The laboratory equipment manufacturing industry in DACH focuses on creating tools and instruments essential for scientific research, diagnostics, and quality control. Companies vary from large corporations to innovative startups, and they provide a range of products, including analytical instruments, bioanalytical devices, and laboratory automation solutions. This sector is evolving with advancements like automation and digitalization, responding to increasing demand in life sciences and healthcare. Trends suggest a growing emphasis on sustainability and the development of more efficient equipment, pushing players to innovate continuously while enhancing user experience.


The investor landscape in DACH's laboratory equipment sector features a range of players, from corporate giants like Roche and SGS to venture capital firms such as Bayern Kapital and Verve Ventures. Spanning various locations, many of these investors operate with different sizes and fund different fields. Established in the late 20th century, the year 2024 saw these investors completing numerous transactions that reflect their commitment to fostering growth within the laboratory sector and supporting both startups and established companies alike.


Top 17 Laboratory Equipment Manufacturing Investors in DACH


1. Sgs

  • Website: sgs.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Founded year: 1878
  • Headcount: 10001+
  • Number of deals in 2024: 5
  • LinkedIn: sgs

SGS S.A. is a prominent testing, inspection, and certification company founded in 1878, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. With a workforce of over 10,000 employees, SGS operates globally, providing independent services to ensure product quality and compliance across various industries. The company has made significant strides in enhancing its laboratory capabilities through strategic acquisitions. Notably, SGS acquired Polymer Solutions Incorporated, an American materials analysis laboratory, to bolster its specialized services in laboratory testing. Additionally, their acquisition of Analisis Quimico y Microbiologico SAS reflects their commitment to expanding their pharmaceutical testing capabilities. These transactions highlight SGS's active role in the laboratory services sector, making them a relevant player in the laboratory equipment manufacturing landscape.


2. Verve Ventures

  • Website: verve.vc
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Founded year: 2010
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 25
  • LinkedIn: investiere-venture-capital

Verve Ventures is a Zurich-based venture capital firm founded in 2010, specializing in deep tech investments across Europe. The firm provides funding and strategic support to science and technology startups, helping them grow in their respective markets. Their investment focus includes sectors such as climate tech, industrial technology, and health & bio. Notably, Verve Ventures has participated in significant funding rounds for companies like Nagi Bioscience, which raised CHF 12.4 million to develop groundbreaking laboratory equipment aimed at providing alternatives to animal testing. They also invested in Qnami, which is advancing quantum microscope technology, relevant to laboratory applications. These transactions highlight Verve Ventures' active role in supporting innovative laboratory equipment manufacturing.


3. Roche

  • Website: roche.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Switzerland
  • Founded year: 1896
  • Headcount: 10001+
  • Number of deals in 2024: 5
  • LinkedIn: roche

F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG is a healthcare company based in Switzerland, founded in 1896. It specializes in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, developing innovative solutions for various health conditions, particularly in cancer treatments and in-vitro diagnostics. Roche aims to improve health outcomes through its comprehensive offerings, serving healthcare providers, patients, and laboratories. Notably, Roche has made several strategic acquisitions that bolster its diagnostic capabilities, including Ventana Medical Systems, which enhances its oncology therapies, and Tib Molbiol, a company focused on molecular diagnostics. Additionally, Roche's acquisition of GeneWEAVE BioSciences and Kapa Biosystems further strengthens its microbiology diagnostics and laboratory solutions, showcasing its commitment to advancing laboratory technologies.


4. SHS Capital


SHS Gesellschaft für Beteiligungsmanagement mbH, commonly known as SHS Capital, is a private equity firm based in Germany, founded in 1993. The firm specializes in healthcare investments, providing capital and strategic support to fast-growing healthcare companies. SHS Capital has been involved in several notable transactions, including investments in GNA Biosolutions, which focuses on developing molecular diagnostic platforms, and the acquisition of Essert, a company that may have relevance in the laboratory equipment sector. Their portfolio also includes investments in Biontis and CryLaS, both of which are involved in healthcare-related technologies. Through these transactions, SHS Capital demonstrates a commitment to enhancing operations within the healthcare industry, including areas that intersect with laboratory equipment manufacturing.


5. Bayern Kapital

  • Website: bayernkapital.de
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Landshut, Bavaria, Germany
  • Founded year: 1995
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 27
  • LinkedIn: bayern-kapital-gmbh

Bayern Kapital is a venture capital firm based in Landshut, Bavaria, Germany, founded in 1995. The firm specializes in providing investment and growth capital to innovative high-tech startups and scale-ups in Bavaria. They support their clients with financial resources and access to a network of industry experts, helping them navigate the challenges of growth and development in various sectors, including life sciences and software. Notable transactions include investments in iThera Medical, which raised $8,256,966 in a Series C round, and Dynamic Biosensors, which received funding in a Seed round. These companies are involved in technologies that are pertinent to laboratory environments, indicating Bayern Kapital's engagement in the laboratory equipment manufacturing context.


6. Earlybird Venture Capital


Earlybird Venture Capital is a venture capital firm founded in 1997, based in Germany, that specializes in investing in European technology innovators. The firm focuses on providing financial resources and strategic support to early-stage startups, particularly in the digital health and deep tech sectors. Notable transactions include investments in Sense Biodetection, a UK-based molecular diagnostics company that raised significant funding to develop rapid testing technologies, and Noscendo, a diagnostics company in Germany. These investments highlight Earlybird's commitment to supporting innovations that are relevant to laboratory equipment manufacturing, particularly in the diagnostics space.


7. Capvis AG

  • Website: capvis.com
  • Type: Private Equity
  • Headquarters: Baar, Zug, Switzerland
  • Founded year: 1990
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn: capvis

Capvis AG is a private equity firm based in Baar, Zug, Switzerland, founded in 1990. The firm specializes in managing investments across various sectors, including healthcare and industrial technology. Capvis partners with institutional investors, such as pension funds, to provide long-term capital and strategic growth opportunities. The firm focuses on enhancing the market position of its portfolio companies through effective management and consulting. Notable transactions include the acquisition of Uster Technologies in 2003, which specializes in textile testing and quality control, and the acquisition of Ondal Medical Systems in 2012, a leading manufacturer of pendant systems for medical applications. These transactions highlight Capvis's engagement in sectors that are relevant to laboratory equipment manufacturing, showcasing their capability to invest in companies that contribute to this industry.


8. NRW.BANK

  • Website: nrwbank.de
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Neunkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
  • Founded year: 2002
  • Headcount: 1001-5000
  • Number of deals in 2024: 10
  • LinkedIn: nrw.bank

NRW.BANK is a public entity that serves as the development bank for North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Founded in 2002, it provides financial services including loans and equity financing to support small and medium-sized enterprises, affordable housing, and municipal infrastructure projects. The bank plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth and social development in the region. NRW.BANK has been involved in several relevant transactions in the laboratory equipment manufacturing context, such as its participation in the funding round for Refined Laser Systems, which raised €2.7 million to develop an intraoperative microscope prototype for cancer diagnosis. Additionally, it has supported companies like Scienion and CEVEC Pharmaceuticals, which are engaged in innovative technologies that can impact laboratory practices and equipment. These investments highlight NRW.BANK's commitment to advancing the laboratory equipment sector alongside its broader economic development goals.


9. Trumpf

  • Website: trumpf.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Ditzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
  • Founded year: 2016
  • Headcount: 10001+
  • Number of deals in 2024: 2
  • LinkedIn: trumpf-gmbh-co-kg

Trumpf SE + Co. KG is a corporate investor based in Ditzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, specializing in advanced machine tools and laser technology. Founded in 2016, Trumpf has a workforce of over 10,000 employees and has made significant strides in enhancing manufacturing processes across various industries, including automotive, aerospace, and electronics. In recent years, Trumpf has actively invested in companies that align with their technological focus. Notably, they led a €13M funding round for iThera Medical, a company developing a medical device for clinical use, and participated in a Series B financing round for Resistell AG, which focuses on antibiotic susceptibility testing. Additionally, Trumpf has expanded its portfolio through acquisitions, such as Photonics GmbH and Active Fiber Systems GmbH, both of which enhance their capabilities in photonics and laser systems that are relevant to laboratory applications.


10. IBB Ventures


IBB Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Berlin, Germany, founded in 1997. The firm specializes in providing funding and support to innovative startups, particularly in the early stages of their development. With over 270 investments to date, IBB Ventures has established itself as a key player in the Berlin startup ecosystem. Notably, they have invested in several companies within the laboratory equipment manufacturing sector, including Scienion, which raised over $5.6 million in 2006, and Labforward, which secured funding in multiple rounds totaling over $12 million between 2015 and 2021. Additionally, they have supported Caprotec Bioanalytics with significant investments in 2008 and 2010, further demonstrating their commitment to advancing technologies in laboratory equipment and analytics.


11. b2venture

  • Website: b2venture.vc
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
  • Founded year: 2000
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 15
  • LinkedIn: btovpartners

b2venture is a venture capital firm based in St. Gallen, Switzerland, founded in 2000. The firm specializes in early-stage investments in innovative startups across various sectors, providing financial backing and support to entrepreneurs to help them navigate challenges and scale their businesses. b2venture collaborates with a community of angel investors, enhancing their investment strategy and positioning them as a key player in the European venture capital landscape. Notably, b2venture has participated in significant transactions within the laboratory equipment manufacturing context, including investments in GNA Biosolutions, which focuses on molecular diagnostic platforms, and NVision Imaging Technologies, which is involved in advanced imaging technologies. These investments highlight b2venture's engagement in the laboratory equipment sector, particularly in diagnostics and imaging, which are critical components of laboratory operations.


12. APEX Ventures

  • Website: apex.ventures
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Founded year: 2016
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 6
  • LinkedIn: apex-vc

APEX Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Vienna, Austria, founded in 2016. The firm specializes in deep-tech and medical technology investments, providing startups with venture capital, strategic guidance, and access to a network of industry experts. APEX Ventures has been involved in several notable transactions relevant to the laboratory equipment manufacturing sector. For instance, they participated in a €2.7 million seed funding round for Refined Laser Systems, which is developing an intraoperative microscope prototype aimed at enhancing cancer diagnosis. Additionally, they invested in Mindpeak, a startup focused on creating quantification tools for breast cancer, which highlights their commitment to advancing medical technology that often requires sophisticated laboratory equipment. Their involvement in these transactions illustrates their active role in supporting technology-driven companies that contribute to the laboratory equipment manufacturing industry.


13. redalpine


Redalpine is a venture capital firm based in Zurich, Switzerland, founded in 2006. The firm specializes in investing in technology and science sectors, providing funding and strategic support to startups. Their focus areas include AI, health tech, and energy, which are critical in addressing significant global challenges. Notably, Redalpine has been involved in several relevant transactions, including investments in Lunaphore, a company that raised substantial funding across multiple rounds (Series A, C, and D) for its innovative tissue analysis technology. This technology is crucial for laboratory settings, indicating Redalpine's engagement in the laboratory equipment manufacturing context. Additionally, their investment in InSphero, which focuses on 3D cell culture technology, further highlights their commitment to supporting advancements that are relevant to laboratory environments.


14. Swisscom Ventures


Swisscom Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Zurich, Switzerland, founded in 2007. The firm specializes in investing in high-potential technology startups, providing not only financial support but also strategic advisory services to help these startups access technical infrastructure and market channels. Swisscom Ventures operates across various technology sectors, including AI and Fintech, but has also made significant investments in the life sciences and laboratory equipment sectors. Notable transactions include their investment in Nanolive, a company focused on live cell imaging and analysis, which is directly relevant to laboratory equipment manufacturing. Additionally, they participated in the seed funding round for UNISERS, a semiconductor metrology company, further showcasing their engagement in technologies that support laboratory operations. Their diverse portfolio reflects a commitment to empowering innovative companies in the technology landscape, including those in the laboratory equipment domain.


15. Sartorius

  • Website: sartorius.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: Haßbergen, Lower Saxony, Germany
  • Founded year: 1870
  • Headcount: 10001+
  • Number of deals in 2024: 2
  • LinkedIn: sartorius

Sartorius AG, founded in 1870 and based in Haßbergen, Lower Saxony, Germany, is a leading biopharmaceutical supplier and laboratory equipment provider. The company specializes in offering innovative products and services for bioprocess solutions and laboratory applications, primarily serving the biopharmaceutical and life sciences sectors. Sartorius has made significant investments to enhance its capabilities in laboratory equipment manufacturing, including the acquisition of Xell AG, a cell culture specialist, for approximately 50 million euros, which focuses on media and feed supplements for cell cultures. Additionally, Sartorius acquired BioOutsource Ltd., a provider of contract testing services for the biopharmaceutical industry, to strengthen its service offerings in drug development. Their investment in SPARTA Biodiscovery further highlights their commitment to supporting innovative startups in the laboratory space. Overall, Sartorius is positioned as a key player in the laboratory equipment manufacturing industry, actively expanding its portfolio through strategic acquisitions and investments.


16. bmp Ventures

  • Website: bmp.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • Founded year: 1997
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 3
  • LinkedIn: bmpventures

bmp Ventures AG is a venture capital firm based in Berlin, Germany, founded in 1997. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage and growth startups across various innovative sectors, providing not only financial resources but also strategic advisory services to help startups navigate their growth journey. Notably, bmp Ventures has invested in EUCODIS Bioscience, which raised significant funding in both 2007 and 2012, indicating a strong focus on bioscience applications. Additionally, they invested in Lab-on-Fiber, a company that raised funds in 2018, which is relevant to laboratory equipment manufacturing. These transactions highlight bmp Ventures' active role in supporting companies that contribute to the laboratory equipment sector, aligning with their investment strategy.


17. BayBG Venture Capital

  • Website: baybg-vc.de
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Hirschbach, Bavaria, Germany
  • Founded year: 1972
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 3
  • LinkedIn: baybg-venture-capital

BayBG Bayerische Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH is a venture capital firm founded in 1972, based in Hirschbach, Bavaria, Germany. The firm specializes in investing in innovative startups, particularly in Bavaria, and provides venture capital and advisory services to help these startups grow and scale their operations. BayBG focuses on technology companies and leverages its extensive network and experience to support its portfolio companies. Among its notable transactions, BayBG invested in Plasmion, a company that develops ionisation technology for laboratory analysis, which highlights its commitment to the laboratory equipment sector. Additionally, BayBG has participated in funding rounds for iThera Medical, a medical device company that is developing devices for clinical use, further emphasizing its involvement in the laboratory and medical technology fields. Other investments include Dynamic Biosensors and Theva, showcasing a diverse portfolio that includes applications relevant to laboratory equipment and analysis.



Laboratory Equipment Manufacturing Insights: Key Investors in DACH


InvestorHeadquarterSizeFoundedDeals 2024
SgsGeneva, Geneva, Switzerland10001+18785
Verve VenturesZurich, Zurich, Switzerland11-50201025
RocheSwitzerland10001+18965
SHS CapitalGermany11-5019932
Bayern KapitalLandshut, Bavaria, Germany11-50199527
Earlybird Venture CapitalGermany51-200199729
Capvis AGBaar, Zug, Switzerland11-5019900
NRW.BANKNeunkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany1001-5000200210
TrumpfDitzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany10001+20162
IBB VenturesBerlin, Berlin, Germany11-50199718
b2ventureSt. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland11-50200015
APEX VenturesVienna, Vienna, Austria1-1020166
redalpineZurich, Zurich, Switzerland11-50200618
Swisscom VenturesZurich, Zurich, Switzerland11-5020074
SartoriusHaßbergen, Lower Saxony, Germany10001+18702
bmp VenturesBerlin, Berlin, Germany11-5019973
BayBG Venture CapitalHirschbach, Bavaria, Germany51-20019723


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