HTGF | High-Tech Gruenderfonds

High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH is a venture capital firm based in Bonn, Germany, specializing in early-stage investments in high-tech startups. Established in 2005, the firm focuses on technology-driven companies across various sectors, including information and communication technology, life sciences, healthcare, automation, and cleantech. HTGF typically invests in companies that have been operational for no more than one year, aiming to contribute up to €0.6 million in initial funding and up to €3 million in follow-on financing. The firm seeks a minority stake, generally around 15%, and provides a subordinated loan convertible into equity, with deferred interest for up to four years to support liquidity. With a total investment volume of approximately €895.5 million across three funds, HTGF has successfully supported over 500 startups and attracted more than €2 billion in follow-on investments from external sources. The firm's investors include notable public and private entities, underscoring its role as a key player in fostering innovation and growth within the German startup ecosystem.

Katharina Peters

Investment Manager

Tilmann Petersen

Investment Manager

Past deals in Nanotechnology

DcubeD

Series A in 2024
DcubeD specializes in developing actuators and deployable structures tailored for nano-satellites and the commercial space industry. Their products include release actuators, appendages, solar arrays, antennas, or sails, designed to outperform traditional space exploration subsystems in terms of weight, size, cost, durability, reusability, and availability.

Soluterials

Seed Round in 2023
Soluterials manufactures innovative, high-performance pure aluminium materials designed to promote sustainability and combat climate change. Their products leverage the natural properties of aluminium, such as conductivity and corrosion resistance, to provide solutions for functional and structural lightweight construction.

Delft Circuits

Series A in 2023
Delft Circuits manufactures specialized hardware for quantum engineers and industries. They offer in-house cleanroom fabrication, cryogenic high-frequency laboratories, and expertise in microwave design, engineering, and superconducting materials to enable customers to achieve scalable, high-performance Input/Output (I/O) solutions.

ReCatalyst

Seed Round in 2023
ReCatalyst develops advanced catalysts for next-generation PEM fuel cells. It specializes in creating patented platinum-alloy nano-catalysts that enhance stability and reduce platinum usage, aiming to facilitate the decarbonization of energy and transport sectors through applications like green hydrogen production.

Refined Laser Systems

Seed Round in 2023
Refined Laser Systems is a specialized manufacturer of biophotonics devices, focusing on stain-free tissue diagnostics using its proprietary fiber-based tunable picosecond laser technology. The company's innovative laser systems enable rapid and reliable diagnoses, significantly reducing the time required compared to traditional methods.

GS Bavaria

Seed Round in 2022
GS Bavaria specializes in producing industrial-scale nano-sized carbide powders using a revolutionary bioleaching extraction process. This method is highly cost-efficient, sustainable, and minimizes energy consumption.

Qnami

Series A in 2021
Qnami AG is a Swiss company that specializes in the development of quantum sensing technologies for non-invasive magnetic imaging at the nanoscale. Founded in 2017 and based in Basel, Qnami's flagship products include the ProteusQ, a magnetic imaging microscope, and the Quantum Diamond, which features diamond probes with a single nitrogen-vacancy center for high-resolution imaging. These technologies allow for advanced applications in various fields, including multiferroic antiferromagnets, magnetic random-access memory (MRAM), and superconductivity. By enabling researchers and industries to measure electric and magnetic fields with exceptional sensitivity, Qnami enhances the capabilities of imaging techniques and supports groundbreaking scientific studies and industrial advancements.

Delft Circuits

Venture Round in 2021
Delft Circuits manufactures specialized hardware for quantum engineers and industries. They offer in-house cleanroom fabrication, cryogenic high-frequency laboratories, and expertise in microwave design, engineering, and superconducting materials to enable customers to achieve scalable, high-performance Input/Output (I/O) solutions.

DcubeD

Venture Round in 2021
DcubeD specializes in developing actuators and deployable structures tailored for nano-satellites and the commercial space industry. Their products include release actuators, appendages, solar arrays, antennas, or sails, designed to outperform traditional space exploration subsystems in terms of weight, size, cost, durability, reusability, and availability.

Lignopure

Seed Round in 2021
Lignopure is a manufacturer of naturally degradable biopolymers derived from non‑food lignin sources. Using proprietary technology, it converts raw lignin into tailored, non‑cytotoxic biopolymers that can replace environmentally and health‑harmful chemicals in material science. The company supplies customized lignin for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food supplements, and develops biobased prototypes such as insulating materials, polyurethane foams, aerogels, and 3D‑printing filaments. Its protected technology delivers lignin with unique safety and functional properties, positioning Lignopure as a leading provider of sustainable, lignin‑based alternatives.

Qnami

Seed Round in 2019
Qnami AG is a Swiss company that specializes in the development of quantum sensing technologies for non-invasive magnetic imaging at the nanoscale. Founded in 2017 and based in Basel, Qnami's flagship products include the ProteusQ, a magnetic imaging microscope, and the Quantum Diamond, which features diamond probes with a single nitrogen-vacancy center for high-resolution imaging. These technologies allow for advanced applications in various fields, including multiferroic antiferromagnets, magnetic random-access memory (MRAM), and superconductivity. By enabling researchers and industries to measure electric and magnetic fields with exceptional sensitivity, Qnami enhances the capabilities of imaging techniques and supports groundbreaking scientific studies and industrial advancements.

NAVAN Technologies

Seed Round in 2019
NAVAN Technologies, Inc. is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, California, founded in 2016. The company specializes in developing and commercializing its proprietary NanoStraw platform technology, which provides a direct and gentle means of accessing the cytosol of cells. This innovative platform addresses a significant challenge in the field of cell and gene therapies by enabling the efficient delivery of various cargoes into difficult-to-transfect cells without causing disruption. NAVAN's technology aims to enhance the capabilities of researchers and improve the effectiveness of therapeutic applications in biotechnology.

KonTEM

Venture Round in 2012
KonTEM is a technology company specializing in the development of phase contrast systems for transmission electron microscopes. These innovative systems significantly enhance image quality, particularly benefiting applications in the fields of Life Sciences and Soft Materials. By improving the capability of electron microscopy, KonTEM aims to facilitate advanced research and analysis, enabling clients to achieve clearer and more detailed imaging results.

Gilupi

Series C in 2011
GILUPI GmbH is a medical device company based in Potsdam, Germany, specializing in the development and production of diagnostic products aimed at the in vivo isolation of rare cells from circulating blood. The company's primary focus is on isolating tumor cells, utilizing devices that employ predetermined selectivity of antibodies bound to nano-detectors. This technology enables healthcare professionals to effectively isolate circulating tumor cells within patients' blood, facilitating more precise diagnoses and tailored therapeutic interventions. GILUPI's devices are CE certified, ensuring their compliance with safety and efficacy standards, which enhances their credibility and utility in clinical settings.

Heppe Medical Chitosan

Series B in 2010
Heppe Medical Chitosan GmbH is a German company based in Halle that specializes in the development, production, and sale of biopolymers and nanoparticles derived from chitin and chitosan. Founded in 2005, the company operates under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions, ensuring high-quality standards in its products. Heppe Medical Chitosan produces pure chitin, chitosan, and their derivatives, which are utilized in various applications within the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The company’s biopolymers and nanoparticles are biodegradable, non-toxic, and exhibit bacteriostatic properties, making them suitable for use in wound dressings, drug delivery systems, and tissue engineering. Through its innovative approach, Heppe Medical Chitosan contributes to the advancement of sustainable materials in healthcare and beauty applications.

Heppe Medical Chitosan

Seed Round in 2008
Heppe Medical Chitosan GmbH is a German company based in Halle that specializes in the development, production, and sale of biopolymers and nanoparticles derived from chitin and chitosan. Founded in 2005, the company operates under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions, ensuring high-quality standards in its products. Heppe Medical Chitosan produces pure chitin, chitosan, and their derivatives, which are utilized in various applications within the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The company’s biopolymers and nanoparticles are biodegradable, non-toxic, and exhibit bacteriostatic properties, making them suitable for use in wound dressings, drug delivery systems, and tissue engineering. Through its innovative approach, Heppe Medical Chitosan contributes to the advancement of sustainable materials in healthcare and beauty applications.

Luphos

Seed Round in 2008
Luphos, established in 2006, specializes in developing high-precision optical distance and topology measurement systems for industrial process control and scientific research. The company's non-contact, nanometer-precise solutions cater to diverse distance measurement tasks across various sectors. Luphos' flagship product is a 4-axis measurement platform capable of contactless topology measurement of rotationally symmetric objects with rough or polished surfaces, utilizing multi-wavelength interferometry sensors.
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