Cathay Innovation strengthens ties with German industry, naming Daniela Caserotto-Leibert Head of Europe Ecosystem out of Berlin

Cathay Innovation strengthens ties with German industry, naming Daniela Caserotto-Leibert Head of Europe Ecosystem out of Berlin

Caserotto-Leibert returns from Silicon Valley as German companies seek to accelerate industrial transformation

The move aims to more broadly connect European industry, starting with Germany, with startups from leading innovation hubs across the globe to support technology adoption, commercial collaboration and international growth

BERLIN, NOVEMBER 12, 2026 - Cathay Innovation, a global venture capital firm connecting startups with industry, today announced the appointment of Daniela Caserotto-Leibert as Head of Europe Ecosystem based in Berlin. A German native, Caserotto-Leibert returns from San Francisco to bolster the firm's ecosystem activities across Europe, with a particular focus on German corporations, investors and entrepreneurs.

Her appointment builds on Cathay Innovation's presence in Germany since the opening of its Berlin office in 2022. Its latest investments in the market include Berlin-based Nelly, which digitalizes administrative and financial processes for medical practices using AI. Global portfolio companies include leaders across AI, robotics and deeptech, including AMI Labs (FR), Theker (ES), Moonshot/Kimi (Asia) and Skan.AI (US).

German industrial groups and Mittelstand companies face growing pressure to improve productivity and competitiveness through AI and emerging technologies. Yet adoption remains uneven: only one in five German small and medium-sized enterprises used AI during 2022-2024. From robotics in production to more efficient energy systems and healthcare services, a large opportunity lies in bringing new technologies into commercial use.

Cathay Innovation backs founders building technologies that transform industry and society. The firm supports that transformation through its global venture capital platform and ecosystem of corporate investors and industry partners. Its model gives companies access to emerging technologies and startup collaborators, while helping entrepreneurs connect with customers and expand internationally.

"As powerful AI models become more widely available, the next test is deploying them effectively. Europe's industrial base makes it a natural proving ground. Our platform connects founders and industry across Europe, the U.S. and Asia, spanning major European markets including France, Spain and Germany. Daniela's local roots paired with her Silicon Valley experience makes her uniquely qualified to fuel the transformation of German industries along with the broader European landscape."

Jacky Abitbol, Managing Partner at Cathay Innovation

In her new role, Caserotto-Leibert will further develop Cathay Innovation's European corporate ecosystem, starting by working closely with German companies to understand priorities and connect them with relevant startups. These relationships can support pilot projects, commercial partnerships and the adoption of technologies addressing specific business needs. She will also help European portfolio companies access international customers and partners. She joined Cathay Innovation in 2022 to lead its U.S. ecosystem, following her role as Head of U.S. at European venture capital firm Speedinvest, where she built its U.S. platform strategy and supported European startups entering the market. Previously, she held a leadership role at Area1 Security at a time of rapid growth, later acquired by Cloudflare.

"Returning to Berlin is a personal homecoming at a pivotal time for German industry. From global industrial groups to the Mittelstand, companies are looking for ways to turn AI and emerging technologies into greater productivity and new growth. With mass disruption happening across the world, now is the time to support the transition of German companies into global players, by building on strengths, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and focusing on execution. I look forward to playing my part in the transformation of the German economy."

Daniela Caserotto-Leibert, Head of Europe Ecosystem at Cathay Innovation

Caserotto-Leibert is part of Cathay Innovation's global ecosystem team, led from Paris by Emanuele De Leonardis, Partner, Head of Business Development & Ecosystem, with colleagues across Asia and the U.S. Matthieu Soulé will take over her previous role as Head of North America Ecosystem from the firm's San Francisco office.

About Cathay Innovation

Cathay Innovation is a multistage venture capital firm, affiliated with Cathay Capital, investing in founders building transformative businesses across Europe, North America, Asia, Latin America and Africa. Its platform connects founders with investors and its ecosystem of leading Fortune 500 corporations to help startups scale and transform industries with consumer to enterprise and AI solutions in commerce, fintech, digital health and mobility / energy.

Founded in Paris in 2015, Cathay Innovation now manages over €2.5B AUM with additional offices in San Francisco, Berlin, Madrid, Shanghai and Singapore and has invested in over 120 startups including Chime (NASDAQ: CHYM), Pinduoduo (NASDAQ: PDD), Glovo (acq by DeliveryHero), Wallbox (NYSE: WBX), Ledger, Moonshot AI, AMI Labs, Nabla and more. To learn more, visit us at www.cathayinnovation.com.