DTU-owned PreSeed Ventures will seek to raise an independent fund following the wind-down of government support, and has appointed Jesper Juhl Hansen as CFO.
PreSeed Ventures, a venture firm owned by Technical University of Denmark (DTU), is targeting DKr350m ($52.5m) for a new fund focused on early-stage tech businesses, according to Berlingske.
Originally founded in 2000 and previously run as an offshoot of venture firm Seed Capital, PreSeed Ventures is beginning a new chapter as an independent commercial entity after the Danish government scrapped budgetary support for its activities.
None of the vehicle’s potential limited partners were named in Berlingske’s report, however all forthcoming commitments will be made on commercial terms.
PreSeed’s new fund will adopt a focus on general tech entrepreneurship, though PreSeed could in future start vehicles targeting research from Danish institutions including DTU, in a bid to plug the early-stage funding gap for spinouts.
PreSeed Ventures is led by its chief executive Christel Piron, recognised in GUV’s 2018 Powerlist and also an external examiner at Aarhus University’s School of Business and Social Sciences, as well as a member of that institution’s board of education.
Jesper Juhl Hansen was yesterday revealed as PreSeed Ventures’ new chief financial officer, joining the firm on the back of three years as a partner at SME consulting firm Monero, and as a partner and senior adviser at consultancy Viso Consult.
Hansen was vice-president of enterprise referencing body Business Network International’s Team Harbour unit from March 2017 until January 2018, and the finance director for performance management and financial planning at jewellery supplier Pandora from 2014 until 2016.
His education includes an MSc degree awarded by Copenhagen Business School in 2007, and an executive management program from business leadership training company Mannaz completed in 2011.
