An alternative to the conventional career path — combining 20+ years of senior industry experience with hands-on entrepreneurship to create and develop technology start-ups in Chemistry, Cleantech, Biotech & Pharma.
The Founding Angel concept fills a gap that neither pure investors nor pure mentors can fill: someone who truly co-founds the company and takes operational responsibility — with the depth of experience to make a decisive difference.
A Founding Angel is a serial entrepreneur and experienced industry manager who co-founds start-ups in his area of expertise. Unlike a business angel who provides only capital, the Founding Angel contributes:
High-tech start-ups in Chemistry, Cleantech, Biotech and Pharma face unique challenges: long development timelines, complex regulatory landscapes, capital-intensive processes, and highly specialised customer bases. A founding team that lacks deep industry experience often struggles precisely when it matters most.
The Founding Angel brings credibility, connections and hard-won know-how from two decades in the industry — and uses that foundation to accelerate start-up success.
The Founding Angel model unfolds in three distinct phases — from initial concept validation through operational launch and scaling toward an exit or stable growth phase.
Co-founding the venture, validating the technology and business model, structuring the team and company, and securing seed or pre-seed financing. The Founding Angel is fully committed in this critical phase.
Establishing go-to-market strategy, closing first customers and partnerships, managing Series A fundraising (or alternative financing such as crowdfunding), and building the operational infrastructure.
As the company matures, transitioning leadership to specialised management, shifting from operational to advisory role, and supporting the path toward strategic acquisition, public markets or long-term independence.
Peter Haug spent over 20 years in senior management at some of Europe's leading chemical and pharmaceutical companies — building the experience that now powers his work as a Founding Angel.
As Senior VP Operations & Corporate Development at a European CDMO with ~1,500 employees and €250M in revenue, he led strategic and operational transformation across multiple production sites.
As VP Corporate Development & Strategy at a specialty chemicals holding company with ~3,000 employees and €700M in revenue, he drove M&A, portfolio strategy and new business development at group level.
This corporate background — combined with a PhD in Chemistry and postdoctoral work — created the ideal foundation for a second career as a Founding Angel: deep know-how, trusted networks, and the credibility to open doors for early-stage ventures.
Dr. Peter Haug holds a PhD in Chemistry (summa cum laude) and completed postdoctoral research at a leading European research institute. His scientific training spans organic chemistry, process development and analytical methods — directly relevant to the ventures he co-founds.
He is a member of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh) and an active contributor to the German chemistry start-up ecosystem, speaking regularly at conferences, university ring lectures and industry events.
If you have a venture in Chemistry, Cleantech, Biotech or Pharma and are looking for an experienced co-founder with deep sector expertise, let's talk.
Contact Dr. Peter Haug →