Podcasts Technology Deep Tech Germany - by Startuprad.io Meet Europe’s most important Seed Investor

Meet Europe’s most important Seed Investor

Published: Dec. 22, 2020, 5 a.m.

Meet Europe’s most important Seed Investor

 

We are the most active seed investor in Europe.
Alex von Frankenberg, MD HTGF

 

The Investor

Alexander “Alex” von Frankenberg  (https://www.linkedin.com/in/justdoitalex/, https://twitter.com/Justdoitalex, https://www.crunchbase.com/person/alexander-von-frankenberg) is Managing Director of Germany’s High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF).

We helped to raise 2,8 bn Euros in follow-on funding for our portfolio companies.
Alex von Frankenberg, MD HTGF

HTGF is a venture capital investor with private (like BASF, Bayer, Braun, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cewe, Dräger, Haniel, Lanxess, RWE, SAP, …) and public LPs (KfW, German Federal Government). The fund has approximately 890 m € (1 bn US$) in assets under management and close to 600 seed investments. focuses its investments in Europe, especially Germany, but also invests across the world – even at a lesser degree.

In my experience in the venture business: It is really the “long tail” that matters ... it is also in the long tail, in den deal flow, where you need to find the hidden gems
Alex von Frankenberg, MD HTGF



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I think our record was 28 days between first meeting the startup and signing the [investment] contract.
Alex von Frankenberg, MD HTGF

 

 

The Fund

In 2005 HTGF  (https://www.htgf.de/en/, https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/high-tech-gr%C3%BCnderfonds, https://twitter.com/HTGF, https://www.linkedin.com/company/high-tech-grunderfonds/) was established as a private-public partnership, to compensate – at the time – for the lack of active, domestic seed investors. Just two years after the bursting of the dot com bubble many seed investors went out of business and so an expert group of the German government recommended setting up a fund. The private investors helped HTGF to develop into a real venture fund, not only a public funding entity.

I reply to every email, even one that would just say “Yo, we should talk”.
Alex von Frankenberg, MD HTGF

 

On average it takes three months between the first contact with HTGF and its investment. Note this may vary significantly during corona and maybe some time afterwards.

HTGF always takes the role of a lead investor in a seed-stage investment. This is due to their history. In later rounds, they will give up the role of a lead investor.

 

HTGF IV

HTGF is currently raising its fourth fund and is looking to close the fund in June 2022.

 

We not only open doors at our LPs for our portfolio companies, we also know many many other companies.
Alex von Frankenberg, MD HTGF

 

Further Readings / Additional Resources

 

 

We can invest globally, but we are focusing on Germany.

Alex von Frankenberg, MD HTGF

 

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The Interviewer

This interview was conducted by Jörn “Joe” Menninger, startup scout, founder and host of Startuprad.io. Reach out to him:
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