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 700 companies, of which more than 160 have been successfully sold or floated on the stock exchange. In addition to seed investments, over 4.5 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 about 1.4 billion euros under the management of its four funds. The share of private companies has increased from fund to fund. Currently, over 45 private companies are invested in HTGF IV. Their share in the 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.