Romy Schnelle
Managing Director
Romy Schnelle has been Managing Director of High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) since May 2023. Her enthusiasm for technological innovation led to working in business development for the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology after graduating from the Ilmenau University of Technology. Just one year later, she entered the venture capital and start-up ecosystem. Together with mp3 inventor Prof. Karlheinz Brandenburg, she founded the Fraunhofer spin-off IOSONO, now Barco Audio Technologies, in 2004.
In 2008, Romy moved to the investor side and joined the HTGF team. She built a strong portfolio and successfully sold HTGF’s shares. She supported her Digital Tech team, particularly in digital health and SaaS investments. Today, in her role as Managing Director, she oversees HTGF’s Industrial Tech activities (including Deep Tech and Climate Tech).
She was Chair of the Investment Committee of TX Group, one of Switzerland’s leading media companies, and is an active member of start-up advisory boards. Romy is also active as a juror in renowned start-up competitions, as an advisor for the Junge Digitale Wirtschaft NRW and in networks for female founders and investors such as encourageventures e.V.
