Nanotechnology holds the potential to solve some of the greatest problems that our society is facing today. While many investment experts regard nanotechnology as the next driver of global growth following the car and the PC, scientists see its possible impact as much more than this: as the next “industrial revolution.” Over the past two hundred years, the industrial revolution has built the world that we know today as the “modern world” or the “industrialized society.” Now, for the first time since the industrial revolution, nanotech represents the first new technology which could fundamentally change the very way in which we work and live. It will lead to revolutionary technological changes, fundamentally transforming existing markets. We want to be a vital part of this change, and it is for this reason that we choose to invest our capital in companies whose businesses are substantially based on nanotechnology.

Innovative nanotechnology-based companies are the essential ingredient which makes the success of Nanostart possible. We thus concentrate exclusively on companies which develop products or processes based on nanotechnology and which, in doing so, display an exceptionally high potential for innovation. We select our portfolio companies on the basis of stringent criteria and only after a rigorous due diligence examination.
In making our investment decisions, we place particular emphasis on the company’s technology, patent situation, market potential, and most of all, the personal qualities and professional track record of its management. We demand that every company in which we invest delivers growth and successful long-term performance.

We invest in a wide range of growth phases, from early-stage ventures and start-ups all the way to established companies pursing global expansion. The amount of each equity investment usually falls within the single-digit millions of Euros. Once we have decided to make an equity investment, we invest not only our financial capital but also our management know-how and commercialization expertise. In order to do this as effectively as possible, Nanostart prefers to serve as Lead Investor and to hold a seat on the board of directors or supervisory board. Becoming a Nanostart portfolio company also offers the full benefits of being part of the global Nanostart network consisting of capital market specialists, entrepreneurs and scientists, potential corporate customers, and commercialization partners.

As a global investment company, it is our objective to identify the world’s most significant nanotechnology markets and to reach a leading market position in these regions. Our investments thus span the globe, from the research centers of Germany all the way to Silicon Valley and Singapore. Our investment portfolio currently spans the most active nanotech markets – the United States, Asia and Europe – and we aim to further expand our market position in these regions in the future.

Our portfolio companies cover a wide range of industries, developing various new products and processes. Our investment activities focus primarily on growing, innovation-driven industries such as cleantech and energy; life sciences, medicine and healthcare; and IT and electronics.