Fresenius Launches Venture Fund With at Least 200 Million Euros for Healthcare Startups

The Fresenius healthcare group is expanding its innovation strategy and launching its own corporate venture capital fund, Fresenius Ventures. With a planned investment volume of at least 200 million euros over the next five years, the company aims to make targeted investments in startups and growth companies that are developing new technologies and business models for the healthcare sector.

The fund targets companies ranging from the early financing stage through to later growth rounds and complements capital with medical, regulatory, and operational expertise, as well as access to Fresenius’s global network.

Focus on Future Technologies in Healthcare

Fresenius Ventures focuses on areas of innovation that complement the Group’s existing business segments. These include, in particular, (bio)pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and healthcare.

Potential investment areas include, among others, precision nutrition, microbiome technologies, new therapeutic approaches, and digital solutions for healthcare. The goal is to gain early access to innovative technologies and business models and to further develop them in collaboration with founding teams.

More Than Just Capital for Startups

In addition to financing, Fresenius Ventures offers portfolio companies access to clinical, scientific, and academic networks. Furthermore, startups benefit from the healthcare group’s regulatory experience and international market expertise.

With this approach, Fresenius aims not only to provide financial support for innovations but also to actively guide their development through to market readiness.

Experienced Venture Capital Manager Takes the Helm

Dr. Thomas Michael Thestrup is taking over as head of Fresenius Ventures. He is joining Fresenius from Angelini Ventures, the venture capital arm of the Italian industrial group Angelini Industries.

Fresenius Ventures supports innovators who will shape the next era in healthcare—with the experience, speed, and conviction that founders expect.

Dr. Thomas Michael Thestrup, Head of Fresenius Ventures

Thestrup has more than 15 years of experience in venture capital, pharmaceuticals, and health tech. Previously, he worked at Lundbeck, UCB, and Sunstone Capital, among others, and earned his Ph.D. at the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology in Munich.

Corporate venture capital continues to gain importance

With Fresenius Ventures, the DAX-listed company joins the growing number of established firms that specifically promote innovation through their own venture capital units. Corporate venture funds are increasingly viewed as a strategic tool for gaining early access to future technologies and strengthening collaboration between startups and industry.

For the European HealthTech ecosystem, the new fund represents another well-capitalized investor with a long-term focus on innovative healthcare solutions.