Schunk is participating in the High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) with an investment of three million euros. "We are investing in HTGF because Schunk wants to support innovative technology startups and we have already had very good experiences with the fund," says Dr. Arno Roth, CEO of the Schunk Group, explaining the motives.
The good experience relates in particular to the former startup Pulsar Photonics. The Aachen-based full-service provider for laser micromachining was funded as a startup by HTGF and has been majority-owned by the Schunk Group for about two years. "Since then, Pulsar has developed excellently, both thanks to cooperations within the Schunk Group and with external customers, and has clearly expanded our technological spectrum," summarizes Dr. Roth.
Pulsar Photonics' range of services includes the development, production and sale of laser machines for materials processing with short- and ultrashort-pulse lasers. The core competence of the high-tech company is also the sensible integration of tool and measurement systems for material processing, adapted to the respective requirements of the customer application. With these competencies and its innovative know-how, Pulsar Photonics has a broad market open to it in industry, which it is very well placed to tap into thanks to Schunk's financial and organizational support.
Exchange with industrial tech startups
"We would like to contribute to startups like Pulsar Photonics getting a perspective through HTGF to turn their innovative ideas into concrete business models," says Dr. Tobias Gnatzy, Vice President and Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at Schunk Group. "Through HTGF, Schunk also comes into contact with startups with innovative ideas, especially from the industrial tech sector. From this, we hope for a profitable exchange and possible cooperation as well as impulses for our existing business."
All Business Units of the Schunk Group are welcome to participate in this exchange and can contact Dr. Alexander Gatej directly with their questions in this regard.
Creating good starting conditions for high-tech startups
As a so-called seed investor, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) finances technology start-ups with growth potential. Funding is provided to technology start-ups in the fields of digital tech, industrial tech, life sciences and chemicals. In addition to the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) and KfW Capital, companies also participate in the fund. Together with Schunk, these include large technology groups such as Bosch and SAP.