The German Federal Government plans to consolidate and strengthen financing for technology startups and scaleups.
The DeepTech & Climate Fonds (DTCF) will be continued under the umbrella of High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF).
By integrating DTCF into HTGF, a seamless financing architecture will be established – from foundation to exit. The existing funds will continue investing in key future sectors – from energy and quantum technologies to semiconductors, biotech, industrial transformation, AI, software, and advanced materials.
Financing for young technology-oriented companies and access to equity for innovations in key technologies will be strategically consolidated within a joint public-private VC platform.
As part of this expansion, HTGF is expected to assume management of DTCF from February 1, 2026.
In addition, the German Federal Government has commissioned HTGF to set up a fifth generation of its successful public-private seed fund, scheduled to launch in mid-2027 – immediately following the investment period of the current HTGF IV seed fund.
According to Dr Achim Plum, Managing Director of HTGF:
“With the vision of a joint investment platform, we are creating the public-private VC structure that Germany and Europe need right now: continuous innovation financing – from technological idea to market leadership.
Companies like FMC and Proxima Fusion already show how seamlessly HTGF and DTCF complement each other.
My co-managing directors Romy Schnelle, Sebastian Borek, and I thank the Federal Government for its trust in enabling HTGF to evolve into a comprehensive VC platform.”
Dr Elisabeth Schrey, Managing Director of DTCF:
“Over the past three years, the DTCF has firmly established itself in the market and built a portfolio of 19 outstanding companies. Through large investment syndicates, such as those supporting The Exploration Company and Cylib, we have been able to give these tech companies more time for development and scaling during their early growth stages.”
Tobias Faupel, Managing Director of DTCF, adds:
“Since the very beginning, DTCF has worked closely with HTGF. This successful collaboration will continue on the new platform with the same strong commitment to our portfolio and to DTCF’s investment focus.”
According to Dr Janina Jänsch, Head of the SME department at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, establishing a VC platform as a new joint investment structure under the strong HTGF brand marks an important next chapter.
"The DTCF management team has built a broad portfolio of technology companies, assembled a strong investment team, and forged important industry connections."
The specific details of this integration are currently the subject of discussions between the parties involved.
Would you like to write the first comment?
Login to post comments