About | SEED Capital Denmark

Funds & Shareholders

SEED Capital invests from subsequent funds with a fixed life time span of 10-12 years. These funds are raised with 4-5 years between them and the limited partners, who invest into SEED Capital funds, consist of a number of large enterprises and asset management companies as well as private investors, normally referred to as friends & family.

Each fund has an Investor Board who is decision maker on all fund-related issues besides investments and an Investor Committee who is sparring partner and joint decision-maker on investments together with SEED Capitals partner team.

The private and financial investors include Vaekstfonden, ATP, Finanssektorens Pensionskasse, Realdania, Nordea Liv & Pension, Lønmodtagernes Dyrtidsfond, Danske Bank, Nordea Bank, DTU Innovation, Kirkbi, Carlsberg, Danfoss, Danisco, Novo and Radiometer.

SEED Capital Denmark II

Fund size: € 91 million
Management: Managing Partner Ulla Brockenhuus-Schack
Investment period ends: 31.1.2014 (+1 year)
Fund expires: 31.12.2020 (+3 years)

Investors

ATP
Vækstfonden
Realdania
C.L. Davids Fond
Augustinus Fonden
DTU Symbion Innovation
General Partners
Friends & Family

Investment Committee

Karsten Knudsen, Chairman
Klaus Eldrup-Jørgensen
Preben Damgaard
Ulla Brockenhuus-Schack
Lars Andersen

Investor Board

Edvard Fång (Vækstfonden)
Jesper Voss Hansen (ATP)
Gert Poulsen (Realdania)

SEED Capital Denmark I

Fund size: € 71 million Management: Managing Partner Ulla Brockenhuus-Schack Fund expires: 1.12.2014 (+2 years) Investment period ended

Investors

Vækstfonden
ATP Private Equity K/S
Nordea Pension
Nordea Bank Danmark A/S
Kirkbi A/S
LD Pensions
Fonden Realdania
Finanssektorens Pensionskasse
Danske Bank A/S
DTU Symbion Innovation A/S
B&MC Holding A/S (Danfoss)
Carlsberg A/S
Danisco A/S
Novo A/S
DANRAD Holding ApS (Radiometer)
General Partners
Friends & Family

Investment Committee

Karsten Knudsen, Chairman
Klaus Eldrup-Jørgensen
Preben Damgaard
Ulla Brockenhuus-Schack
Lars Andersen

Investor Board

Michael Dyrlund (FSP)
Lars Eskesen (Nordea & Kirkby)
Erik G. Hansen
Edvard Fång (Vækstfonden)
Jesper Voss Hansen (ATP)
Hans Jørgen Madsen (LD)
Gert Poulsen (Realdania)

DTU Symbion Innovation

DTU Symbion Innovation is a Danish innovation incubator (innovationsmiljø) owned by DTU (Danish Technical University). Like the five other Danish innovation incubators DTU Symbion Innovation invest government capital on behalf of the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation.

SEED Capital has a strategic collaboration with DTU Symbion Innovation. Read more at www.dtusymbioninnovation.dk.

Fund size: € 8 million annually. Appropriation until 2013
Management: Managing Partner Ulla Brockenhuus-Schack

Board

Erik G. Hansen
Marianne Thellersen
Preben Damgaard
Jørgen Honoré
Søren Knud Carlsen

Collaborations

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To be the best we have to collaborate with the best. Here you will find a list of our partners and all the companies and organisations that we collaborate with.

One of Japans largest venture firms.

http://www.yedvc.co.jp/english/main/

Vækstfonden is a state investment fund, which aims to create new growth companies by providing venture capital and competence.

http://www.vf.dk/

DK venture firm investing mostly in Life Science.

http://www.vecata.com/Pages/default.aspx

Health care venture firm investing in life science and medical technology companies at all stages of development

http://www.tm-partners.com/

DK venture capital firm. Invests in IT and Life Science

http://www.sunstonecapital.com/?#/frontpage

Belgian venture arm of the chemical group Solvay focused on leading edge advanced technologies. Invests in funds of funds as well as directly into early stage companies.

http://www.solvay.com/EN/Innovation/NewBusinessDevelopment/corporateventuring.aspx

Norweigan venture firm investing in cleantech and life science in the Nordics.

http://www.sarsia.com/

Venture arm of DK pharma company Novo Nordisk

http://www.novo.dk/composite-12.htm

Early stage venture arm of DK pharma company Novo Nordisk.

http://www.novo.dk/composite-364.htm

Venture arm of Novartis focused on the development of novel therapeutics and platforms.

http://www.venturefund.novartis.com/

European Venture Capital Partnership focused on the Nordics. Invests in IT.

http://www.northzone.com/

DK based venture capital firm investing in IT

http://www.northcappartners.com/

A private fund providing financing for entrepreneurs for development, legal, production or marketing.

http://www.nordea.dk/Erhverv/Finansiering/Iv%C3%A6rks%C3%A6tter+finansiering/Nordea+Iv%C3%A6rks%C3%A6tterfond/805512.html

A fund with a public benefit and charitable purpose. Supports actitivities that promote good living.

http://www.nordeafonden.dk/

DK private equity firm also managing funds from the government initiated pension fund LD.

http://www.majinvest.com/

Commercial foundation designed to maintain and expand the activities of the Lundbeck Group, and to provide funding for scientific research of the highest quality.

http://www.lundbeckfonden.dk/

French venture capital firm focused on innovative technologies, in particular within sea, aeronautics, the life sciences and information technologies.

www.ixcore.com

An alliance management company specializing in expanding markets for new and growing companies by creating, launching, and managing collaborative alliances or “business ecosystems".

http://www.inventures.com/

European venture capital fund focused on renewable energy. Based in Germany.

http://www.innogy-ventures.com

Norweigan industry group with large venture arm.

http://www.ferd.no/lang/no/show.do?page=9;21

Healthcare Investment Firm

http://www.denovovc.com/

An independent, power and energy venture capital manager that invests funds worldwide in OECD and select Asian countries.

http://www.conduit-ventures.com/

Coloplast is a private Danish enterprise developing products and services that make life easier for people with very personal and private medical conditions.

http://www.coloplast.com/

One of the leading European venture capital management companies investing solely in the Life Sciences. Based in Finland.

http://biofund.fi/

The corporate venture capital arm of Astellas Pharma, Inc investing in LifeScience

http://astellasventure.com/

Global venture capital firm.

http://www.accel.com/

A collaboration between three Danish Universities to facilitate technology transfer.

http://www.uni-tech-net.dk/welcome.aspx

University of Southern Denmark. Situated in Odense.

http://www.sdu.dk/

Swedens centre for certain specialised care, especially in paediatrics.

http://www.sahlgrenska.se/sv/SU/Sahlgrenska-Universitetssjukhuset/

National laboratory for Sustainable Energy. Part of Danish Technical University

http://www.risoe.dtu.dk/

Copenhagen University

http://www.ku.dk/

Copenhagen IT Univeristy

http://www.itu.dk/

Denmarks Technical University

http://www.dtu.dk/

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Copenhagen University. Drugs constitute the core in all the Faculty’s research and education.

http://www.farma.ku.dk/

The Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) at Copenhagen Univesity is one of Europe's leading university environments in the areas of veterinary medicine, food, health, plants, biotechnology, natural resources, the environment and related academic areas.

http://www.life.ku.dk/

Copenhagen Business School

http://www.cbs.dk/

Aalborg Universty

http://www.au.dk/

Århus School of Business

http://www.asb.dk/

Århus University

http://www.aau.dk/

Science park and business accelerator

http://www.symbion.dk/

Denmarks largest science park and the home of SEED Capital.

http://sciondtu.dk/

Corporate accounting firm.

http://www.kpmg.com/DK/da/Sider/forside.aspx

Gorissen Federspiel - corporate law firm.

http://www.gorrissenfederspiel.com/dk/site.aspx?p=37

The association of Science Parks and Innovation Incubators (Innovationsmiljøer)

http://www.foin.dk/

The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education. Grants funds to all six innovation incubators.

http://fivu.dk/

European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association

http://www.evca.eu/

Danish Venture Capital and Private Equity Association

http://www.dvca.dk/

Award winning graphics designer who has helped several portfolio companies set up logo, website, etc. Also designed the updated SEED Capital logo.

http://www.danielsoffice.co.uk/

Innovation Incubator based in Århus.

http://www.oei.dk/

Innovation Incubator based in Odense, Taastrup and Sønderborg.

http://www.sdti.dk/

Innovation Incubator based in Aalborg. Is also a Science Park.

http://www.novi.dk/

Innovation Incubator based in Herning

http://www.innovationmidtvest.dk/

DTU Symbion Innovation is Denmark’s largest and most effective pre-seed venture capital investor (innovationsmiljø) established to finance and assist talented entrepreneurs in developing the companies of the future.

http://www.dtusymbioninnovation.dk/

Innovation Incubator based in Roskilde. Is also a science park and small venture fund.

http://www.catscience.dk/

Væksthusene. Government funded regional offices offering events and advice to start-ups.

http://www.startvaekst.dk/

A venture competition for students at Danish Universities.

http://www.venturecup.dk/

An initiative to support technology transfer from all regional hospitals.

http://www.regionh.dk/tectra/Menu/Om+Tectra

A non-profit initiative focused on bringing together Europe's Entrepreneurs, Investors and Industry players.

http://www.techtour.com/

A 54 hour workshop where you invent, build and present a startup concept from scratch.

http://copenhagen.startupweekend.org/

A European Accelerator focused on web/IT

http://www.startupbootcamp.dk/

Entrepreneurship initiative at Copenhagen Business School and Danish Technical University.

http://www.stardust-dtu.dk/

Helps public research institutions secure attractive long term returns on the commercialization of its research and intellectual property.

http://techtrans.dk/

50 promising presenting before an audience of Nordic and international venture capital, corporate investors and strategic partners.

http://www.e-unlimited.com/

International Open Community platform for mobile

http://www.mobilemonday.dk/

Initiative to support innovation and entrepreneurship at the Life Science faculties at Copenhagen University.

http://www.katapult.ku.dk/

The Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation. Offers funds for developing new and important technologies

http://www.hoejteknologifonden.dk/

The Danish Foundation for Entrepreneurship - Young Enterprise helps ensure that more students on every education level are introduced - and participate in - entrepreneurship education.

http://www.ffe-ye.dk/

Private company helping cleantech companies apply for private and public funding.

http://www.1stmile.dk/

150 of Europe’s top start-ups in the areas of ICT, Life Sciences and Cleantech

http://www.e-unlimited.com/

An independent research based company focused on developing and marketing advanced technology (electronics, light, optics, acoustics, vibrations, sensors).

http://www.delta.dk/

Copenhagen Spin-outs work to commercialise scientific achievements by spinning out companies from a number of Danish universities.

http://nyheder.ku.dk/alle_nyheder/2011/2011.11/copenhagen_spin-outs_skal_skabe_biotek-virksomheder/

An independent non-profit organization that uses a comprehensive network to advice start-ups with growth potential.

http://www.connectdenmark.com/

An independent, research-based service company within biomedicine, biomedical technology and biotechnology.

http://www.bioneer.dk/

Denmarks largest start-up accelerator. Also manages a venture fund and several other start-up initiatives.

http://www.accelerace.org/

Open Source Lab at CBS.

http://www.communitybuilder.dk/opensourcelab/

The leading interest group and labour association for organised IT Professionals in Denmark

http://www.prosa.dk/

The largest open source IT-conference in the Nordic area

http://freedom.opensourcedays.org/2010/

A membership organization for the Danish energy industry.

http://energi.di.dk/Pages/DIEnergibranchensforside.aspx

A membership organization for Danish Biotech companies (drug development and industrial biotechnology).

http://www.danskbiotek.dk/

One of the largest global cleantech clusters dedicated to providing necessary business conditions to aid cleantech research, development and implementation. Facilitates partnerships, host events, carry out analyses and gathers information.

http://www.cphcleantech.com/

Private company providing events and advisory services to accelerate market adoption, stimulate demand, and remove barriers to cleantech innovation.

http://www.cleantech.com/

An independent network organization for entrepreneurs and business professionals in the healthcare industry, based on the personal interaction between its members.

http://biotechbuilders.ning.com/

Achievements

Since 2004 SEED Capital has grown to be the largest early stage venture fund in Denmark with 200 million € under management. Today 11 investment professionals manage our portfolio of 60+ companies.

Within our lifespan we’ve managed to produce 10 exits and 1 IPO. Most significant being the sale of Fullrate to TDC in 2009 and the listing of Evolva on the Swiss Stock Exchange.

SEED Capital was awarded Venture Capital Firm of the Year 2010 by Danish Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (DVCA) and best investor in The Danish Startup Awards 2013.

Exit stories

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The main goal of a venture capital firm like SEED Capital is to exit companies for a larger amount than what we originally invested in to them. That's our business model.

The most important exits are naturally those cases where we sold companies for much more than we invested. Read about a few chosen cases here.

Fullrate is one of SEED Capital's most profitable investments and a textbook example of how to use early stage venture capital successfully. By investing in a team of experienced entrepreneurs with in depth market knowledge, who could foresee a technology shift in the market, SEED Capital could follow and develop Fullrate all the way from early stage investment to final exit.

Fullrate was founded by five guys working for one of the dominating Danish broadband providers. After failing to convince their management that there was a better way to offer broadband they decided to launch Fullrate in 2006. Because of their background the team had in depth market knowledge and were able to see how new technology would disrupt the broadband market within a few years.

The main vision behind Fullrate was (and is) to offer simple high-speed broadband at very competitive prices and without the added-feature purchase-options that were dominant at that time. This could be done by building a system from the ground that would be the company’s core and help handle everything from setup to support. The system was built in 100 days and is still today the main driver of the Fullrate business.

From day 100+1 Fullrate over performed on their projections and with very effective marketing campaigns, they managed to take considerable market shares in only a matter of years. With 76.000 customers gained in just two years, they got noticed by the established players and in 2009 Denmark’s largest Telco TDC acquired Fullrate. The company continues today with the same brand and management as a subsidiary company to TDC.

SEED Capital was able to invest in Fullrate at an early stage via a pre-seed investment from DTU Symbion Innovation and managed to utilize their network to attract additional investors very quickly. The original investment was mainly in a team and their vision, but when Ethernet based broadband boomed, the capital was there to adapt the original strategy to the new marketplace. And when sales opportunities started to emerge SEED Capital took the position as chairman of the board and guided the sale to a successful closure.