Roadsurfer: US Investor Kennedy Lewis Takes Majority Stake

The US financial investor Kennedy Lewis Investment Management (Klim) has taken control of the Munich campervan startup Roadsurfer. Commercial register documents show that Klim now holds 66.69 percent of the company. The founders are giving up shares but remain on board operationally.

Klim, which among other things finances companies through loans, appears in the register as a shareholder. The founders Markus Dickhardt, Susanne Dickhardt, Stephie Niemann, Christoph Niemann and Jean-Marie Klein together hold 16.61 percent. Including two members of Roadsurfer's management, the group's stake rises to 19.08 percent. The remaining shares belong to Heartcore Capital, one of the earliest Roadsurfer investors, as well as IAG Invest AG and Raiffeisen OÖ Invest.

A market that has consolidated

The deal follows a turbulent period for the German campervan sector. In 2024, the competitors Off, Plugvan and Roadfans filed for insolvency. Roadsurfer, which describes itself as the market leader in camper van rental, was talking about growth plans in that same year.

Two years later, the company now has a new majority owner with deep financial backing. Roadsurfer CEO Markus Dickhardt has spoken about the transaction.

Why it matters

For customers, the change in ownership does not alter the fact that the founding team continues to run the business day to day. For the startup scene, the sale shows that even the strongest players in a consolidated niche can end up in the hands of financial investors, in this case one that specialises in credit financing rather than a traditional venture backer.