“Difficult times are often the breeding ground for truly transformative ideas and great companies,” says Dr. Tanja Emmerling, who heads up HTGF’s Berlin office, and she means it. While the global political climate is turbulent and European tech is under pressure, Germany’s most active venture-capital investor is doubling down, not pulling back.
Europe is in the midst of a deep tech boom, but the capital that scales its best companies keeps ending up in American hands, according to High-Tech Gründerfonds, or HTGF. “The big limited partners from the Nordics have portfolios in the US rather than in Europe. When big companies grow, US investors benefit. So why not invest in your own region?” Emmerling tells TFN.
This belief translates into HTGF Family Day 2026, which is returning to STATION Berlin on May 11 and 12 with the theme ‘New Wirtschaftswunder,’ where TFN readers can get up to 10% off their tickets with the promo code “TFN10” on the website. The discount will appear after you choose your ticket – secure it already today, they’re selling fast.
The original Wirtschaftswunder was postwar Germany’s economic miracle. HTGF, one of Europe’s most active early-stage investors, is deliberately invoking that spirit for its 2026 theme, and the ambition isn’t subtle.
What’s on the table
Family Day started as a small portfolio event for HTGF and has grown into one of Europe’s biggest venture capital gatherings. This year, it will welcome 1,300 attendees, host over 4,000 meetings, and feature more than 40 speakers and panellists on two stages.
The agenda highlights technologies that HTGF sees as key for Europe’s competitiveness: energy infrastructure, quantum computing, space technology, AI industrial productivity, and biotechnology. HTGF-backed startups include Proxima Fusion and ATMOS Space Cargo, among about 350 active portfolio companies across Europe.
The message from Berlin is unambiguous–build the financing infrastructure now, or watch the next generation of European champions relocate to where the capital is.
Who’s in the room
The confirmed speaker lineup is designed to cover every layer of the ecosystem needed to actually move capital into deep tech at scale. The panels will focus on mobilising pension funds and institutional LPs into European deep tech, keeping the next generation of champions on home soil.
Thomas Jarzombek, state secretary at Germany’s federal ministry for digital transformation, will discuss policy – a crucial topic as European tech sovereignty moves from talk to law. Meanwhile, Björn Tremmerie, head of venture capital and impact investing at the European Investment Fund, is set to speak about the role of institutional capital in VCl. Christian Miele, a general partner at Headline, which backed Mistral AI and Farfetch, will share his firm’s playbook for growth investing.
Founders will take the stage too, including Sara Jourdan, co-founder and CEO of Genow, an enterprise knowledge management system, and Jan Rabe, founder and CEO of Rabot Energy, a dynamic energy provider, as well as innovation leaders from SAP Research and UnternehmerTUM, Europe’s leading centre for innovation and business creation.
On diversity, HTGF fast-tracks female-led teams to pitch meetings, embeds them in founder networks, and puts portfolio founders on stage as visible role models. Progress has been made, Emmerling admits, but “there is still a lot of work to do. That’s the only honest answer.”
A pivotal moment for HTGF
Since February, HTGF’s management team has taken over responsibility for the Deep Tech and Climate Fonds (DTCF) – a government-backed growth vehicle – creating a powerful, integrated public-private VC platform that spans from pre-seed to scale-up. A fifth-generation seed fund is set to launch in 2027.
Family Day isn’t just a conference. It’s HTGF making the case that Europe doesn’t have to keep exporting its best companies to fund them.
Family Day is invite-only. Qualified investors, companies, and ecosystem partners can apply at family-day-htgf.de. Tickets cover both days, all stages and workshops, the networking platform with pre-scheduled meetings, and full-day catering. TFN readers get an exclusive discount–secure your spot before they sell out.
