The origin story of how we picked Linden3 Ventures as the name for our Venture Capital Firm.
A picture of a large linden tree atop a green hill in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany during springtime.
We picked the name Linden3 Ventures because we love and admire the meaningful attributes the Linden Tree represents. The number 3 refers to the third generation of our families. Green, the color of life, nature, and energy is associated with meanings of growth, harmony, freshness, good luck, finances, and ambition. Green is also soothing, relaxing, and youthful. Green is also the color of US paper dollars and a symbol of prosperity.
One day, while walking in our neighborhood, we noticed a nice sounding street named "Linden", so we looked up the meaning. It turns out "linden tree" has a lot of meanings. Though it simply means lime tree in English, it's considered a holy and sacred tree in some countries and is the title of a famous song by the Austrian musical genius, Franz Schubert.
"At the well before the gate there stands a linden tree. I dream in its shade many sweet dreams." -- Der Lindenbaum by Franz Schubert
Every part of the lime tree serves a purpose. The wood can be used to create musical instruments such as guitars, wind instruments, and drum shells because of its sound quality and aesthetics. The bark is strong and stores water through the dry months; the flowers for perfumes and honey, the leaves for tea, and charcoal from burnt wood are used for medicinal purposes. The linden tree's young leaves and buds are also edible.
It can grow to great heights of 40 meters tall, has a lifespan of over 1000 years, and looks beautiful, too. The linden tree was often the focal feature of imperial courtyards in many medieval kingdoms. The tree is not only resourceful but also aesthetically pleasing, two values we cherish and want to model as a company.
Our Philosophy
We have a clear vision of building an everlasting business propped up by foundations of trust and integrity. We want to have true partnerships with entrepreneurs who have the dreams and ambitions to make the impossible possible. Over this project's lifespan, we want to be there alongside their entrepreneurship journey and step up when our help is needed.
Prior to joining Linden Tree Ventures, the partners were working as software and investment professionals. We are former engineers, operators, and entrepreneurs, with plenty of resources and business networks that build over time. We have been investing in #startups since 2004 as a #angelinvestor and #venturecapitalist in #siliconvalley and have invested in a cumulative of over 100 companies. Founded in 2014, with over ten years' experience under their belts, and small savings, the Linden Tree's partners are ready to utilize our unique skillsets to advance our cause.
We have seen many of the ups and the downs; the high and the lows; dot-com bubble and burst; housing bubble and burst; public and private markets wild swings and lately global pandemic challenges. Building something meaningful is very hard and you need the right partners. And oftentimes, there will be a crisis in your entrepreneur journey. We know a thing or two on how to manage crisis and bad situations, to anticipate them and devise a plan, and offer counsel. We never pretend we know all the answers and we will never hesitate to say we don't know. Conversely, when things are going great, we are happy to see our partners be successful and get what they deserve. We celebrate small and large wins alike, as well as share the losses, while never losing sight of the larger goal.
We know that we are committed to this venture business for the long run and we seek to partner with the founders who align with our core values: resourceful, high integrity, grit, and resilience, traits that align with our namesake the Linden tree.
If this appeals to you, we would love to talk!