High-Tech Gründerfonds celebrates providing seed funding for 600^th start-up – Successful investment in Banxware

February 3, 2021

After 15 years on the market, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) has now financed its 600^th start-up. Banxware, a software-as-a-service provider for Embedded Financial Services, secured a total of EUR 4 million as part of a seed financing round. Co-investors include UK-based FinTech investor Force over Mass, VR Ventures and several business angels from the FinTech environment.

Not long after celebrating its 15-year anniversary, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) has now reached another important milestone, having made its 600^th investment since its foundation. This anniversary underlines HTGF’s fundamental importance as Europe’s most active seed investor and shows that it has remained active even during the crisis.

When it was founded back in 2005, HTGF set out to provide fresh impetus on the German start-up market. After the financial crisis, we continued to champion start-ups and invest. And that’s precisely what we’re doing now in the current situation. I’m delighted that we’ve already been able to provide funding for 600 companies and would like to say a warm welcome to Banxware as it joins the HTGF family.

Alex von Frankenberg, HTGF Managing Director

Banxware is a software-as-a-service provider for Embedded Financial Services that enables digital platforms such as marketplaces, payments providers, POS providers, and other aggregators to offer white label financial products, especially loans, to merchants. In contrast to other financial solutions in the market, Banxware differentiates itself by its fully digital, embedded approach: It’s first product, white label instant lending, is fully integrated in the platform’s look and feel, the credit decision happens in real-time and pay-out happens immediately.

Banxware was founded in September 2020 by Miriam Wohlfarth and Jens Röhrborn. Unlike many other young fintechs, the founders of Banxware are not unknown faces in the industry. First and foremost is founder Miriam Wohlfarth, probably the best-known female fintech founder in Germany.

The experienced and already successful team in combination with the attractive market for embedded financial services convinced us.

Dr. Ulrich Schmitt, Senior Investment Manager of the HTGF

The 600 seed investments that HTGF has made in total are split across three funds with a volume of approximately EUR 900 million overall. It is therefore regarded as Europe’s most successful public–private partnership. The figures also highlight the importance of collaboration between start-ups, major corporations and medium-sized companies. Since its foundation in 2005, HTGF has continuously increased the share of private capital in its funds. The third fund has already attracted investment from 33 private companies, with private capital accounting for over 30% of its volume.

As a seed investor, HTGF has consistently provided major impetus for Europe’s start-up scene and has helped to create over 10,000 jobs. Its investments are focused on the areas of digital technology, industrial technology, the life sciences, chemicals and related fields.

HTGF has accomplished over 120 exits, with successful examples including the acquisitions of Grandcentrix, Amal Therapeutics and Bettzeit by Vodafone, Boehringer Ingelheim and Haniel, respectively, along with the IPOs of NFON and Immunic (NASDAQ). In addition, almost EUR 3 billion in follow-on financing has been secured for the HTGF portfolio.

The press release by Banxware is available here.

About Banxware     
Banxware is a software provider for Embedded Financial Services that enable digital platforms such as marketplaces, payments providers, POS providers, and other aggregators to offer white label financial products, especially loans to merchants. The company is headquartered in Berlin and was founded in September 2020 by Miriam Wohlfarth, Jens Röhrborn, Fabian Heiß, and Nicolas Kipp.

Press contact   
Caroline Wahl  
Senior Communications Manager 
E-Mail: media@banxware.com 
Mobil: 0152 0625 4889 
www.banxware.com   

About High-Tech Gründerfonds
High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) is a seed investor that finances high-potential, tech-driven start-ups. With around EUR 900 million in total investment volume across three funds and an international network of partners, HTGF has now helped forge 600 start-ups since 2005. Driven by their expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and passion, its team of experienced investment managers and start-up experts help guide the development of young companies. HTGF’s focus is on high-tech start-ups in the fields of digital techology, industrial technology, life sciences, chemistry and related business areas. To date, external investors have injected almost EUR 3 billion into the HTGF portfolio via more than 1,700 follow-on financing rounds. HTGF has also successfully sold interests in more than 120 companies.

Investors in the public–private partnership include the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, KfW Capital and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, as well the companies ALTANA, BASF, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, B.Braun, Robert Bosch, BÜFA, CEWE, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Post DHL, Dräger, Drillisch AG, EVONIK, EWE AG, FOND OF, Haniel, Hettich, Knauf, Körber, LANXESS, media + more venture Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, PHOENIX CONTACT, QIAGEN, RWE Generation SE, SAP, Schufa, Schwarz Gruppe, STIHL, Thüga, Vector Informatik, WACKER and Wilh. Werhahn KG.

Medienkontakt
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Stefanie Grüter, Head of Marketing & Communications
T.: +49228 – 82300 – 188
s.grueter@htgf.de

Kontakt Investor
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Dr. Ulrich Schmitt, Senior Investment Manager
T.: +49228 – 82300 – 147
u.schmitt@htgf.de