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 Smart Cities

node.energy

Series B in 2025
node.energy develops software-as-a-service solutions for managing decentralized energy systems in commercial and industrial real estate. Its platform optimizes local energy microgrids, reducing administrative workload, energy costs, and carbon footprint while ensuring regulatory compliance.

Everyone Energy

Seed Round in 2024
Everyone Energy is a technology company that specializes in an automated energy advisory platform. This platform aims to enhance user experience during the energy transition by providing expert advice on various energy solutions, including PV systems, heat pumps, electric vehicle charging points, and battery storage. It caters to both residential and commercial clients, helping them connect with relevant solution providers, facilitating informed decision-making, and saving time in the process.

Crocus Labs

Seed Round in 2022
Crocus Labs is a Berlin-based deep tech company specializing in advanced light engine technology. It develops energy-saving solutions for wellness, horticultural, and specialty lighting applications, aiming to bring its innovations to residential, commercial, and industrial spaces worldwide.

Awake Mobility

Seed Round in 2022
Awake Mobility develops a predictive maintenance platform that supports public and private bus operators with digital transformation. The platform uses IoT and machine learning to monitor city buses in real-time, preventing breakdowns and failures, and providing operators with data on their fleet's health.

node.energy

Series A in 2022
node.energy develops software-as-a-service solutions for managing decentralized energy systems in commercial and industrial real estate. Its platform optimizes local energy microgrids, reducing administrative workload, energy costs, and carbon footprint while ensuring regulatory compliance.

IO-Dynamics

Seed Round in 2022
IO-Dynamics specializes in smart charging solutions for electric vehicle fleets, focusing on energy management and optimization. The company develops software that gathers and analyzes real-time data from electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. This technology enables organizations to efficiently manage and control the charging processes of their e-fleets, ensuring sustainable and reliable operations. By providing insights into energy consumption and charging patterns, IO-Dynamics helps businesses plan their charging schedules automatically and reduce costs associated with electric vehicle operations.

Awake Mobility

Seed Round in 2021
Awake Mobility develops a predictive maintenance platform that supports public and private bus operators with digital transformation. The platform uses IoT and machine learning to monitor city buses in real-time, preventing breakdowns and failures, and providing operators with data on their fleet's health.

Crocus Labs

Seed Round in 2021
Crocus Labs is a Berlin-based deep tech company specializing in advanced light engine technology. It develops energy-saving solutions for wellness, horticultural, and specialty lighting applications, aiming to bring its innovations to residential, commercial, and industrial spaces worldwide.

Gilytics

Seed Round in 2020
Gilytics develops fast computing and 3D visualization technology to support planning of transportation and energy infrastructure. It serves industries including transportation networks, pipelines, and planning linear infrastructure, as well as wind and solar energy and large-scale future energy systems, utilities, and power grid operators. The company offers an interactive web application as a software-as-a-service for automated optimal planning and siting of both linear and distributed infrastructure in energy and transport. Its 3D rendering software facilitates planning and visualization of distributed energy infrastructures, providing automated services to identify optimal routes for transmission lines and to improve interaction with authorities and communities through 3D visualization, enabling power management companies to apply the technology for planning and managing distributed energy systems.

envelio

Series A in 2019
envelio GmbH, founded in 2017 and based in Cologne, Germany, specializes in developing software solutions for the planning and operation of energy networks. The company offers the Intelligent Grid Platform (IGP), a modular software system designed to assist distribution grid operators in digitizing and automating their processes. This platform integrates algorithms based on artificial intelligence and mathematical optimization to facilitate the management of distribution grids, allowing for the seamless incorporation of numerous distributed energy resources and smart meter data. Key features of the IGP include applications for data quality management, automated grid planning, and operational support for congestion management in response to potential grid bottlenecks. By enabling grid operators to optimize their operations, envelio plays a crucial role in advancing the energy transition and enhancing grid sustainability and flexibility.

Comydo

Seed Round in 2019
Comydo is a developer of innovative lock management solutions aimed at enhancing package delivery logistics for multi-family dwellings. The company offers an application that utilizes QR codes or barcodes to facilitate automatic access to entrance areas, allowing deliveries to be securely deposited without the need for the recipient to be present. This system transforms parcels into keys, ensuring that couriers can successfully complete deliveries without being hindered by locked doors. By providing a seamless and contactless delivery experience, Comydo addresses common challenges faced by tenants in multi-family housing, significantly improving the convenience of online shopping and package receipt.

Geospin

Seed Round in 2018
Founded in 2016 as a spin-off of the University of Freiburg, Germany, Geospin develops a B2B SaaS solution for geo-data analysis using machine learning methods. Its software, Geospin, integrates internal company data with external factors like weather, traffic, demographics, and social media to provide insights into product/service demand by location and time. It caters to industries such as mobility, logistics, construction, smart cities, automotive, and retail.

envelio

Seed Round in 2018
envelio GmbH, founded in 2017 and based in Cologne, Germany, specializes in developing software solutions for the planning and operation of energy networks. The company offers the Intelligent Grid Platform (IGP), a modular software system designed to assist distribution grid operators in digitizing and automating their processes. This platform integrates algorithms based on artificial intelligence and mathematical optimization to facilitate the management of distribution grids, allowing for the seamless incorporation of numerous distributed energy resources and smart meter data. Key features of the IGP include applications for data quality management, automated grid planning, and operational support for congestion management in response to potential grid bottlenecks. By enabling grid operators to optimize their operations, envelio plays a crucial role in advancing the energy transition and enhancing grid sustainability and flexibility.

node.energy

Venture Round in 2017
node.energy develops software-as-a-service solutions for managing decentralized energy systems in commercial and industrial real estate. Its platform optimizes local energy microgrids, reducing administrative workload, energy costs, and carbon footprint while ensuring regulatory compliance.

Comodule

Seed Round in 2015
Founded in Berlin in 2014, Comodule operates an online platform that monitors battery parameters of electric vehicles, relaying real-time data to users via smartphones or wearables. This platform aims to alleviate range anxiety and provides manufacturers with usage data for product development decisions and direct user communication.

Solandeo

Seed Round in 2015
Solandeo GmbH, founded in 2011 and based in Berlin, Germany, specializes in manufacturing and marketing metering and power management solutions. The company focuses on providing energy management solutions tailored for renewable energy plants, aiding in the detection of actual power output for the green electricity market. Solandeo offers services such as real-time measurement data provision, data logging, and monitoring of measured installations to support grid connection and feed-in meters. Additionally, it provides cost-effective and innovative solutions for smart metering, remote control technology, and technical upgrades for wind turbines, solar panels, and biogas heating plants.

Heliatek

Series C in 2014
Heliatek GmbH, founded in 2006 and based in Dresden, Germany, specializes in the development and manufacture of organic photovoltaics (OPV) solutions, particularly HeliaSol and HeliaFilm. These innovative products are designed for integration into various building surfaces, including horizontal, vertical, and curved structures, making them suitable for retrofitting existing buildings as well as for new construction. Heliatek's OPV technology is characterized by its ultra-lightweight and flexible nature, contributing to environmentally friendly energy solutions. The company serves a diverse clientele, including those in the building and construction materials industry, automotive manufacturers, and suppliers, and has established strategic partnerships with firms such as AGC Glass Europe and Reckli China. With approximately 160 employees, Heliatek is at the forefront of advancing organic electronics, utilizing advanced roll-to-roll manufacturing processes in controlled environments to produce its solar films.

ICE Gateway GmbH

Seed Round in 2014
ICE Gateway GmbH, based in Berlin, Germany, specializes in the development of LED systems, sensors, and cloud-based services tailored for lighting applications. The company provides a wireless infrastructure that optimizes outdoor lighting and supports smart city initiatives by facilitating communication between lights, sensors, and devices. Its cloud-based light portals enable the remote control and maintenance of lighting systems, while integrated sensors measure environmental data such as CO2 and ozone levels and monitor traffic flow. Additionally, ICE Gateway offers consulting services and develops both hardware and software for its Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions. The company's diverse offerings encompass applications in traffic management, marketing, security, logistics, and tourism, alongside services like LED retrofits and big data analytics. Incorporated in 2013, ICE Gateway GmbH focuses on advancing smart urban environments through innovative lighting and sensor technologies.

Kiwigrid

Venture Round in 2013
Kiwigrid develops and operates a smart grid energy management platform in Europe. Its solutions enable efficient monitoring, analysis, and optimization of energy systems, supporting various industries including OEM, utilities, automotive, real estate, and installers.

enercast

Series A in 2012
Founded in 2011, enercast specializes in renewable energy forecasting. It offers software-as-a-service products that provide accurate power predictions for wind and solar plants, facilitating their integration into global power grids and markets. The company's AI-driven platform delivers over 100 million forecast data points annually to customers across 20 countries, covering approximately 160 GW of installed capacity.

tiramizoo

Seed Round in 2011
Founded in Munich, Germany in 2010, tiramizoo specializes in urban logistics solutions. It offers a SaaS platform that optimizes last-mile deliveries and city traffic flow using proprietary algorithms. The company serves fleet operators, retailers, logistics companies, and smart cities across Central Europe and Southeast Asia.

Heliatek

Series B in 2009
Heliatek GmbH, founded in 2006 and based in Dresden, Germany, specializes in the development and manufacture of organic photovoltaics (OPV) solutions, particularly HeliaSol and HeliaFilm. These innovative products are designed for integration into various building surfaces, including horizontal, vertical, and curved structures, making them suitable for retrofitting existing buildings as well as for new construction. Heliatek's OPV technology is characterized by its ultra-lightweight and flexible nature, contributing to environmentally friendly energy solutions. The company serves a diverse clientele, including those in the building and construction materials industry, automotive manufacturers, and suppliers, and has established strategic partnerships with firms such as AGC Glass Europe and Reckli China. With approximately 160 employees, Heliatek is at the forefront of advancing organic electronics, utilizing advanced roll-to-roll manufacturing processes in controlled environments to produce its solar films.

Heliatek

Seed Round in 2006
Heliatek GmbH, founded in 2006 and based in Dresden, Germany, specializes in the development and manufacture of organic photovoltaics (OPV) solutions, particularly HeliaSol and HeliaFilm. These innovative products are designed for integration into various building surfaces, including horizontal, vertical, and curved structures, making them suitable for retrofitting existing buildings as well as for new construction. Heliatek's OPV technology is characterized by its ultra-lightweight and flexible nature, contributing to environmentally friendly energy solutions. The company serves a diverse clientele, including those in the building and construction materials industry, automotive manufacturers, and suppliers, and has established strategic partnerships with firms such as AGC Glass Europe and Reckli China. With approximately 160 employees, Heliatek is at the forefront of advancing organic electronics, utilizing advanced roll-to-roll manufacturing processes in controlled environments to produce its solar films.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.