Austria-headquartered energy drink company Red Bull has launched a CVC arm, Red Bull Ventures, with Sabrina Jones joining the team as head of investment. The CVC unit will make early-stage investments in sports and sustainability startups aligned with the parent company’s strategy.
Previously, Red Bull had backed innovation indirectly—investing through other VC firms such as Speedinvest, Fund F, Calm/Storm, 3VC, and xista. Now, with Red Bull Ventures, the company is establishing its own platform to directly fund early-stage startups aligned with its brand ethos.
While Red Bull has not confirmed the fund size, media reports suggest a target of around €200 million. According to the newly launched Red Bull Ventures website, the fund will focus on early-stage startups in sectors such as:
- Media & entertainment technology,
- Advanced manufacturing and supply chain innovation,
- Sport and human performance,
- Digital and technological innovation,
- Consumer engagement and retail tech,
- Sustainability,
This wide investment scope reflects Red Bull’s multi-industry presence and its drive to invest in high-impact, high-energy ventures.
The Red Bull Ventures team is led by Nai-Tseng Chen, a Red Bull veteran since 2003 and current Global Head of Corporate Finance. Sabrina Jones, formerly with Robert Bosch Venture Capital, serves as Head of Investments. The team also includes Stina Seidler (Investment Analyst), Barbara Höll (Operations & Finance), and Nikolaus Blaschke (Legal Counsel).
The VC’s mission echoes Red Bull’s adventurous brand identity: “We invest in visionary entrepreneurs who push boundaries and redefine what’s possible,” the website states. “Red Bull Ventures supports bold ideas that energize industries, inspire communities, and drive the world forward with a spirit of adventure.”
With its global brand power and deep roots in sport, media, and consumer engagement, Red Bull Ventures is poised to be a significant player in Europe’s early-stage venture ecosystem—especially in fields where brand, innovation, and adrenaline collide.
Red Bull was launched in 1987 and claims to have sold 12.6 billion cans of the eponymous drink.
