HighLine with new partners on its way towards market entry 2021 (Freiburg, 11.03.2021):The High-Tech Gründerfonds (#HTGF) and Fraunhofer Technologie Transferfonds GmbH (#FTTF)invest in the Tech Start-up HighLine Technology GmbH. HighLine develops high precision printingtechnology for the semiconductor industry with current focus on solar cells. The seed investmentamounts to EUR 1.2 million and is contributed equally by the HTGF and FTTF.“The use of solar energy represents a central pillar of the future energy supply. However, scaling ofthe corresponding PV systems also entails the need for more efficient input of resources. In particularsilver, which is applied for the conductor lines on the cells, represents a major cost factor in theproduction of solar cells. Accordingly, PV manufacturers and other semiconductor industries arelooking for more efficient printing processes to apply respective media. Our parallel dispensingtechnology enables significant process optimization in terms of silver consumption, cell and moduleefficiency and production throughput”, explains Dr. Maximilian Pospischil, co-founder and managingdirector of HighLine.With the HighLine paralleldispensing print heads the surface ofthe solar cell can be metallized inone crossing. The current printingspeed of 500mm / s (LT paste forHJT) enables a higher throughputthan with established competitiveprocesses. Furthermore, thanks tothe impressive homogeneity of thetiny contact fingers, more than 20%silver is saved and the efficiency ofthe solar cell is also increased byreducing the shadowing losses. Forquick market entry, HighLine hasdeveloped a solution for integrationinto industrial screen printingplatforms – the “cuckoo”. This means that existing production lines of established systemmanufacturers can be equipped with the new printing technology within short time.

A demonstratorcan currently be seen in the PV-TEC laboratory of Fraunhofer ISE.So far the industrialization of the technology originated from Fraunhofer ISE has been supported bythe EXIST Forschungstransfer (BMWi) and PreSeed funding by the FTTF and the L-Bank BW.”The technological developments achieved in the pre-seed phase and the positive feedback fromestablished customers and partners confirm the clear business case of Highline, so I’m lookingforward to the next steps for market entry,” adds Tobias Schwind (Managing Partner at FTTF).“Thanks to our dedicated team we achieved great development progress in 2020. Based on thisfinancing round and together with our industrial partners, we can introduce the technology to theParallel dispensing print-head for application of ultra fine conductor lines© HighLine Technology GmbHPV market via a field test in 2021. This means that the market entry takes place in line with the currentrevival of the PV industry in Europe,” explains Marian Breitenbücher, co-founder and managingdirector of HighLine.“Dispensing technology offers very short ROI for solar cell manufacturers and therefore has thepotential to replace established screen-printing platform in this market in the medium term. In myopinion, the technical status that has already been achieved and the strengths of the team form anexcellent basis for a successful and sustainable market launch,” says Olaf Joeressen (InvestmentManager at High-Tech Gründerfonds).

About HighLine:

HighLine Technology GmbH is a spin-off from Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg and develops highprecision printing technologies. HighLine has been operational since the beginning of 2020 and,with its 13 employees, has competencies in the areas of construction, process- and softwaredevelopment. HighLine uses the high-end laboratory environment of the PVTEC laboratory ofFraunhofer ISE. In cooperation with established automation manufacturers, HighLine developsefficient printing technologies and processes for the semiconductor industry.https://highline-technology.com/

Contact

Marian Breitenbücher, Managing Directorinfo@highline-technology.de

About the High-Tech Gründerfonds

The seed investor High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) finances technology start-ups with growthpotential. With a volume of around EUR 900 million spread across three funds and an internationalpartner network, the HTGF has supported more than 600 start-ups since 2005. The team ofexperienced investment managers and start-up experts supports the young companies with knowhow, entrepreneurial spirit and passion. The focus is on high-tech start-ups in the areas of digitaltech, industrial tech, life sciences, chemistry and related business areas. External investors have sofar invested almost 3 billion euros in more than 1,700 follow-up financing rounds in the HTGFportfolio. The fund has also successfully sold shares in more than 120 companies.Investors in the public-private partnership include the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs andEnergy, KfW Capital, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft as well as ALTANA, BASF, Bayer, BoehringerIngelheim, B.Braun, Robert Bosch, BÜFA, CEWE, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Post DHL, Dräger, DrillischAG, EVONIK, EWE AG, FOND OF, Haniel, Hettich, Knauf, Körber, LANXESS, media + more ventureBeteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, PHOENIX CONTACT, QIAGEN, RWE Generation SE, SAP, Schufa ,Schwarz Gruppe, STIHL, Thüga, Vector Informatik, WACKER and Wilh. Werhahn KG.https://www.htgf.de/de/Media Contact:High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbHStefanie Grüter, Head of Marketing & CommunicationsT.: +49228 – 82300 – 188s.grueter@htgf.deContact Investor:Dr. Olaf JoeressenT.: +49 228 82300 157o.joeressen@htgf.deAbout the Fraunhofer Technology Transfer Fonds GmbHThe Fraunhofer Technologie-Transfer Fonds (FTTF) is an independent venture capital investor witha focus on deep tech companies from the pre-seed phase and supports the founders as anentrepreneurial partner. With a fund volume of 60 million euros, start-ups using Fraunhofertechnology are financed with up to 5 million euros.https://fttf.vc/Contact Investor:Tobias SchwindT.: +49 (0) 89 / 2500 639 84tobias.schwind@fttf.eu