What does a startup need to get off to a successful start? The answer is simple: a strong network with direct contact to decision-makers and an environment that gives founders the space to realize their visions - with the right partners at the right time. This is exactly what butterfly & elephant, an investment company founded by GS1 Germany in 2024, offers. It combines capital, entrepreneurial freedom and access to a unique network. This network brings together industry expertise from the consumer goods industry, retail, e-commerce and healthcare - from small companies to global players.
The hidden champion behind butterfly & elephant
Behind butterfly & elphant is GS1 Germany, a true “hidden champion”. Although the organization is relatively unknown to the general public, its solutions have a significant impact on our everyday lives. The most famous proof? The barcode that triggers the familiar beep sound at supermarket checkouts. In 1974, a barcode on a pack of chewing gum was scanned for the first time in a supermarket in the USA. This was the beginning of automated checkout and the start of the success story of GS1, Global Standards One. GS1 standards are used by over two million companies worldwide.
The strong community and expertise are the USP of the investment company
butterfly & elephant was founded to offer young companies more than traditional investments. What makes the subsidiary unique is its proximity to the GS1 Germany Community, a network consisting of over 97,000 corporate customers. In addition to the investment capital, it is above all the industry knowledge and GS1 standards that flow into the collaboration. Community and independence are not opposites, but complementary forces. The platform creates proximity without creating dependency by bringing relevant partners together at the right time without taking the start-up out of their hands. "We don't believe in one-size-fits-all. Every startup is different, and that is precisely its strength," explains Managing Director Benjamin Birker. "I know from my own start-up days how crucial it is to retain freedom and at the same time have the right doors opened at the right time. We make that possible."
Birker acts as a strategic sparring partner, applying his expertise in relationship building, market insight, and timing with a consultative, strategic, and empathetic approach. His philosophy: support through trust, not directives. His strength: relationship management with foresight. He not only identifies potential but also the right connections at the right time to unlock and nurture it. “We don’t focus on ones and zeros. We focus on the vision. Our platform fosters closeness, trust, and room for growth. That’s the difference,” says Birker. “We aim to empower, not prescribe.”
Four Startups, Four Proofs: How Networks and Startup Freedom Work Hand in Hand
Within its first twelve months, butterfly & elephant has already welcomed four startups—each a testament to what’s possible when innovative ideas meet strategic relationship management instead of rigid programs.
SLACE developed a solution for offer communication via WhatsApp, enabled by the GS1 Digital Link standard. With butterfly & elephant, a shared idea evolved into a partnership that opened doors to retail companies, pilot partners, and valuable industry insights.
pickshare is rethinking city logistics. The collaboration is based on a BMWK-funded research project. The use of GS1 standards was key to realizing platform and consolidation approaches that go beyond isolated solutions.
info.link helps companies provide digital product information. Through its platform, product management, marketing, sustainability, and legal teams can create compliant, accessible, and brand-aligned digital labels for products and media. Combined with the GS1 Digital Link standard, product QR codes become dynamic—delivering context-specific information depending on time and location when scanned.
Cyreen answers the question: What real impact do in-store campaigns have? Using the GS1 GTIN standard as a bridge between digital screens and actual purchases, the startup provides measurable results—and benefits from the industry acceptance and integration depth offered by the GS1 Germany network.
Each case shows: Startups keep their independence and are not alone on their journey. That’s what makes butterfly & elephant unique. As a subsidiary of GS1 Germany, it’s not just a source of capital—it’s part of a strong ecosystem where standards, collaboration, and partnerships create real value.
“Beyond funding, we offer startups valuable market access and partnership opportunities. In short: smart capital and smart connections,” explains managing director Benjamin Birker.
“At the same time, we preserve their entrepreneurial freedom to develop their products and growth strategies independently. We see ourselves as a strategic investor who accelerates progress—especially where our standards and technologies provide real value.”
Press Photo: Managing Director Benjamin Birker contributes his hands-on experience in relationship building, market understanding, and timing—gained during his own startup years—directly to butterfly & elephant.
Press Contact:
GS1 Germany GmbH
Tassja Wagner
Manager Corporate Communications
Stolberger Strasse 108 a, 50933 Cologne
Phone: +49 170 7009027
Email: tassja.wagner@gs1.de
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