Fintech Spotlight

Tag: htgf

  • TrustNXT raises €1.6M pre-seed to protect images and videos from AI manipulation

    TrustNXT raises €1.6M pre-seed to protect images and videos from AI manipulation

    The Basler spin-off will expand its deep tech platform for securing visual data in industries from insurance to public safety.

    Hamburg-based TrustNXT, a computer vision and cybersecurity startup spun out of Basler AG, has raised €1.6 million in pre-seed financing. The round was backed by D11Z.Ventures and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF).

    The company is developing a deep tech software platform that combines cryptography, computer vision, and patented trust technology to guarantee the authenticity of image and video data. Its solution ensures data integrity in security-critical B2B processes, a growing concern as AI tools make it increasingly easy to generate convincing forgeries.

    “In a world where AI can generate deceptively real images in seconds, trust and data integrity are crucial” said co-founder and managing director Ariane Scheer-Danielsson. “Our mission is to secure this integrity for companies.”

    TrustNXT’s first industry focus is insurance, where its software helps detect manipulated photos of damages. The startup says its technology can automate claims and underwriting processes without human review—cutting costs and reducing fraud.

    “We are excited about the cryptography technology used by TrustNXT” said Patrick Krönlein, principal at D11Z.Ventures. “It generates a technically unique fingerprint of the sensor data at the point of origin. This prevents manipulation and proves the origin of digital content beyond doubt.”

    Tizian Hoppen, senior investment manager at HTGF, added: “Trust is the foundation of a functioning economy. Today, important decisions are based on digital media such as photos and videos. TrustNXT has impressed us with its digital trust technology, which is based on years of deep tech research.”

    The company plans to extend its platform to real-time protection for industrial video data, with pilot projects slated for 2026. Founded in 2024, TrustNXT combines expertise in image processing and cybersecurity to secure digital business processes and create trust in complex environments.

  • RedMimicry raises seed funding for cyber defense platform

    RedMimicry raises seed funding for cyber defense platform

    RedMimicry, a cybersecurity startup launched in 2023, has completed a seed financing round to advance its cyberattack simulation platform. The Hamburg-based company, founded by Alexander Rausch and Stefan Steinberg, secured investment from High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Capital Square, Munich-based superangels, and several business angels.

    The fresh capital will fuel product development and sales expansion as RedMimicry targets organizations seeking to strengthen their cyber defenses through realistic attack emulations.

    Addressing Cyber Defense Testing Gaps

    Traditional cybersecurity testing often falls short of replicating genuine attack conditions, leaving companies vulnerable to sophisticated threats. RedMimicry’s platform bridges this gap by delivering repeatable simulations that mirror actual cyberattack patterns, including malware deployments and targeted infiltration attempts.

    The startup’s approach becomes increasingly relevant as regulatory frameworks like DORA and NIS-2 mandate comprehensive security testing protocols. These regulations require organizations to regularly validate their defensive capabilities against current attack methodologies.

    Technology Focus and Market Strategy

    The funding will accelerate development of specialized threat scenarios, particularly those targeting operational technology (OT) systems and financial service infrastructure. This focus reflects growing concerns about attacks on critical systems that control industrial processes and banking operations.

    Beyond direct client implementations, RedMimicry operates through an expanding partner network designed to serve companies across different size segments. This distribution strategy enables broader market penetration while maintaining service quality.

    “Our vision is to offer companies the opportunity to independently and effectively protect themselves against increasingly complex cyberattacks” ~ Alexander Rausch, founder and CEO.

    Investor Perspectives on Cybersecurity Market

    The investment round attracted notable backing from established venture capital players. HTGF led the financing, recognizing the technical capabilities of the founding team and the market opportunity in enterprise cybersecurity.

    “Alex and Stefan combine technical excellence with entrepreneurial vision” ~ Björn Sykora, Principal at HTGF.

    Capital Square’s participation underscores investor confidence in RedMimicry’s approach to cybersecurity challenges. The Hamburg-based firm sees potential in the startup’s comprehensive testing methodology.

    “RedMimicry’s bold vision and outstanding team embody exactly the kind of ambition and expertise we look for in founders” stated Martin Ostermayer, co-founder of Capital Square.

    Strategic Development Priorities

    The company plans to allocate resources across three primary areas: technology enhancement, team expansion, and partnership development. Product improvements will concentrate on industry-specific attack scenarios, reflecting the diverse threat landscapes faced by different sectors.

    Sales team growth represents another key investment priority, enabling RedMimicry to engage directly with prospective clients while supporting partner relationships. This dual approach aims to accelerate market adoption while maintaining service standards.

    The cybersecurity testing market continues expanding as organizations recognize the limitations of traditional security assessments. RedMimicry’s platform addresses this need by providing controlled environments where companies can evaluate their defensive capabilities without risking operational disruption.

    Founded by experienced cybersecurity professionals, the startup brings technical depth to attack simulation methodologies. This expertise positions RedMimicry to develop sophisticated testing scenarios that accurately reflect real-world threat patterns.

    As cyber threats evolve in complexity and frequency, organizations require more effective methods to validate their security investments. RedMimicry’s platform offers a systematic approach to identifying vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.

  • Genow secures €1.65M to tackle corporate knowledge chaos

    Genow secures €1.65M to tackle corporate knowledge chaos

    Corporate data silos continue to plague enterprise operations, with workers dedicating substantial portions of their workday to information hunting across disconnected systems. German deep-tech startup Genow has emerged from TU Darmstadt with a €1.65 million seed round to address this persistent organizational challenge through its artificial intelligence platform.

    The Darmstadt-based company announced its funding milestone, led by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) alongside BMH and individual investors including Markus Becker, Sebastian Mönnich, and Dr. Mario Lenz. Founded in 2023, Genow targets the widespread issue of scattered internal knowledge that hampers enterprise productivity and decision-making processes.

    The Knowledge Management Problem

    “Knowledge management remains one of the biggest hurdles to successful processes and decisions” explains Sara Jourdan, CEO and co-founder of Genow. The company’s research indicates that employees typically allocate 20 to 30 percent of their working hours searching through unstructured datasets for necessary information.

    This challenge persists despite years of digital transformation initiatives across industries. Large organizations frequently find their critical knowledge trapped within various platforms such as SharePoint, Jira, and Confluence, creating operational inefficiencies and information gaps that impact business performance.

    Wingman Platform Architecture

    Genow developed Wingman, a Knowledge Operations AI platform designed to consolidate disparate information sources into a unified access point. The system extracts data from multiple enterprise tools while enriching it with company-specific context and details, enabling more accurate responses to user queries.

    The platform’s architecture allows organizations to configure specialized implementations across different departments, including human resources, sales, compliance, and customer service functions. Companies can deploy Wingman either as a cloud-based service or within their private cloud infrastructure for enhanced security control.

    “In practice, this means knowledge from different sources can be connected and understood in context, creating a unified knowledge layer across the organization” Jourdan notes. The contextual processing occurs during both query interpretation and information retrieval phases, ensuring specialized Knowledge Agents deliver precise support.

    Enterprise Deployment Options

    Genow designed Wingman with enterprise security requirements in mind, offering flexible deployment models to accommodate varying organizational needs. “The platform can be delivered as a SaaS model or deployed fully within a customer’s own Google Cloud environment, ensuring maximum control, transparency, and data security” Jourdan emphasizes.

    The startup already serves major international enterprises and has established client relationships in the United States market, indicating early validation of its approach to knowledge management challenges.

    Growth Strategy and Product Development

    The fresh capital will support platform advancement, particularly in handling more complex workflow scenarios, while enabling sales expansion across European markets and beyond. Genow’s development roadmap includes the upcoming Agent Suite launch, designed to simplify enterprise configuration and scaling of specialized Knowledge Agents.

    The company plans to strengthen its data integration capabilities over the next three to five years, positioning Wingman as a comprehensive solution for enterprise knowledge operations. This strategic focus involves scaling technology infrastructure, expanding the customer base, and establishing broader international market presence.

    Leadership and Diversity Initiatives

    The founding team brings diverse expertise to the venture, with CEO Sara Jourdan contributing consulting and software development experience, while CTO Dr. Timo Koppe provides information systems and manufacturing knowledge. Adrian Glauben serves as product lead, supported by advisor Prof. Peter Buxmann.

    Jourdan has prioritized diversity within Genow’s organizational structure, noting the continued underrepresentation of women in technical and leadership positions. “This imbalance makes it all the more important to actively promote female talent, which I have set as a personal goal at Genow” she states.

    Her guidance to women entering the technology sector emphasizes authenticity: “Don’t let yourself be defined by stereotypes or average numbers. In fact, in the startup world, it is often decisive to deviate from the average“

    The knowledge management sector represents a significant opportunity as organizations continue grappling with information accessibility challenges. According to McKinsey research, improved knowledge sharing could increase productivity by 20 to 25 percent in knowledge-intensive sectors.

  • Stackgini secures pre-seed funding for AI-driven IT platform

    Stackgini secures pre-seed funding for AI-driven IT platform

    German startup Stackgini has emerged from stealth mode, announcing the completion of its pre-seed funding round secured in April 2024. The company has attracted backing from established early-stage investors High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and xdeck Ventures, alongside experienced business angels from the software-as-a-service sector.

    The Hamburg-based firm has already secured notable enterprise clients, including DAX 40 companies and established organizations such as Endress+Hauser, Grünenthal, Badenova, and Louis Motorrad. This early adoption demonstrates market validation for Stackgini’s artificial intelligence-powered platform designed to streamline corporate IT decision-making processes.

    Addressing Enterprise IT Complexity

    Modern enterprises face mounting challenges in managing extensive IT portfolios, often comprising over 1,000 solutions. Business units continuously submit new technology requirements, creating coordination difficulties across departments and data silos. This fragmented approach typically results in delayed decision-making, unnecessary licensing expenses, and increased IT infrastructure complexity.

    Stackgini’s platform leverages proprietary AI technology to analyse internal portfolio data, IT requirements, and market intelligence. The system provides real-time recommendations for technology solutions whilst promoting the reuse of existing IT resources within organizations.

    “We founded Stackgini to solve a problem every organization faces: fragmented, manual, slow IT decision-making. Our platform learns from existing IT stacks, contextualize new IT demands, and proactively promotes the reuse of existing IT solutions” ~ Johannes Bock, CEO and co-founder.

    Customer Validation and Market Response

    The platform operates as an intelligent assistant across IT governance, enterprise architecture, and procurement teams. Since securing funding, Stackgini has developed its software-as-a-service offering through direct collaboration with enterprise customers, ensuring the product addresses real-world operational requirements.

    Steven Waegenaer, Head of IT Governance and Strategy at Grünenthal Group, noted the platform’s impact: “For us, Stackgini is a real game changer in demand management: we are able to work together with the business units at an early stage and in a data-driven manner“

    Strategic Investment Partners

    The funding round attracted participation from prominent industry figures, including Julius Göllner from ARRtist, Dr. Niklas Hellemann and Frank Piotraschke from SoSafe, and Lukas Gottschick from Pliant. This investor composition reflects confidence in Stackgini’s approach to enterprise IT management.

    Maurice Kügler, Senior Investment Manager at HTGF, emphasized the market opportunity: “With rising IT complexity and talent shortages in IT architecture and procurement, fueling IT decision-making with AI is a huge opportunity“

    Markus Gick, Managing Partner at xdeck Ventures, highlighted the company’s potential: “Stackgini has the vision, the team, and now the traction to redefine how enterprise IT decisions are made“

    Growth Strategy and Future Plans

    With established enterprise adoption, Stackgini plans to expand its engineering capabilities, customer success operations, and market development activities. The company is enhancing integrations with existing governance, procurement, and enterprise architecture systems to create a more comprehensive solution.

    The platform combines internal IT knowledge with extensive market data to provide comprehensive insights for strategic IT decisions. This approach aims to reduce manual workload for IT teams whilst automating compliance verification processes across the technology stack.

    Stackgini’s ultimate objective centers on accelerating enterprise IT decisions from months-long processes to days-long implementations. The company positions itself as the AI-powered foundation for modern enterprise IT decision-making, serving medium-sized and large organisations seeking to optimise their technology investments.