The High-Tech Gründerfonds
The establishment of the High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) was the product of a working group of representatives from the Federal Ministry of Economics, industry and sector experts in 2005. Their goal was to revive the market for start-up financing, which at that time was completely dormant. Following the burst of the New Economy bubble, seed phase financing almost came to a complete standstill owing to the high risks involved. Then as now, the focus of the initiative was on high-tech start-ups with significant growth potential, with the decision as to whether the HTGF should invest in a start-up being made purely on market criteria.
The success of the HTGF proved its initiators right. In its first year alone, it financed 40 high-tech start-ups – twice as many as there had been in Germany the previous year. To date, the HTGF has successfully launched a total of four funds, financing over 750 companies, of which more than 180 have been successfully sold or floated on the stock exchange. In addition to seed investments, about 6 billion euros of private funds have flowed into HTGF portfolio companies through follow-up financing.
The HTGF is the most outstanding example of a successful public–private partnership. With our funds, their investors and our personal commitment, we contribute significantly to the consistent development of the start-up ecosystem in Germany and across Europe.
The HTGF has a total of more than 2 billion euros under the management across its funds. Over 45 private companies are invested in HTGF IV. Their share in the seed fund is more than 30 percent. As a result, HTGF can act as flexibly as private funds.
The headquarters of the High-Tech Gründerfonds is Bonn. Since 2018 it has also had an office in Berlin, and since 2023 in Munich.