The High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) invests together with MIG Fonds and Business Angels about 2.5 million Euro in the medical technology start-up GWA Hygiene from Stralsund

The GWA Hygiene is fighting hospital germs and thus reducing the risk of their spread. The company from Stralsund combines innovative medical technology with modern information technology. The NosoEx system developed by the startup has already successfully passed the practical test at 70 wards in 10 hospitals.

Germ transmission due to improper hand disinfection
GWA Hygiene offers hospitals and nursing homes a simple and technologically mature solution to significantly reduce the risk of spreading hospital germs. Between five and ten percent of all patients suffer from an infection gotten at the hospital. These infections cause 147,000 preventable deaths per year in Europe, 16 million additional hospital days and costs of around seven billion euros per year. 90 percent of the germs are transmitted through the hands. One reason for the transmission of germs is that hospital and nursing staff do not always practice hand disinfection according to the recommendations of the experts.

Monitoring of hygiene standards with the aid of sensor technology
This is where GWA technology comes in. GWA sensors on the disinfectant dispenser communicate with portable sensors of hospital personnel. The data is transmitted to a hub and can be evaluated in compliance with data protection regulations. This simplified monitoring of hand disinfection shows the connection postulated by many studies between the use of disinfectants, hand hygiene and the number of cases of contamination. Jürgen Kosch, General Partner of MIG AG explains: “The market potential of the GWA solution is significant. In Germany alone there are 664,000 hospital beds and over 900,000 care places to prevent the transmission of germs”.

Several million hand disinfections already detected in practical tests
The so-called NosoEx system developed by GWA has already passed the practical test and is used in around 70 wards in 10 hospitals. Several million hand disinfections have already been recorded. GWA is in talks with 50 other hospitals and hospital operators. A Europe-wide roll-out is also in preparation. With the capital now raised, the aim is to establish a sales organisation and to become the leading digitally-supported provider for hygiene monitoring in hospitals and nursing homes.

Dr. Anke Caßing, Investment Manager of the HTGF, says: “We are very pleased that this financing round will further advance the establishment of the NosoEx system so that hospitals will receive the tools to improve hygiene that meet their requirements. Only products that integrate easily into existing systems and processes can improve hygiene. NosoEx fulfils this requirement in an exemplary manner and has the potential to be successful in other markets as well.“

Founder and Managing Director Maik Gronau sees the successful conclusion of the financing round as confirmation of his business model: “With the new investors, we have now formed an ideal consortium that will join us in the forthcoming growth phase.“

About GWA Hygiene GmbH
GWA Hygiene is committed to reducing the number of hospital infections. For this purpose, the company has developed NosoEx, a modern monitoring system for measuring hand hygiene. The IoT system can be seamlessly integrated into the infrastructure of the health facilities. For this purpose, the existing disinfectant dispensers are equipped with sensors. The software can then be used to see how the disinfection figures for each station, donor and occupational group are developing. Measures to improve the hygiene situation can then be initiated.
The Stralsund start-up was founded in 2015 and now has 21 employees. In addition to Maik Gronau and Tobias Gebhardt, Dirk Amtsberg, Marcel Walz and Daniel Neuendorf are among the founding partners.
The NosoEx system is currently being used by a double-digit number of customers in the DACH region.

Contact
GWA Hygiene GmbH
Tobias Gebhardt
Heinrich-Mann-Str. 11
18435 Stralsund
T: +49 152 091 112 49
tobias.gebhardt@gwa-hygiene.de
www.gwa-hygiene.de

About MIG AG
MIG Verwaltungs AG (MIG AG) is one of the leading German VC investors. The MIG funds provide young companies with the financial means to establish and finance growth in the high-tech and life science sectors. MIG AG’s investment portfolio currently consists of 25 companies. For further information: www.mig.ag, www.mig-fonds.de

Contact
Jürgen Kosch
General Partner und Vorstand
T: +49 89 943 826 80
jk@mig.ag

Press Contact
Dr. Klaus Westermeier Medienbüro
T: +49 172 843 32 32
info@kwestermeier.de

About High-Tech Gründerfonds
High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) is a seed investor that finances high-potential, tech-driven start-ups. With EUR 892.5 million in total investment volume across three funds (EUR 272 million in HTGF I, EUR 304 million in HTGF II and EUR 316.5 million for HTGF III) and an international partner network, HTGF has already backed up 500 start-ups since 2005. Driven by their expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and passion, its team of experienced investment managers and start-up experts help guiding the development of young companies. HTGF’s focus is on high-tech start-ups across a range of sectors, including software, media, internet, hardware, automation, health care, chemicals and life sciences. Up to now, external investors have invested over EUR 1,8 billion into the HTGF portfolio via more than 1,300 follow-on financing rounds. HTGF has also successfully exited shares of more than 90 companies.
Investors in this public-private partnership include the Federal Ministry For Economic Affairs and Energy, the KfW Banking Group, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft e.V., as well as the companies ALTANA, BASF, BAYER, B.Braun, Boehringer Ingelheim, Robert Bosch, BÜFA, CEWE, Deutsche Post DHL, Dräger, Drillisch AG, EVONIK, EWE AG, Haniel, Hettich, Knauf, Körber, LANXESS, media + more venture Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, PHOENIX CONTACT, Postbank, QIAGEN, RWE Generation SE, SAP, Schufa, Schwarz Gruppe, STIHL, Thüga, Vector Informatik, WACKER and Wilh. Werhahn KG.

Contact
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Dr. Anke Caßing
Schlegelstraße 2
53113 Bonn
T: +49 228 82300 148
a.cassing@htgf.de
www.htgf.de