Executive change at High-Tech Gründerfonds on the horizon  

November 4, 2024

Bonn, 4 November 2024 – Dr. Alex von Frankenberg has decided to step down as Managing Director of High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) once his current contract expires in autumn 2025 after deciding not to seek an extension of his contract. He is currently responsible for Digital Tech, Life Sciences & Chemistry and Communications & Relations and will remain active in his role until his departure. 

Dr. Matthias Koehler, Chairman of the HTGF Investor Advisory Board (and an undersecretary at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action): “Dr. Alex von Frankenberg has been truly instrumental in shaping High-Tech Gründerfonds and its impressive success story. Through his engaging and inspiring approach, he has played a hugely important role in steering the fund’s development from where it started out to where it is today, with a fund volume of over €2 billion and 774 investments. We would like to say a big thank you to Dr. Alex von Frankenberg for his extraordinary commitment to HTGF, which plays a key role in shaping Germany’s start-up landscape. We were very sad to learn that he does not wish to extend his contract beyond autumn 2025. However, by communicating his intentions at an early stage, Dr. Alex von Frankenberg is giving High-Tech Gründerfonds adequate time to fill the big hole he’ll leave behind. We are very much looking forward to working with him this next year as we look to continue the HTGF success story in its 20^th year.” 

Dr. Alex von Frankenberg has been leading HTGF since its inception in 2005, serving as a Managing Director. The extraordinary and unexpected economic successes achieved by the HTGF funds bear his mark: 187 exits, around €6.8 billion in follow-on investments from third-party investors in the portfolio, the unicorn EGYM – which he oversaw – and the highly successful Quentic exit, as well as the establishment of HTGF as a key player in the German start-up landscape. Dr. Alex von Frankenberg has also been pivotal in driving HTGF’s transition from a purely seed-stage investor to one that can also support high-growth start-ups in later-stage financing rounds though the HTGF Opportunity fund. 

Dr. Alex von Frankenberg: “I have every confidence that the whole HTGF team and the new leadership team will be just as successful in continuing and building on the HTGF success story in a highly dynamic environment. The successes we’ve achieved over the past 20 years demonstrate Germany’s extraordinary potential in terms of technology and founders, coupled with a financing environment that is continuously improving. I’d like to thank the private and public investors in the HTGF funds for their trust, as well as for the opportunity to support 774 start-ups. HTGF’s biggest achievements not only include the creation of numerous market leaders, but also its role in establishing a functioning venture-capital industry in Germany.” 

About HTGF – High-Tech Gründerfonds 
HTGF is one of the leading and most active early-stage investors in Germany and Europe, financing start-ups in the fields of Deep Tech, Industrial Tech, Climate Tech, Digital Tech, Life Sciences and Chemistry. With its experienced investment team, HTGF supports start-ups in all phases of their development into international market leaders. HTGF invests in pre-seed and seed phases and can participate significantly in later-stage financing rounds. Across its funds, HTGF has over 2 billion euros under management. Since its inception in 2005, HTGF has financed more than 770 start-ups and achieved over 180 successful exits.  
Fund investors in the public-private partnership include the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, KfW Capital as well as 45 companies and family offices.  
For more information, please visit HTGF.de or follow us on LinkedIn.   

Media contact
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH  
Tobias Jacob, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager  
T.: +49 228 – 82300 – 121 
t.jacob@htgf.de