Investing to tap into tomorrow’s innovations: adesso joins High-Tech Gründerfonds IV

adesso is further expanding its corporate venture activities in Europe by investing in High-Tech Gründerfonds IV. High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) is regarded as Europe’s most active early-stage investor, and its newest fund HTGF IV will have a total volume of more than EUR 400 million when launched in September 2022. adesso has become a co-shareholder in HTGF IV by investing a single-digit million sum, strengthening its commitment to supporting young tech start-ups through its incubator adesso ventures GmbH and accelerating its own innovation speed.

The IT service provider’s incubator adesso ventures (formerlyinQventures GmbH) promotes innovations specifically in the fintech, insurtech, healthtech, Internet of Things, mobility and energy supply segments by providing investment capital and operational support for software development, management and sales. Joining High-Tech Gründerfonds IV as a venture capital investor and co-shareholder gives adesso the opportunity to participate in seed funding in the business-to-business segment in key sectors of its core business.

HTGF: Europe’s most active seed investor

High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) provides seed capital for start-ups that develop innovative technologies and business models. It sees itself as a platform for supporting a dialogue across industries between start-ups, investors, corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises and family-run businesses in Germany and Europe. The fund’s investors benefit from the wide range of start-ups funded by HTGF in the areas of industrial tech, digital tech, life sciences and chemicals as well as neighbouring business fields. Since 2005, HTGF has launched three successful generations of funds with subscribed capital totalling around EUR 900 million to date. Its current portfolio comprises more than 300 start-ups at various development phases.

adesso is set to participate in the next generation, HTGF IV, which will provide funding for some 40 new tech companies per year. In addition to investment capital, the fund offers start-ups the chance to join one of the most powerful high-tech venture networks.

HTGF IV puts adesso close to innovation in Europe

As an investor, adesso will gain access to Europe’s most innovative start-ups and tap into HTGF’s broad ecosystem. The start-ups themselves will benefit from access to the business models and client relationships of an established international IT service provider such as adesso, which currently employs some 6,300 people across Europe.

“Being a shareholder of HTGF IV puts us right up close to where innovation is happening in Europe and gives us valuable momentum in this space,” says Jörg Schroeder, member of adesso’s Executive Board with responsibilities including finance. “This enables us to identify innovations with business potential early on. That way, we can discover promising start-ups and help them grow their value through investment and access to European markets.”

Jörg Schroeder, member of the Management Board of adesso and responsible for finance: "As a fund shareholder of HTGF IV, we get very close to innovation business in Europe and receive valuable impulses." (Copyright: adesso)

Christoph Junge, who is responsible for mergers and acquisitions at adesso in his role as Head of Corporate Development, points out other benefits of joining HTGF IV: “As an HTGF shareholder, we are in an excellent position as a market observer of the start-up community in the European high-tech segment. This also gives us the opportunity to move forward as a company through exciting start-up investments and partnerships and to keep our core business agile and innovative in the long term.”

Dr Alex von Frankenberg, HTGF’s Managing Director, welcomes adesso’s investment and describes the options available to investors: “Experience shows that our fund offers a wide range of business opportunities, from project-based cooperation with selected start-ups and substantial direct investments through to full takeovers. Through our fund, investors become aware of key technological developments in their own sector and get a better view of the situation outside their industry. We are delighted to be joined by adesso with its reputation and expertise as well as its network.”

Christoph Junge, Head of Corporate Development at adesso: “As an HTGF shareholder, we us the opportunities to move forward as a company through exciting start-up investments and partnerships and to keep us agile and innovative in the long term.” (Copyright: adesso)

High-Tech Gründerfonds is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and KfW Capital. Its goal is to secure the competitiveness and innovative strength of the German economy in the long term. Alongside adesso, other well-known German companies are invested in the fund. For further information, visit www.htgf.de

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