisory board meetings. If the management wishes, Holtzbrinck Networks will offer support in the realisation of cross-media synergies between its businesses and the other activities of the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. Through its years of experience as a venture partner helping to get a number of B2C Internet companies off the ground, Holtzbrinck Networks has unique knowledge of how to build brands, win customers and handle regional expansion.
Currently, Holtzbrinck Networks has shares in the following companies:
- allesklar.com, operating company of meinestadt.de, the leading local search portal in Germany
- buecher.de, a German online shop for books and digital media
- habostorta.hu, a Hungarian dating and youth portal
- meinestadt.de, a local search portal in Germany
- Money.pl, leading portal for financial and economic information in Poland
- My-Hammer is an online market place for the procurement of handyman and other service-oriented contracts and also acts as an online classified directory (yellow pages)
- myphotobook.de, a German maker of photo books and personalised photography products
- PARSHIP, an online dating agency
- TopTarif, independent consumer portal providing price comparisons for utilities, banking, DSL, insurance and a number of other rates
- VZnet, operator of schuelerVZ, studiVZ and meinVZ, Germany’s largest online social network
The Group
