More than a Launchpad

Pioneers – Venture Builder HighTechXL

A breakthrough happens – but what comes next? Too many great ideas never make it out of the lab. Not always for lack of ambition, but often because the entrepreneurial drive is missing. That’s where HighTechXL comes in: this Dutch DeepTech venture builder helps researchers jump into the market – even if they don’t have their own founding team.

June 2025

A Springboard for Innovation

The researchers truly realize the potential of the technologies at Forschungszentrum Jülich when Prof. Earl Goetheer enters their lab. The CTO of HighTechXL is himself a scientist with over 100 publications and 55 patents, and an expert in transferring technologies into the market. At Forschungszentrum Jülich, he seeks out promising ideas and matches them with mentors, investors, and potential co-founders.

“Our researchers experience how their ideas can reach real markets beyond the lab — this creates a spirit of optimism. HighTechXL provides the springboard; we bring the innovations for the future of energy supply,” explains Dr. Jörg Bohnemann, Innovation Manager at Forschungszentrum Jülich.

Technologies of Forschungszentrum Jülich

An example: At the Helmholtz Institute Münster (IMD-4/HI MS), researchers are developing organic redox flow batteries — ion conductors for energy storage — which offer a cost-effective solution for solar parks and industrial facilities. HighTechXL recognizes the potential of this technology and is now planning to build a founding team using its global network.

»Our motivation is the success of the start-ups.«

Prof. Earl Goetheer
CTO of the Dutch venture builder HighTechXL

Currently, the venture builder is supporting three technologies from Jülich. When HighTechXL sees potential in a technology offering, the journey begins: an introduction between researchers and the venture builder, followed by pitches and matching rounds to assemble the right team and secure suitable financing. If the path doesn’t lead to success, valuable experiences, new contacts, and often a clearer perspective for the next opportunity remain.

Whether to co-found or not — that decision remains with the researchers themselves. In any case, HighTechXL provides the necessary tools for the start.

Technology Transfer at Forschungszentrum Jülich: IP, Technologies, and Start-ups

Meet the Innovation Team at FZ Jülich

Earl Goetheer in an Interview

The Dutch company HighTechXL transforms groundbreaking ideas into impactful DeepTech startups. Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Earl Goetheer explains in the interview how this works.

Prof. Goetheer, you were a researcher. How did you come to join the venture builder HighTechXL?

I have spent almost my entire career developing technologies. After 17 years at research institutions and universities, I felt it was time for the next logical step: helping promising technologies achieve a faster breakthrough — by supporting start-ups. That’s exactly what I do as CTO at HighTechXL.

How does the HighTechXL model work?

HighTechXL builds startups that leverage advanced technologies from leading research institutions such as Forschungszentrum Jülich, the European Space Agency (ESA), or companies like Philips.

We focus on technologies with strong IP and societal impact. The process includes four key phases: gathering, screening, evaluating, and selecting. Once a technology is selected, we form a team and guide it through a structured nine-month program that includes mentoring, prototyping, and market strategy.

HighTechXL supports the startups not only during the program but also beyond, providing access to capital, training, and networks.

Collaboration with industry partners ensures that startups can validate their market opportunities early on.

What is the difference compared to traditional incubators?

HighTechXL focuses on building deep-tech startups. These are ideas that require significant technological or scientific breakthroughs to be realized. We don’t wait for founders to bring their ideas — we actively search for groundbreaking technologies and build companies around them.
Unlike traditional incubators, we offer more than just mentoring. Our integrated approach helps startups overcome the notorious "Valley of Death" that often halts deep-tech innovations.

How does HighTechXL benefit from this?

Our incentive lies in the success of the startups. We hold equity stakes in the companies and benefit from their profits. However, our main motivation is to address global challenges by aligning startups with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and combining deep-tech innovation with entrepreneurship.

What have been the biggest successes so far?

We have founded over 85 startups and created more than 3,000 jobs. It may still be too early to call it a success story, but one of my personal favorites is Carbyon. The company started five years ago with a concept for CO₂ capture from the air developed by the Dutch research organization TNO. Today, it employs 50 people and is scaling the technology up to demonstration level. In my view, this is a successful example of how science can be translated into practice — especially in the fight against climate change.

www.hightechxl.com

^{Image credit: HighTechXL}