more than
180
exits & IPOs
more than
750
investments
more than
2 B
under management
more than
45
fund investors

Seed investor for high-tech start-ups

HTGF is a venture capital investor for innovative technologies and business models. We successfully support the best founders whose ideas can revolutionise entire industries and improve people’s lives – from (pre-)seed to exit.

We are a public–private partnership that works closely and successfully with companies from a wide range of industries. Our fund investors include medium-sized companies, family businesses and corporations. We provide them with access to innovative start-ups and technologies insights into deal flows and connections to our global network.

As a seed investor, we have financed more than 750 start-ups in the industrial tech, digital tech, life sciences and chemicals sectors. We have overseen more than 180 exits, including IPOs. When founding your company together with us, you benefit from an experienced partner at your side.

Our HTGF IV fund investors 

In addition to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and KfW Capital, the investors in our fourth fund include 45 companies from a wide range of industries. Medium-sized companies in particular are strongly represented, along with many large corporations and family offices.

Our portfolio

Our portfolio companies are the heart of HTGF. We are proud of each and every one of them. Our investment managers have a direct line to the founders and are on hand with support and the entire HTGF network.

HTGF Family

We see ourselves as a platform that offers young startups important added value in addition to flexible financing as part of the #HTGFFamily, tailored to their very individual needs.

Dipl. Ing. Miriam Haerst Co-founder and managing partner
HTGF shares its experience with us in matters of reporting, for example. That helps enormously when it comes to optimizing processes on the one hand and remaining transparent on the other. However, the investor never intervenes more deeply than necessary, so that our start-up momentum is maintained.
Pierre Baqué Co-Founder / CEO – Neutral Concept Ltd.
HTGF has developed a very rational and scientific approach to addressing problems in start-ups. I like that. The experience and the breadth of the portfolio make that possible.
Philipp Bürling Founder Numaferm GmbH
Participating in HTGF’s network as a start-up cannot be overstated. We met our first customer at an HTGF event, even though we weren’t even in the portfolio at the time.
Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer Founder and managing director eGym
HTGF has supported us unconditionally for many years. On the journey of a startup, many things develop differently than expected. We entrepreneurs therefore need a partner who supports us with advice and peace of mind to get up anew each time and make things better.
Julia Bösch Founder and managing director OUTFITTERY
HTGF was the first investor who understood our idea and vision and invested pre-product.
Dr. Tim Pohlmann Founder and managing director IPlytics GmbH
We really enjoy being at the HTPC every year. This is where we meet corporate champions from large industrial companies who pass us on to the relevant contacts. That’s worth its weight in gold for our business development.
Felix Brand Founder and managing director CardioSecur
At Family Day, we found a strong investor for our follow-on financing.
Dr. Andreas Sedlmeyer CEO and Founder instagrid GmbH
Coming from a corporate group, I appreciate regular further development. The HTGF Academy implements this in the best possible way, focussing on the topics of young companies.

Insights

News from the HTGF Family

Press
6. February 2025

Modular. Data-driven. Connected. Avelios Medical secures €30 million from Sequoia Capital for its next-generation hospital information system

The funding round is one of the largest Series A rounds in digital health in recent months. Avelios Medical offers the HIS of the future: designed around hospital workflows, powered by modular microservices, and based on structured data to enable AI-driven care. Leading hospitals are successfully using Avelios Medical’s software as the modern alternative in the HIS market. Munich, February 6, 2025 – Avelios Medical, provider of a modern hospital information system (HIS), h
 
Press
4. February 2025

Akribion Therapeutics exits from stealth with €8m seed financing to pioneer RNA-guided, programmable cell depletion

Financing led by CARMA FUND and RV Invest with participation of High-Tech Gründerfonds and others Akribion is pioneering a unique, RNA-guided, nuclease-based technology for programmable cell depletion Experienced team with a background in biotechnology and company building led by co-CEO’s Dr. Michael Krohn and Lukas Linnig Dr. Paul Scholz, the principal inventor of G-dase E technology, joins as Head of Research and Development Akribion Therapeutics (“Akribion”), the earl
 
Blog
31. January 2025

Creating something new with experience: Interview with new HTGF Managing Partner Dr. Achim Plum

Passion for innovation and life sciences – these are the qualities that characterise Dr. Achim Plum. On 1 January 2025, the doctor of genetics joined the management team at High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF). With a career of over 25 years in the life sciences sector, he brings in-depth expertise in the field combined with management experience. In this interview, he talks about the lessons learnt from his career, his new role, and the future of the industry. Dr. Achim Plum, new member of t
 
Blog
19. December 2024

HTGF in 2024 – a year of new records in a challenging environment plus major changes

A record level of follow-on financing, start-ups with billion-euro valuations, and a challenging economic environment – these are the main takeaways of the year 2024 for the High-Tech Gründerfonds leadership team. In this interview, Romy Schnelle and Dr. Alex von Frankenberg take a look back at an eventful 12 months. Dr. Alex von Frankenberg and Romy Schnelle, managing directors at High-Tech Gründerfonds 2024 has been a year of change for HTGF. Romy Schnelle: It certainly has. 2
 
Blog
27. November 2024

Scavenger AI: The Smart Solution for Data-Driven Decisions in Business

The world of data analysis is often complex and resource intensive. The AI startup Scavenger AI aims to change this by helping companies derive valuable insights from their overwhelming data streams. We sat down with founders Felix Beissel and Maximilian Hahnenkamp to learn more about their vision, the challenges they faced, and their recent market launch. From left: Felix, Maximilian, and Anna from Scavenger AI (Image: Scavenger AI) How did the idea for Scavenger AI come a
 
Event
2. April 2025

Med Tech Pitch Day 2025

MedTechStartups – Take your opportunity and present your technology to leading MedTech investors and corporate decision-makers. High-Tech Gründerfonds, together with B. Braun Innovation Hub, B. Braun Stiftung, Dräger, and Life Science Nord, is organizing the MEDTECH PITCH DAY 2025 on 2 April 2025 in Lübeck. You will get the opportunity to meet an exclusive audience of investors and corporates and, most importantly, experience exciting, groundbreaking pitches from medtech and healthtech star
 

Become Part of the HTGF Family

We invest in start-ups in Deep Tech, Industrial Tech, Climate Tech, Digital Tech, Life Sciences and Chemistry.​

We can invest up to €30 million in our portfolio companies in growth rounds and support them on their way to becoming international market leaders until exit or IPO.​

The sweet spot of our initial pre-seed and seed investments is €800,000+ per start-up. We invest flexibly according to the needs of your start-up.​

Our start-ups become part of the #HTGFFamily – one of the strongest networks in the venture capital landscape. We are your sparring partner in all matters relating to the development of your start-up and will open doors for you.​

Are you the founder of an early-stage technology start-up looking for venture capital? Then we look forward to getting to know you and your company. Send us your pitch deck – we’ll be in touch.

Investment criteria

Your company is a high-tech start-up in the fields of digital tech, industrial tech, life sciences, chemistry or related business areas

Your start-up is less than three years old

Your start-up is headquartered in Germany or – in the case of start-ups from other European countries – has a German base of operations.