Max Planck Society
Hofgartenstr. 8, Munich, Bayern, 80539, Germany
Overview
The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (German: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e. V.; abbreviated MPG) is a non-governmental and non-profit association of Research Institutes publicly funded by the federal and the state governments of Germany. Additionally, the Max Planck Society and its Institutes receive third party funding from public and private contributions and from the European Union. The world leading organization is named in honor of its former president, theoretical physicist Max Planck. The 86 Institutes and Research Facilities of the Max Planck Society (as of 2020) conduct basic research in the natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and the arts and humanities. They have a total staff of approximately 24,000 permanent employees, including 15,000 scientists, and around 5,000 non-tenured scientists and guests. As of December 31, 2018, the proportion of female employees was 44.4 percent. The Max Planck Society (with its 86 Max Planck Institutes) has a world-leading reputation as a science and technology research organization, with more than 33 Nobel Prizes awarded to its scientists, and is widely regarded as one of the foremost basic research organizations in the world.
- Total investments
- 3
- Lead investments
- 0
- Investments · 12mo
- 0
- Active investors
- 8
Investment portfolio
- Tacalyx
Participated · Seed · Jun 2024
Tacalyx focuses on discovery and development of antibodies against tumour associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) for cancer treatment. The company is developing modalities including antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and other antibody-based therapies using a proprietary technology platform to exploit TACAs as targets. Its lead disclosed programme is TCX-201, an ADC directed at an undisclosed TACA, which the company plans to advance through preclinical development with proceeds from its recent financing. Tacalyx is expanding a differentiated pipeline of programmes built on its platform. The company is led by CEO Jean Engela and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany.
- Venneos GmbH
Participated · Seed · Sep 2015
Venneos develops and markets the CAN-Q, a silicon chip–based imaging system that analyses biological cells by detecting electrical signals generated by cells grown on the chip and rendering them as microscopy-like images. The technology can identify cellular changes such as alterations in cell adhesion that other technologies cannot detect. Its systems are used in research areas including tumour biology, immunology, pharmacology and drug development. The company plans to use new funding to consolidate its market entry and to prepare new product generations. Venneos also intends to further develop the technology toward additional potential applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and chemistry. Founded in 2014 as a spin-off of the Max Planck Society and based in Stuttgart, Germany, the company recently closed a Series A financing of undisclosed size. Venneos is developing a silicon-chip-based imaging system for analysis of biological cells that uses an innovative measurement approach to detect cellular changes not visible with other technologies. The company is a spin-off from the Max Planck Society, founded by Jonas Lehmann, and is based in Stuttgart, Germany. It is working with pilot customers to further develop its prototype toward a market-ready product. Venneos plans to use recently raised funds to finish product development and prepare market entry for the first product generation. The team is actively recruiting employees at the intersection of physics, electrical engineering, computer science and biology to support development. Financially, the company has secured seed backing to advance its prototype and commercialization efforts.
- SuppreMol
Participated · Series C · Dec 2010
SuppreMol is a Martinsried/Munich, Germany–based biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Its lead candidate, SM101, is a recombinant human soluble Fc gamma receptor IIb intended to treat Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). The company closed a €15.5m Series C and intends to use the proceeds for GMP production and further clinical studies of SM101. SuppreMol plans to initiate a Phase IIa study in SLE mid next year. It is also advancing preclinical development of an anti‑FcgRIIb monoclonal antibody that may have therapeutic potential in certain autoimmune diseases. Management includes CEO Dr Peter Buckel, and the company has been awarded €1.6m in research funding by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).