evocatal GmbH, based in the Life Science Center Düsseldorf, has closed € 2 million in growth financing. Thus the industrial biotech company puts itself in a position to continue successfully started projects rigorously to market readiness.

The current financing round is chaired by new investor Roland Oetker, who, together with existing investors High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Sirius Seedfonds Düsseldorf (SSFD) and business angel Prof. Riesner, provides € 2 million in growth capital. Founded in 2006, evocatal GmbH has laid the groundwork for an ambitious growth strategy with its seed financing in 2007, and with the now completed follow-on financing the company puts itself in a position to continue successfully started projects rigorously to market readiness.

“In addition to our unique technological position, an excellent team of investors is another strength of evocatal. I am very proud that all existing investors collectively participate in the follow-on financing and thus support the adopted growth strategy“, said a delighted Dr. Thorsten Eggert, founder and CEO of evocatal. “This B round enables us not only to realise the development of new products, but also to create an attractive financial structure for future investors.“, explains Eggert.

“Since its foundation, evocatal has held a strong position in the industrial biotechnology market. We are delighted that the funding will support the team of evocatal in its effort to strengthen this position further and, beyond that, facilitate an expansion into existing and attractive new markets “, comments Ron Winkler (SSFD) on the development at evocatal.

Prof. Dr. Karl-Erich Jaeger, Chairman of the Advisory Board, sees with the entry of the new investor primarily the already existing network of experienced investors and top scientists decisively strengthened. “I am very pleased that with Roland Oetker we have not only gained a renowned new investor, but we are also able to strengthen the advisory board of evocatal with a person who has long-standing experience in the successful financing of biotechnology companies “, states Prof. Jaeger.

About evocatal
evocatal is a Duesseldorf-based industrial biotech company, specialized in the development of biocatalysts and enzyme-based chemical processes. The name evocatal connects the terms ‘evolution’ and ‘catalysis’ and stands for the core competencies of the company: the tailor-made development of new enzymes for use in the production of complex low-molecular weight compounds and fine chemicals for the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore evocatal has built up a portfolio of proprietary biocatalysts (evozymes®) that is continuously broadened by innovative new developments meeting the demands in industry. Furthermore evocatal has commercialized the first fluorescent protein for anaerobic applications in biotechnological research and development.

The competencies of evocatal also include the development and use of new expression and secretion systems for enzyme production as well as innovative screening methods. These technologies are offered as contract research services to customers.

Contact:
evocatal GmbH
Merowingerplatz 1a
40225 Düsseldorf
Phone: +49-211-15760950
Fax: +49-211-15760959
info@evocatal.de
www.evocatal.de

About Sirius Venture Partners
Sirius Venture Partner’s team concentrates mainly on the development of leading, young technology companies. The objective is to support the entrepreneurs and the managers in the build-up and extension of their companies as well as in the development and marketing of their technologies and products, in order to create added value together. Managed by Sirius Venture Partners Sirius Seedfonds Düsseldorf invests in Seed- and Start-up enterprises in the economic region of Düsseldorf focussing on Life-Science, ICT as well as on industrial applications. Since 2007 the fund has invested in 12 companies. Investors of the fund are NRW.BANK, S-Kapitalbeteiligungsgesellschaft Düsseldorf and several private Investors.

Contact:
www.sirius-seedfonds-duesseldorf.de
www.sirius-venture.com

About High-Tech Gründerfonds
The High-Tech Grunderfonds invests risk capital in young, high-potential technology companies that convert promising research results in business success. By means of the seed financing the start-ups shall carry on with the R & D project until the provision of a prototype or a “proof of concept” or until the lancing on the market. The High-Tech Grunderfonds has a funds volume of about 272 million EUR. Investors of the Public Private Partnership are the German Federal Ministry for Economy and Technology, the KfW Banking Group and the six industrial company groups BASF, Deutsche Telekom, Siemens, Robert Bosch, Daimler, and Carl Zeiss.

Contact:
High-TechGründerfonds Management GmbH
Simon Schneider
Investment Director
Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2
53175 Bonn
Phone: +49 228 – 96568500
Fax: +49 228 – 96568550
s.schneider@high-tech-gruenderfonds.de
www.high-tech-gruenderfonds.de