High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH

HTGF is a venture capital investor for innovative technologies and business models. We successfully support the best founders whose ideas can revolutionise entire industries and improve people’s lives – from seed to exit. As a seed investor, we have already financed more than 650 start-ups in the industrial tech, digital tech, life sciences and chemicals sectors. We have overseen more than 150 exits, including IPOs. When founding your company together with us, you benefit from an experienced partner at your side. We are a public–private partnership that works closely and successfully with companies from a wide range of industries. Our more than 30 fund investors include medium-sized companies, family businesses and corporations. We provide them with access to innovative start-ups and technologies insights into deal flows and connections to our global network. The High-Tech Gründerfonds The establishment of the High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) was the product of a working group of representatives from the Federal Ministry of Economics, industry and sector experts in 2005. Their goal was to revive the market for start-up financing, which at that time was completely dormant. Following the burst of the New Economy bubble, seed phase financing almost came to a complete standstill owing to the high risks involved. Then as now, the focus of the initiative was on high-tech start-ups with significant growth potential, with the decision as to whether the HTGF should invest in a start-up being made purely on market criteria. The success of the HTGF proved its initiators right. In its first year alone, it financed 40 high-tech start-ups – twice as many as there had been in Germany the previous year. To date, the HTGF has successfully launched a total of three funds, financing more than 650 companies, of which more than 150 have been successfully sold or floated on the stock exchange. In addition to seed investments, over 4 billion euros of private funds have flowed into HTGF portfolio companies through follow-up financing. The HTGF is the most outstanding example of a successful public–private partnership. With our funds, their investors and our personal commitment, we contribute significantly to the consistent development of the start-up ecosystem in Germany and across Europe. The HTGF has a total of around 900 million euros under the management of its three funds. The share of private companies has increased from fund to fund. Currently, 33 companies are invested in HTGF III. Their share in the fund is more than 30 percent. As a result, HTGF III can act as flexibly as private funds. The headquarters of the High-Tech Gründerfonds is Bonn. Since 2018 it has also had an office in Berlin.

RISE PARTNERS Audit GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft is a German auditing and tax consulting firm founded in 2022 by Alexander Riha and Christian Seuffert. The firm operates from offices in Munich and Cologne with a team exceeding 100 employees. RISE PARTNERS positions itself as a modern alternative within the traditionally conservative auditing and tax advisory sector, emphasizing digital processes, flat hierarchies, and sustainability commitments. The firm holds climate certification from Climate Partner and DATEV digital office certification for 2025. The firm's service portfolio spans audit (Wirtschaftsprüfung), tax advisory (Steuerberatung), accounting, financial services, real estate consulting, and fund structure services. RISE PARTNERS operates with digital workflows through DATEV digital office systems, reflecting its focus on technological integration within traditional financial services. The firm's approach centers on long-term client partnerships built on trust, integrity, and mutual appreciation, combining what it describes as extensive experience with a strong network across its service areas. RISE PARTNERS has received recognition as one of the best employers in consulting by Great Place to Work, indicating attention to workplace culture despite its recent establishment. The firm's founding in 2022 and rapid scaling to over 100 employees across two major German cities suggests growth ambitions within the auditing and tax consulting market. Its dual-city presence in Munich and Cologne positions the firm to serve clients across southern and western Germany's business centers.

Gründerfonds Ruhr is a venture capital fund based in Essen, which invests in early stage startups that drive innovation and change. Our foundation was laid in 2017 with the launch of our first fund. Since then, Gründerfonds Ruhr has been an investor partner for startups, providing financial capital to ambitious founding teams from various industries. In October 2024, we closed our second fund, Gründerfonds Ruhr II, with an initial fund volume of €31M to back the next generation of founders from the Ruhr region and beyond. We invest in seed stage B2B startups that have the potential to become market leaders in their market segment. We are active across Germany with a focus on the Ruhr region and we are not only providing financial capital, but also our entrepreneurial expertise and access to the industry through a leading network of international corporations.

Unser Fokus liegt auf jungen Unternehmen, deren technologiefokusierte und skalierbare Produkte in der Markteintrittsphase stehen. Als Partner auf Augenhöhe unterstützten wir ambitionierte Gründer-Teams bei Wachstum und Internationalisierung. Frisches Kapital sowie die bedarfsorientierte wirtschaftliche Beratung in Kooperation mit dem Inkubator tech2b eröffnet Hightech-Startups aus der Region Perspektiven. WO INVESTIERT DER HIGHTECHFONDS?Der OÖ HightechFonds investiert Eigenkapital in regionale, technologisch orientierte Startups. Wir investieren in der Markteintrittsphase, wenn ein "Prototyp" entwickelt ist und erste Kundenumsätze realisiert wurden. Unser Portfolio ist offen für zukunftsweisende, skalier​bare Hardware- und Software-Produkte engagierter Gründer-Teams. WAS ZEICHNET DEN HIGHTECHFONDS AUS?Wir sind für unsere Startups immer da, wenn wir tatsächlich gebraucht werden – aber mischen uns normalerweise nicht ins operative Geschäft ein. Wir stellen uns an die Seite der Gründer und bilden die Brücke zwischen regionalen Business Angels und nationalen und internationalen VC-Fonds. Unser öffentlicher Auftrag lenkt unseren Fokus auf nachhaltiges Wachstum. Das Netzwerk unserer Gesellschafter nutzen wir auch für unsere Beteiligungen.

aws Founders Fund is an Austrian venture capital fund. As co-investors, we invest in high-growth start-ups in their later seed and early stage phase. As a long-term partner, we offer both start-up and follow-up financing. As a subsidiary of Austria Wirtschaftsservice Gesellschaft mbH (aws), aws Founders Fund has EUR 68.5 m under management. The objective of aws Founders Fund is to establish a partnership among equals with portfolio companies and to offer a supportive role in establishing a market position as well as achieving and maintaining sustainable growth. Overview of aws Founders FundVenture Capital for Start-UpsYou have already developed an innovative product or service? You would like to launch an innovative product or service onto the market? Are you a high-growth start-up looking for initial or follow-up financing options? Are you planning further investments to achieve your first growth spurt? For the above mentioned and other situations, aws Founders Fund can become a strong partner on your side. In the past, we have repeatedly proven that our involvement enables companies to unlock further entrepreneurial potential. We collaborate closely with the management team to enhance the strategic and operative performance of our portfolio companies, without interfering with day-to-day operations. In order to ensure optimal development of their business, our partners are granted excellent access to our international investor and corporate network, as well as our market expertise and the numerous support opportunities provided by aws.

PRO-Global Search GmbH operates as an international HR advisory firm specializing in executive search and leadership recruitment within the investment, finance, and legal sectors. The company connects organizations ranging from fast-growing startups to global enterprises with exceptional talent through their executive search and mid-level management recruitment services. Their expertise spans private equity, venture capital, investment banking, wealth management, and legal fields, ensuring precise matching of high-level professionals with strategic organizational needs. Beyond recruitment, PRO-Global Search offers comprehensive career development services including Career Growth Sessions, Career Coaching, and JobEQ Assessments for candidates seeking advancement. Their strategic HR consulting approach helps organizations build strong leadership teams while guiding professionals toward meaningful career opportunities in competitive industries. This dual focus on both employer and candidate needs has established the company as a trusted partner in executive search across international markets.