Imfino News

FRANKFURT, Germany, June 27, 2018 — TechQuartier, the collaborative innovation platform and Frankfurt’s largest startup hub, along with Finance in Motion, one of the world’s leading impact asset managers, are joining forces to launch GreenTech Hub.

GreenTech Hub is a center dedicated to new enterprises in the fields of green technology, clean energy, and sustainable development. Located next to Finance in Motion’s own offices on the bank of the River Main, the hub aims to provide entrepreneurs across the greentech sector – including green finance, sustainable production and distribution, research and development and communications – with the resources they need to become successful, impactful businesses. The hub thus offers not only a targeted infrastructure, but also valuable support in the form of networking opportunities, business development workshops, investor contacts, and more.

‘’The joint launch of GreenTech Hub marks the next step of our journey at TechQuartier. Not only are we expanding into another location, we are also providing a dedicated space to the the GreenTech segment of our community and deepening our expertise in that promising field’’ said Sebastian Schäfer, Managing Director at TechQuartier. “In Finance in Motion, we found a partner that shared both our vision and ambition for this hub. By combining our knowledge of the tech space, our international networks and their deep expertise in impact investing, we feel that this is the beginning of a very impactful project.’’

The first startup to join the GreenTech Hub is one that TechQuartier knows very well: node.energy. The startup works on the simplification of commercial management of microgrids. A graduate of the EY Startup Academy program organized in collaboration with Deutsche Börse and TechQuartier, they subsequently managed to secure a seed funding of 775,000€. Now gaining traction after having acquired their first business customers, the move brings them closer to other GreenTechs.

‘’For us at node.energy, renewable energy, digitization and finance lie at the core of our business. With the new GreenTech Hub, it is great to have a dedicated location to work and collaborate with other companies and startups with the same DNA.’’ said Matthias Karger, co-founder and CEO of node.energy. ‘’We are proud to be the first startup to join the initiative, and happy to continue pioneering the local GreenTech scene as part of the TechQuartier community.’’

The goal of GreenTech Hub is now to find more qualified Greentechs, not only in Frankfurt or Germany but also internationally, to occupy the space, provide industry knowledge, technical expertise and create synergies. Events and industry-specific programs will be organized at the Sachsenhausen location, keeping with the mandate of building competitive, scalable and environmentally impactful solutions.

“Finance in Motion fosters entrepreneurship and green, sustainable economic development in low and middle-income countries worldwide, so it was a natural fit to join forces with the TechQuartier to launch the GreenTech Hub. We want to build a community of green tech leaders and are very happy to dedicate office space in our own building for that important purpose,” said Elvira Lefting, Managing Director at Finance in Motion. “We are looking forward to our cooperation with the excellent TechQuartier and to welcoming promising startups. All of Finance in Motion staff is keen on adding expertise to make the GreenTech Hub a success.’’

To learn more and apply to the GreenTech Hub, please visit www.techquartier.com/greentechhub. For additional information or for press inquiries, please contact Hugo Paquin: paquin@techquartier.com

About TechQuartier

TechQuartier (TQ) is the central platform for the startup and scaleup community in the Frankfurt Metropolitan Region. With over 20 political, academic and corporate partners and more than 120 startup members, TQ offers an ideal environment for the development of new technologies, services and business models. TechQuartier has also been designated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as Germany’s “FinTech-Hub.” Visit www.techquartier.com for more information.

About Finance in Motion

One of the world’s leading impact investment advisors, Finance in Motion focuses exclusively on for-profit funds promoting sustainable economic, social and environmental progress in low and medium-income countries. With almost EUR 2 billion in assets under management, the company leverages development aid through public-private partnerships. In line with the goals of its funds, Finance in Motion promotes long-term relationships and helps partners develop their business. Backed by 16 local offices spread through the more than 20 countries it serves, Finance in Motion advises the following development finance vehicles: the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), which finances micro-, small and medium enterprises (MSME finance); the Green for Growth Fund (GGF), which targets reduction of energy use and CO2 emissions; the SANAD Fund for MSME in the Middle East and North Africa; and the eco.business Fund, whose goal is the preservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources. Follow us on Twitter @financeinmotion