BioTech
Drug development, new therapeutic approaches and biotechnological processes.
Early-stage VC from Göttingen
Turning science into growth.
The Life Science Valley Wachstumsfonds is an early-stage venture capital fund from Göttingen. We invest in life science start-ups in Germany, with a particular focus on Lower Saxony. Our scope ranges from biotech and medtech to digital health and agriscience. In doing so, we support innovative companies and strengthen the region’s life science ecosystem.
The fund in numbers
A solid
foundation for
growth
Since its first closing in December 2022, the Life Science Valley Wachstumsfonds has managed more than 12 million euros. We do not only invest in the first round – we deliberately reserve capital for follow-on financing so that our portfolio companies can grow across several funding rounds.
€12M+
Fund volume
Since the first closing in December 2022
6
Portfolio companies
From genetic engineering to food tech
30+
Years of experience in the team
In venture capital, science and company building
Our limited partners
Investment focus
The early-stage fund for life science spin-offs in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony has an excellent life science research landscape, from Göttingen to Hanover and Braunschweig. Universities, hospitals and research institutes give rise to technologies with great potential. Yet it is precisely in the early phase that the right capital to enable growth is often missing.
That’s where we come in. We invest early, bring scientific and entrepreneurial expertise to the table, and work with our partners to turn promising research into successful businesses.
MedTech & Diagnostics
New key technologies for medical technology, diagnostics and clinical application.
Digital Health & TechBio
Digital solutions that improve clinical processes, care and prevention.
Agriscience & Extended Life Sciences
Agricultural and nutritional sciences as well as adjacent fields.
Our investment focus
We invest in scientific innovations with entrepreneurial potential.
As an early-stage investor, we support ambitious founding teams who want to turn scientific insights and innovative technologies into successful companies.
Our focus is on scientific spin-offs and deep-tech start-ups from the life sciences. Within the life sciences we are sector-agnostic – from biotechnology, therapeutics and medical technology through diagnostics and life science tools to digital health, bioprocessing and adjacent technology fields.
Our roots are in Lower Saxony. We feel a particularly close connection to the regional innovation ecosystem and place a clear emphasis on promising spin-offs and start-ups from Lower Saxony. At the same time, we also look beyond the state’s borders for particularly compelling investment opportunities.
- Stage
- Pre-seed to seedwith capital for follow-on rounds
- Region
- Lower SaxonyPreference for companies based or operating in Lower Saxony
- Role
- Co-investortogether with strong partners
What we look for in start-ups
Scientific substance & differentiation
We look for innovative technologies with a compelling scientific foundation and a clear point of differentiation. A sustainable competitive advantage, for example through intellectual property, a technological lead or special know-how, is important to us.
Ambitious teams & entrepreneurial thinking
We invest in people, not just technologies. What matters to us is a team’s professional expertise, its entrepreneurial ambition and its ability to translate scientific innovation into a viable business model. A team does not need to combine every competence from day one – what matters is that it knows its strengths and gaps and is willing to develop further.
Taking informed scientific risks
We invest early and do not shy away from scientific and technological risk. What matters to us is not that every question has already been answered, but that the key risks have been identified, realistically assessed and can be addressed through clear development milestones.
Market potential & scalability
Alongside scientific excellence, we look for compelling entrepreneurial prospects. We pay attention to relevant market demand, a scalable business model and the potential to create significant enterprise value over the long term. A good technology alone is not enough – it must be able to give rise to a compelling venture case.
Clear milestones & funding strategy
Long development cycles and high capital requirements are not unusual, particularly in the life sciences. We look for teams with a credible development and financing path, clear milestones and a realistic strategy for the next steps of growth.
Creating value together
We see ourselves as an active partner to our portfolio companies. We are particularly excited by investments where, in addition to capital, we can contribute our scientific and entrepreneurial experience, industry expertise and network to support the company’s development in a targeted way.
Sounds like a fit? We’d love to hear from you.
Contact
Network
Deeply rooted in the
life science ecosystem
Good investments don’t happen in isolation. As investor, partner, advisor and host, we play an active role in the life science ecosystem – bringing together founders, researchers, industry and capital.
First Life Science VC Day in Munich
On 6 October 2026, the Life Science Valley Wachstumsfonds, the Life Science Factory and HEUKING hosted the first Life Science VC Day in Munich. Under the title “From Data to Drug: The New Biotech Stack”, investors, founders and industry experts discussed current technological developments and their significance for the life science industry.
Learn more
Jury member for the Life Science Factory’s ELSA programme
At the Pitch Bowl of the Life Science Factory’s Entrepreneurial Life Science Accelerator (ELSA), our Investment Associate Naomi evaluated the business ideas of participating life science start-ups.
Coach in the Life Science Factory’s ELSA programme
Our Investment Associate Naomi supported founding teams in the Life Science Factory’s ELSA programme in developing their business models and preparing for conversations with investors.
Juror and panellist at the Niedersachsen.next Startup Day in Hanover
As a juror and panellist at the Startup Day in Hanover, Naomi contributed her VC perspective and discussed innovative start-ups and their financing.
Meet us @
- connect@bayernkapital
- BioEurope
- Falling Walls Science Summit
- Parliamentary Lunch of the Startup Initiative Niedersachsen
- Life Science VC Day
- HTGF Life Science Pitch Day
- bio:cap
- GeneNovate Investors’ Day
- HTGF Family Day
- Venture SPRIND
- Life Science Pitch Day
- HTGF Life Science Pitch Day
Latest
News from the fund
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New in the portfolio: Allogenetics receives €3.8 million in a pre-Series A financing round for gene therapy in transplant medicine.
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New in the portfolio: Onyx Biotech successfully closes its pre-seed financing round, led by the Life Science Valley Wachstumsfonds together with Freiraum Ventures and business angels.
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brainQr Therapeutics receives more than €3 million in public funding to further develop its drug candidate BQ-141
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brainQr Therapeutics publishes a new deep learning approach for studying previously hard-to-access proteins
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New in the portfolio: Digity secures €1.4 million in seed financing for its preventive exoskeleton ARTUS
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New in the portfolio: Cultimate Foods receives €2.3 million in seed financing from leading biotech and foodtech investors to revolutionise the alternative meat industry
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New fund to support life science start-ups in Lower Saxony
Team
The people
behind the fund
We know the particular challenges that life science start-ups face. Our team of experienced investors and industry experts actively applies its knowledge to support our portfolio companies at every stage of growth.
Marco Janezic
Managing Director
Fund set-up, investor network & fundraising
Dr. Sven Wagner
Managing Director
Fund set-up, investor network & fundraising
Naomi Kramer
Investment Associate
Venture building, scientific due diligence & value creation
Gabriele Burgstaller
Certified Controller (IHK)
Expert in finance and controlling
Contact
Become part
of our
portfolio
Building a life science start-up and looking for funding? With us, you will find capital, industry expertise and experience in venture building, from an active partner from seed stage to exit. Our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
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Email
info@lsv-ventures.de -
Address
Annastraße 27, 37075 Göttingen