High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF)

“Back then, it was seen as a public vehicle. The expectation was that the fund might lose money, 50 per cent research, 50 per cent loss. In reality, we've proven that early-stage investing can be both impactful and financially successful. We now have around 30 per cent private capital and 70 per cent public. There's a misconception that public money limits us. It doesn't. We can invest alone, set prices, and act like a normal VC.”

“No two days are alike here. I have been part of the HTGF team since 2008 and part of the management team since 2023. I believe there is hardly another field that is as inspiring and varied as venture capital, where you learn so much about the power of world-changing technologies, entrepreneurship and the success factors of startups. It is a privilege to work with founders whose ideas have the potential to change the world.”

“At some point, I felt that if you really want to change something, you need to be in the startup world — more risk-taking. So I switched to HTGF and started in the digital tech team. I built a portfolio of around 15 companies, most of which I've exited. The portfolio ranged from IT security to e-commerce, depending on what was popular at the time.”