eCapital entrepreneurial Partners AG has participated in the second round of funding of Smart Hydro Power GmbH with its Cleantech Fond. In this round, the company, which develops, manufactures, sells and markets micro-hydro power plants, will receive further capital to the amount of € 2.7 million. The capital increase is earmarked for the financing of reference projects and the development of international sales and marketing. High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) is also involved in Smart Hydro Power GmbH. 

“Smart Hydro Power has developed a promising product with an enormous market potential. With our investment via eCAPITAL Cleantech Fonds, we will be part of the company’s future growth”, says Dr Michael Lübbehusen, Managing Partner of eCAPITAL AG.  The micro-hydro power plants developed by Smart Hydro Power are optimised for global use in remote areas and have the potential to fully replace expensive, ecologically harmful diesel generators and thus save costs. “Both an international team and an extensive network are necessary for this approach. Smart Hydro Power brings all this to the table”, adds Lübbehusen.

Dr Karl Kolmsee, Managing Director of Smart Hydro Power, issued the following statement on the finalised closings:  “This capital increase will enable us to install first reference projects and to expand our international sales and marketing. In addition, we will profit from the know-how which eCAPITAL offers as an experienced investor.” The signs at Smart Hydro Power are already pointing to growth: from 2012, the company plans to produce 250 micro-hydro power plants per year.

High-Tech Gründerfonds is the second investor committed to Smart Hydro Power. Back in 2011, HTGF became part of the seed financing. Andreas Quauke, Senior Investment Manager of HTGF adds: “Smart Hydro Power’s technology allows for resource-saving and sustainable energy production, which, at the same time, is extremely efficient. We see great potential for the experienced team to open up international markets for their product.”

With its micro-hydro power plants, Smart Hydro Power addresses the market for ecological, decentralised energy supply, particularly in fast-growing developing countries. The plants are characterised by their robust construction, low maintenance and easy installation.  The operation takes places without structural interferences into the sensitive eco-systems of rivers. The turbines generate power of up to 5 kW and are used for the power supply of residential buildings, workshops or hospitals.

The plant is simply commissioned according to the “plug & play” principle: it does not require installation of any external infrastructure and meets the International Energy Agency’s requirements for the protection of fish and consists of water-friendly materials (aluminium and polyethylene). The self-supporting system can either be attached by ropes to the shore or with an anchor to the bottom of the river.

For more information, please see www.ecapital.de,
www.high-tech-gruenderfonds.de and www.smart-hydro.de.

About Smart Hydro Power GmbH
Smart Hydro Power GmbH develops and markets kinetic micro-hydro power plants. These micro-hydro power plants do not require additional infrastructure, are environmentally friendly, fish-friendly and offer an easily workable alternative to diesel generators, particularly for fast-growing countries in Asia and Latin America. The company’s registered office is in Feldafing near Munich, Germany. The Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs supports Smart Hydro Power within the Bavarian Programme for the Support of Technology-Orientated Business Start-Ups (BayTOU).

About eCAPITAL entrepreneurial Partners AG
 eCAPITAL is an entrepreneurial venture capital company, with a registered office in Münster, which has actively been supporting innovative entrepreneurs in promising industries since 1999. It focuses on fast-growing companies in the fields of renewable energy, renewable raw materials, resource-saving processes, water technology and process technology / new materials and IT. eCAPITAL currently manages five funds with a subscription capital of more than € 120 million and invests in companies Germany-wide in the “later stage” and “early stage” phases, as well as in small and medium sized companies.

About High-Tech Gruenderfonds
High-Tech Gruenderfonds invests in young, high potential high-tech start-ups. The seed financing provided is designed to enable start-ups to take an idea through prototyping and to market launch. Typically, High-Tech Gruenderfonds invests EUR 500,000 in the seed stage, with the potential for up to a total of EUR 2 million per portfolio company in follow-on financing. Investors in this public/private partnership include the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the KfW Banking Group, as well as thirteen industrial groups of ALTANA, BASF, B. Braun, Robert Bosch, CEWE Color, Daimler, Deutsche Post DHL, Deutsche Telekom, Evonik, Qiagen, RWE Innogy, Tengelmann and Carl Zeiss. High-Tech Gruenderfonds has about EUR 563 million under management in two funds (EUR 272 million EUR HTGF I, EUR 291 million HTGF II).

Contact person for journalists and editors: 

Dr. Karl Kolmsee
Smart Hydro Power
Alte Traubinger Straße 17
82340 Feldafing, Germany
Tel: + 49 8158 / 90 78 97-10
Fax: + 49 8158 / 907897-17
E-mail: info@smart-hydro.de
Web: www.smart-hydro.de

Magdalena Kramer
eCAPITAL entrepreneurial Partners AG
Hafenweg 24
48155 Münster, Germany
Tel.:      + 49 251 / 70 37 67-0
Fax:      + 49 251 / 70 37 67-22
Email:   info@ecapital.de
Web:    www.ecapital.de

Stefanie Zillikens
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2
53175 Bonn
Tel:       + 49 228 / 82 30 01-00
Fax:     + 49 228 / 82 30 00-50
Email:   info@htgf.de
Web:    www.high-tech-gruenderfonds.de