m + mv invests in High-Tech Gründerfonds III

media + more venture Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, a company comprising three regional publishers in Mainz, Freiburg and Heilbronn, is investing EUR 2.5 million in High-Tech Gründerfonds III (HTGF III). The consortium of three publishers is thus once again reinforcing its commitment to and investments in innovative technologies from Germany for the publishing industry.

HTGF III invests venture capital in young, high potential high-tech start-ups that can turn promising research findings into business success. The financial support provided is designed to enable the start-ups to take their ideas through prototyping or proof of concept stage and even up to market launch.

“Newspaper publishers today have become modern, broadly structured media groups. The biggest challenge is to find the right answers, concepts and business models for the digital age,” says Heilbronner Stimme publisher Tilmann Distelbarth. “This also involves pursuing a broader range of investments, and taking stakes in interesting start-ups. We do so in the knowledge that we require technology transfer with these companies to approach the digital revolution in a faster and more innovative way.” Media companies are often too small to make it on their own in this industry, says Distelbarth. “We recognise the importance of open exchange and intensive insight into the high-tech start-up scene provided by HTGF III and its highly professional working style.”

media + more venture is a joint holding company comprising Badisches Pressehaus (which owns the newspaper title Badische Zeitung, Freiburg), Druck & Medien Heilbronn (Heilbronner Stimme) and VRM GmbH & Co. KG (Allgemeine Zeitung, Mainz). All three partners have demonstrated a highly innovative approach over many years – even beyond the print media sector. Particularly with respect to online business, the companies set the course early on for a cross-media future. The publishing partners are now seeking to strengthen their investments in innovative companies through HTGF III, tapping into new business fields beyond the traditional markets. “We have previously invested in HTGF II together with our two publishing partners,” explains Distelbarth. “And now we are a committed investor in HTGF III.”

media + more venture has been able to provide significant impetus to the business operations of the three publishers involved in the tie-up through a number of collaborations and investments in HTGF portfolio companies as well as other start-ups. “The acquisition of portfolio company kimeta in 2015 together with other partners is driving the very successful digitization of the traditional advertising business,” says Dr. Alex von Frankenberg, Managing Director of High-Tech Gründerfonds. “Furthermore, the young high-tech companies in the HTGF portfolio benefit from quick and uncomplicated access to the expertise of the publishers and their customers.”

Press contact
media + more venture Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG
Ludwig Ederle
Allee 2
74072 Heilbronn
Telephone: +49 7131 615361
ed@mms.hn