SPRIN-D

What they do

Wholly owned by the German Federal Government, SPRIND was established to bridge the "Valley of Death" for radically new technologies. Unlike traditional government grant programs, SPRIND operates with the agility of a startup, utilizing a DARPA-like model to fund high-risk, high-reward projects. Following the passage of the SPRIND-Freiheitsgesetz in December 2023, the agency gained significant operational autonomy, allowing it to make direct equity investments, issue convertible loans, and establish heavily funded project subsidiaries. It is highly regarded in the European ecosystem as a crucial catalyst for deep-tech, biotech, and climate-tech commercialization.

What they look for

SPRIND seeks to create new breakthrough innovations ("Sprunginnovationen") from Germany and Europe that address major social, ecological, and economic challenges. They focus on disruptive, paradigm-shifting technologies that have the potential to fundamentally improve lives and create entirely new industries, rather than just optimizing existing ones. They explicitly look for "radical new thinkers" from science and business-teams with outstanding technical expertise, a high tolerance for risk, and technologies that can achieve massive scale. They prioritize projects rooted in humanistic values, freedom, self-determination, and democracy.

Stage

Pre-seed, Seed, Series A, Series B+

Sectors

Deeptech, Healthcare, Climate, AI

Based

Leipzig, DE