2.9 million euros for Fraunhofer spin-off PerioTrap

The BioTech start-up PerioTrap has successfully completed the first tranche of its Pre-Series A financing round. A total of 2.9 million euros was invested in the company.

A large part of the financing came from the digital business angel network Companisto. In addition, the venture capital company bmp Ventures participated as a co-investor with 1 million euros via the IBG funds. The round will remain open for further tranches until May 2026 after the company continued to receive numerous investment requests.

Therapy against periodontitis

PerioTrap is a spin-off of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and is developing a novel treatment approach against periodontitis.

The approach is based on a selective active ingredient that specifically combats the bacteria responsible for the formation of plaque. At the same time, the healthy oral microbiome is preserved. This is a decisive difference to classic antibacterial therapies, which often also destroy beneficial microorganisms.

According to Dominik Malter, Investment Manager and Program Manager at Fraunhofer Venture, the current financing is an important step on the path from research to a market-ready product. The transfer of the technology from the Fraunhofer laboratory to a spin-off began around seven years ago. With a strong founding team and committed investors, a significant milestone has now been reached.

Strong demand for media coverage

Additional attention was generated by a press release from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft on the company's technology, which triggered a broad national and international media response.

As a result, PerioTrap's microbiome toothpaste was completely sold out within twelve hours. The media coverage also led to a significant increase in investment inquiries. In order to meet the high demand, an additional investment opportunity was created for Companisto's business angel network.

According to Nicky Hughes, Investment Director at Companisto, the financing round shows that the startup is attracting broad and sustained interest in the network. In addition to capital, the angel network will also support the company with expertise, contacts and active market entry support.

Combination of venture capital and business angels

From the company's perspective, the combination of institutional investors and an active business angel network is also a key success factor. CEO Pierre Tangermann emphasizes that this structure was deliberately chosen in order to obtain market access, strategic advice and entrepreneurial sparring in addition to capital.

For Andreas van Bon, Partner at bmp Ventures, the successful financing also shows that PerioTrap is well positioned to realize the next development step and a broader market entry. At the same time, the investment strengthens the innovation location of Halle (Saale), where the company operates.

Expansion of sales and product pipeline

PerioTrap is planning the next growth steps with the fresh capital. These include in particular

• the expansion of sales, including in international markets
• further development of the product pipeline for microbiome-based solutions
• preparing for the broader market entry of the technology

The Fraunhofer spin-off aims to further scale up its innovation in oral health and set new standards in the treatment of periodontitis in the long term.