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Government-backed FundPuts its own capital into companiesActive · deal in last 18 monthsLAST VERIFIED Oct 2026 · 11 SOURCES

SPRIND – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen

Sole shareholder (Gesellschafterin) Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Bund)

Also known as SPRIND, SPRIND GmbH, SprinD, Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen, Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation

Federal agency (SPRIND GmbH, Leipzig) backing breakthrough innovations with validation contracts, challenges, R&D grants and, since the SPRIND-Freiheitsgesetz, equity and convertibles.

German federal agency for breakthrough innovation (SPRIND GmbH, Leipzig); not a grant programme of a ministry and not the EU's EIC.

HEADQUARTERS
Leipzig, Germany
FOUNDED
2019
AUM
—
OUTSIDE CAPITAL
No — own capital only
TEAM LISTED
3 people

Focus

STAGES
SeedSeries A
SECTORS
Deep TechBiotech & Life SciencesArtificial IntelligenceSpaceMobility & LogisticsFood & AgricultureIndustrial & Manufacturing
ASSET MIX
Direct investmentsVenture capital
GEOGRAPHY
GermanyEurope

Overview

SPRIND GmbH is the German federal agency for breakthrough innovation, based in Leipzig and wholly owned by the Bundesrepublik Deutschland. It identifies and finances potential breakthrough innovations through validation contracts, challenges and 'Funken', R&D funding and, since the SPRIND-Freiheitsgesetz, equity stakes, convertible loans and mezzanine finance. In equity and mezzanine deals at least 30% of a financing round must come from independent private investors, and SPRIND can invest pari passu. Its project list tags companies such as AATec, CPTx, Gixel, MicroBubbles and SNIPR Biome with 'Beteiligung/Wandeldarlehen' financing, and it took part in the 2026 rounds of Hypersonica and Cellbricks.

PORTFOLIO (7)

  • AATec
    Biotech & Life Sciences · Beteiligung/Wandeldarlehen; last round Series A
  • CPTx
    Biotech & Life Sciences · Challenge/Funke and Beteiligung/Wandeldarlehen; last round Series A
  • Gixel
    Deep Tech · Validierungsauftrag and Beteiligung/Wandeldarlehen
  • MicroBubbles
    Climate & Energy · since 2021 · Beteiligung/Wandeldarlehen; GmbH founded April 2021 with SPRIND support
  • SNIPR Biome
    Biotech & Life Sciences · Validierungsauftrag, F&E Förderung and Beteiligung/Wandeldarlehen
  • Hypersonica
    Space · since 2026 · Series A participation (round ~€23.3m led by Plural)
  • Cellbricks
    Biotech & Life Sciences · since 2026 · Series Seed participation (round €7m)

People

  • Rafael Laguna de la Vera
    Managing Director (Geschäftsführung) · source
  • Berit Dannenberg
    Managing Director (Geschäftsführung) · source
  • Peter Leibinger
    Chair of the Supervisory Board (Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats) · source

Links

Frequently asked questions

SPRIND – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen is a government-backed fund based in Leipzig, Germany, founded in 2019.

Yes. SPRIND – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen invests its own capital in private companies.

SPRIND – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen invests at Seed and Series A stages in Deep Tech, Biotech & Life Sciences, Artificial Intelligence, Space, Mobility & Logistics, Food & Agriculture and Industrial & Manufacturing.

Key people at SPRIND – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen include Rafael Laguna de la Vera (Managing Director (Geschäftsführung)), Berit Dannenberg (Managing Director (Geschäftsführung)) and Peter Leibinger (Chair of the Supervisory Board (Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats)).

SPRIND – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen's investments include AATec, CPTx, Gixel, MicroBubbles, SNIPR Biome, Hypersonica and Cellbricks.

The most recent publicly reported investment by SPRIND – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen is Cellbricks (Seed), announced in Apr 2026.

SPRIND – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen states that it accepts submissions through its official contact page.

No. SPRIND – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen invests its own capital and does not raise money from outside investors.