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 seed to exit.
more than
170
exits & IPOs
more than
700
investments
about
1.4 B
Under management
more than
45
fund investors
As a seed investor, we have financed more than 700 start-ups in the industrial tech, digital tech, life sciences and chemicals sectors. We have overseen more than 170 exits, including IPOs. When founding your company together with us, you benefit from an experienced partner at your side.
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.
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 investment 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.
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.
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.
Dipl. Ing. Miriam HaerstCo-founder and managing partner
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.
Pierre BaquéCo-Founder / CEO – Neutral Concept Ltd.
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 BürlingFounder Numaferm GmbH
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.
Philipp Roesch-SchlandererFounder and managing director eGym
HTGF was the first investor who understood our idea and vision and invested pre-product.
Julia Bösch Founder and managing director OUTFITTERY
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.
Dr. Tim PohlmannFounder and managing director IPlytics GmbH
At Family Day, we found a strong investor for our follow-on financing.
Felix BrandFounder and managing director CardioSecur
Insights
Press
25. September 2023
traceless materials secures €36.6 Million Series A to build first industry plant for bio-circular alternative to plastic
The financing round was led by UB FIGG and SWEN CP’s Blue Ocean fund. traceless materials secures the funding to expand the production capabilities for its innovative biomaterial technology to industrial scale.
Hamburg, Germany – September 25, 2023. Bioeconomy startup traceless, which produces a natural biomaterial as an alternative to plastic, announces the completion of a €36.6 million funding round. The Series A funding round is led by private equity fund UB Forest Industry Green G
Press
15. September 2023
Successful exit for HTGF: adivo joins Zoetis to bring the benefits of species-specific antibody therapies to pet owners worldwide
adivo’s team and platform will strengthen Zoetis’ capabilities in therapeutic antibody drug discovery for companion animals.
High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) was among the first investors in a seed round in 2018 together with OCCIDENT and MorphoSys AG and closely supported the successful development of adivo.
Dr. Kathrin Ladetzki-Baehs, Founder and CEO of adivo: “I look forward to seeing what our team can achieve as part of a leading organization with global reach while continuing
Blog
18. September 2023
The best network is an active one – how HTGF supports C-level recruitment
For every company, finding access to specialized expertise and especially finding the perfect individual to complement a team can be a lengthy and resource-intensive search. This is where the HTGF can offer excellent support, thanks to its extensive network. It connects those who are seeking with those who are offering. For nearly three years, these threads have come together through Christina Siebel, Senior HR Relationship Manager. With over 15 years of professional experience in human reso
Blog
15. September 2023
Generation Greentech: How young ideas change the world
Five quick questions for Daniela Bach, Senior Investment Manager HTGF and Christian-Hauke Poensgen, Co-Founder Maya Climate
Christian-Hauke Poensgen, Co-Founder, Maya Climate and Daniela Bach, Senior Investment Manager, HTGF
What is Maya Climate and why can your idea make the world a little better?
Christian-Hauke Poensgen: We are a financing platform for nature-based solutions (NbS). These are some of the most efficient and scalable solutions for avoiding and reducing carbon in
Blog
15. August 2023
Investments in drug development: “We need to get to the source of the deals”
Dr. Frank Hensel is Principal at High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), where he is primarily responsible for start-ups from the field of drug development. Before joining HTGF, he was a successful entrepreneur himself and is now able to share his practical experience with start-ups. We sat down for a chat with him about the challenges of the sector, how HTGF is on the lookout for new innovations and why partnerships are especially important in this field.
Frank, your investments are focused
Event
28. September 2023
AgriTech Pitch Day 2023
High-tech solutions for sustainable agriculture – Apply now!
Thursday, September 28, 2023, from 10:00 am to 8:30 pm
RootCamp, Herrenstraße 12, 30159 Hannover
Are you an Agritech founder and want to present your high-tech solutions for sustainable agriculture to leading investors and corporate decision-makers?
AgriTech Pitch Day 2023 will take place on 28 September at RootCamp in Hannover.
Take the opportunity to pitch your technology to an exclusive audience of investors, corporate VCs and
Finding a promising Start-up is our expertise, then leading it to a successful exit is our job. We are very proud of every sale, in most cases to grow further with even more energy.
We work as a team. Our investment managers contribute a great deal of experience and expertise. They are not only financing experts, but many of them have also founded their own companies or bring years of industry experience or specialized scientific know-how with them.
Our start-ups become part of the #HTGFFamily, one of the strongest networks in the high-tech venture sector, where we use our expertise to actively support growth, customer acquisition, hiring, co-investment and follow-up financing.
Become Part of the HTGF Family
Are you the founder of a high-tech start-up? Does your company match our industry focus and meet our investment criteria? Then we look forward to getting to know you and your company! Send us your pitch deck – we’ll be in touch.
Sector focus?
We invest in start-ups in the fields of industrial technology, digital tech, life sciences, chemistry or related areas.
Investment criteria?
Your start-up is less than three years old and is headquartered in Germany or – in the case of start-ups from other European countries – has a German base of operations.
Financing?
We invest flexibly according to the needs of the start-up.
Investment volume?
In the seed round up to 1 million euros. In total we can invest up to 4 million euros in a start-up.
Added Value?
We are sparring partners in all questions regarding the development of start-ups and will open doors for you.
Sector focus? 
Investment criteria? 
Financing? 
Investment volume? 
Added Value?