Newsblog

08.03.2024

Dresden, Germany

Rebuilding Ukraine: Ukrainian startups visit Gigahertz Ventures for workshop

Pictures: Gigahertz Ventures / Ukraimpulse

On March 8, 2024, Gigahertz Ventures welcomed a group of Ukrainian startups and innovation ecosystem builders to Dresden.

The workshop day started by delving into a realm of tech marvels at the Dresden Volkswagen Gläserne Manufaktur (Transparent Factory). As the sun set, inspiring conversations and conviviality filled the enchanting ambiance of the 👉YETI Dresden mansion (big kudos to Sandra Hübner and YETI for hosting us!). Insights flowed, shedding light on the profound impact of the ongoing war on Ukrainian startups, as well as on their German counterparts with strong ties to Eastern markets. Once more, we were shaken by the resilience and adaptability inherent in the entrepreneurial spirit of our Ukrainian friends.

Background of this visit was the 👉Ukraimpulse Initiative, which Gigahertz Ventures jointly launched with the 👉BACB Business Angels Club Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. Ukraimpulse aims to build a bridge between Ukrainian, German, and European business angels to support reconstruction efforts. The visit to Dresden in March 2024 was organized in collaboration with 👉Invest in Bravery, Prague (CZ).

29.01.2024

Dresden, Germany

Our Investee Semron raises $7,9M in Strategic Seed Funding Round

Picture: Screenshot from VentureBeat website https://venturebeat.com

In an age where there is a growing demand for more advanced AI capabilities, our investee 👉 Semron is focusing on developing cutting-edge computer chips that are specifically designed to power the smallest consumer devices like smartphones, earbuds, and VR headsets.

The key innovation behind Semron's technology is their 3D semiconductor technology, which promises to deliver a remarkable up to 20-fold increase in chip efficiency. This increased efficiency enables these chips to run AI models that are up to 1,000 times larger while maintaining the same chip size.

Semron's unique technology, known as CapRAM, is based on a novel semiconductor device architecture that utilizes a variable capacitor (referred to as a 'memcapacitor'). Unlike conventional methods that rely on electrical currents and transistors, CapRAM significantly reduces electron movement, resulting in a 20-fold improvement in energy efficiency at the chip level.

Semron's recent seed funding round, led by Join Capital, garnered significant attention from new investors, including SquareOne, OTB Ventures, and Hermann Hauser of Onsight Ventures. Previous pre-seed investors, such as Wolfram Drescher (BlueWonder), Hans Rohrer, former president at TSMC, and Gigahertz Ventures, also continued to show their support.

Congratulations to the Semron team on their achievements!


17.01.2024

Dresden, Germany

2024 Gigahertz Ventures Portfolio Day

Pictures: Gigahertz Ventures

On January 16 and 17, 2024, we united our hard- and software portfolio founders for two days in Dresden this week, sparking dynamic discussions on sales, HR, and financing. The evening concluded with a kitchen session by Florian Gildemeister from gildemaestro, enhancing our culinary skills while conversations from the workshops continued.
 
Encouraged by positive feedback on practical learnings, we invite fellow investors to consider this exclusive, trust-building format. Comment or PM for insights. Key takeaways on #sales, #financing, and #HR will be shared in the coming weeks.
 
Big thanks to participants travelling from Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Slovenia to Dresden . Special appreciation to our host, Jörg Mättig, and the Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden team for the breathtaking venue atop the World Trade Center Dresden. Your feedback fuels our excitement for the next edition in 2025!

23.12.2023

Dresden/Berlin

Report on The Potential Role of European Business Angels in The Recovery of Ukraine

Picture: Ukraimpulse

Early 2023 and following a year of humanitarian support work for Ukraine, we asked ourselves the question: Can European business angels play a role in reconstructing Ukraine already today?

For answering this question, we joint forces with BACB Business Angels Club Berlin Brandenburg e.V., and together founded the 👉Ukraimpulse Ventures initiative. We travelled to Ukraine to meet multiple stakeholders of the early-stage startup ecosystem. Our report now summarizes valuable key findings of 40+ in-person meetings in Lviv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa from May to December 2023 (👆please click on the picture above for accessing the report).

 26.10.2023

Dresden, Germany

Urban-Rural Connectivity Strategies

Picture: Gigahertz Ventures

Germany faces challenges related to limited Digitalization in both its public administration and education systems. Stadt.Land.Netz (German for City County Network) is dedicated to providing innovative solutions that support public administrations, educational institutions, as well as public and private transportation companies in simplifying transportation planning and management.
 
Starting 2023, Gigahertz Ventures GmbH has partnered with SIB Innovations- und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen mbH and TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen to invest in Stadt.Land.Netz. As a united team, Stadt.Land.Netz (SLN) and all the investors have examined future trends and crafted long-term development strategies for the company. This two-day strategy workshop (October 24-25) in Dresden was brimming with valuable insights and innovative ideas. Amazing job, guys!

12.09.2023

Warnemünde, Germany

Water to data: strategy workshop with our investee PYDRO in Warnemünde

Picture: Gigahertz Ventures

We have just completed the annual strategy workshop with our investee PYDRO GmbH at legendary (even Fidel Castro had stayed here) Hotel Neptun in Warnemünde. 

The meeting produced highly inspiring discussions and debates on smart IoT solutions for preserving one of the most precious natural resource we have - water. Many thanks to Mulundu Sichone, Miguel and Sinoj from PYDRO for being great hosts and for pioneering IoT in drinking water systems💧👷‍♂️ 

Great collaboration with our co-investor Martin Schwarz from GENIUS Venture Capital GmbH. We look forward to 2024!

04.09.2023

Berlin, Germany

Article "Business Angels Want to Promote Startups in Ukraine" in Berliner Morgenpost

Screenshot Berliner Morgenpost (https://www.morgenpost.de/)

👉 09.10.2023: Berliner Morgenpost: Business Angels werben um Start-ups in der Ukraine Business are wooing for startups in Ukraine (no paywall)

👉  04.09.2023: Berliner Morgenpost: Business Angels wollen Start-ups in der Ukraine fördern Business angels want to promote startups in Ukraine (paywall)

22.06.2023

Wurzen, Germany

enaDyne wins 2023 IQ Innovationspreis Mitteldeutschland (Innovation Award Central Germany) 🏆

Picture: Gigahertz Ventures

More than 4.000 gigatons of excess CO2 are out there in our atmosphere, and the number is rising. Every single day! The race is on to get this stuff back into the bottle. enaDyne GmbH develops plasma catalysis reactors that enable the recycling of CO2 into green chemicals and eFuels. It is simply amazing to see these guys inventing and developing. For enaDyne (and for us), there is no time to lose.

This afternoon, the enaDyne team around founders Christian Koch and Philipp Hahn was awarded twice with the German IQ Innovationspreis Mitteldeutschland (IQ Innovation Award Central Germany 2023): Winner in the category Chemicals/Synthetics, and Overall Winner of the competition 🏆

The IQ Innovation Award Central Germany promotes innovative, marketable products, processes and services in five industry-specific clusters. In addition, an industry-agnostic jury selects the overall winner of the competition from 10 cluster finalists.

Gigahertz Ventures GmbH is invested in enaDyne GmbH since 2022.

Media:

27.04.2023

Bucha, Ukraine

City of Bucha starts municipal transport company

Buses on the way to Bucha in June 2022. Picture: Gigahertz Ventures

Almost a year ago (in June 2022) we delivered (together with Holger Zastrow from FDP) three buses to the city of Bucha (Ukraine). The buses were donated by the City of Dresden. The aim was to support the reconstruction of the city of Bucha. Initially, the buses were mainly used in the social sector (for example, for providing transport to children and disabled). As of this week, the city of Bucha is the proud owner of its own municipal transport company.

Buses are now used in regular scheduled services. This transport company does not only serve the city, but the entire Bucha district up to the borders with Kyiv. We are very happy about it and also a little proud to have helped kicking this off.

15.03.2023

Schwarze Pumpe, Germany

From Sächsische Zeitung:
Next Automotive Testing GmbH convinces investors from Dresden with its concept

Christian Jurisch, founder and CEO. Picture: Next Automotive Testing PR

Next Automotive Testing GmbH, based in the Dock³ start-up center in the Lusatia region in Germany, reports the successful completion of an investment round. The company, which is testing e-drive modules and systems, will receive a six-figure sum from Dresden-based Gigaherz Ventures GmbH.

"We were impressed by the company's clear vision as well as by the potential in the field of electromobility in the Lusatia region", Gigaherz Managing Director Stefan Schandera is quoted. Next Automotive Testing founder Christian Jurisch says the cost of verification and validation of e-mobility components could easily swallow up to half of the development budget. This is where Next Automotive Testing steps in.

Translated from German. 👉 Read full article here.

24.12.2022

Dresden, Germany

Season's Greetings
Gigahertz Ventures Highlights 2022
 A very intense year comes to its end. We wish you a happy holiday season, relaxing festive days with your loved ones and a happy and peaceful New Year.
 
We would like to thank you for the cooperation in 2022 and look forward to a new year together in 2023. Your Gigahertz Ventures Team.

 22.03.2022

Ukraine/Germany

ARD Report on "Bus-loads of Hope" Humanitarian Project for Ukraine
Report on First German Television (ARD; broadcasted 22.03.2022) about the start of our aid project in Ukraine “Busloads of hope”. A journalist accompanied us on our first trip to Ukraine at the beginning of March 2022. We handed over the first buses in Ukraine on this trip. More information 👉 here.


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