Spain: EIF and CDTI to boost children health’s innovation with €30 million investment in Montana Children’s Health Fund

Madrid: The European Investment Fund (EIF), the arm of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group) specialising in equity investments in SMEs and mid-caps, and the Centre for Technological Development & Innovation (CDTI), under the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities have invested €30 million in Montana Children’s Health fund managed by Ship2B Ventures.

This is the first investment under the €353 million Innvierte Technology Transfer & Deep-Tech financial instrument, set up by the CDTI and the EIF to support venture capital funds investing in deep-tech solutions with a high impact on people's lives and tackling global challenges like health, climate change or security.

Montana is the first European fund specialized in transferring deep-tech research in the field of children's health into clinical and commercial solutions with real impact for paediatric populations. The fund will create and support early-stage European startups with a strong scientific and technological component and plans to make around fifteen investments over the coming years.

With a strategy based on prevention, treatment and quality-of-life improvement during the paediatric stage, the fund aims to address the lack of funding and specialization in paediatric innovation, its application and commercialization. The fund invests in innovative solutions that tackle fundamental societal challenges from early life stages, including mental health, rare diseases and nutrition.

Currently, the percentage of venture capital in the health sector allocated to projects related to children’s health is significantly lower than the proportion of the child population. In response to this situation, Montana adopts a differentiated approach, placing children at the centre of investment decisions and prioritizing solutions with long-term clinical, social, and economic impact. Employing this paediatric-first approach, the fund will catalyse the research carried out by children's hospitals and research institutions into new therapies for patients.

The fund has a target size of 50 million and is managed by Ship2B Ventures, a leading European impact investment firm. The management team includes Marc Ramis as Managing Partner of Montana and Maite Fibla as General Partner at Ship2B Ventures and member of Montana’s Investment Committee. Montana will expand the investment team during 2026, bringing in additional expertise in healthcare venture capital and technology transfer.

Through Montana, Ship2B Ventures reinforces its commitment to investment models that combine scientific excellence, social impact, and a long-term vision, working closely with the European clinical, scientific, and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Through the investment in Montana, CDTI and EIF support innovation and research in cutting-edge technologies, and their transfer into business models with high growth potential. The operation contributes to the technological innovation objectives set out in the EIB Group’s Strategic Roadmap for 2024-2027 and it is partially backed by the InvestEU program.

The investment was presented at a ceremony held in Madrid and attended by the Spanish Secretary General for Innovation, and President of Innvierte Teresa Riesgo; EIF Chief Investment Officer Marco Marrone; Managing Partner of Montana, Marc Ramis, and the General Partner and member of Montana’s Investment Committee, Maite Fibla.

Teresa Riesgo, Spanish Secretary General for Innovation and President of Innvierte said: “This initial investment under our Innvierte Deep Tech & Tech Transfer programme proves that the public support for developing high-value solutions at early R&D stages strengthens the capabilities of Spain’s innovation ecosystem to expedite effective knowledge transfer, turning research projects into tangible solutions that enhance people’s lives. The collaboration between CDTI-Innvierte and the EIF, involving specialist fund managers, not only bolsters the ecosystem but also ensures that the Spanish science delivers specific answers to real challenges faced by our citizens”.

Marco Marrone, EIF´s Chief Investment Officer, added: “We are thrilled about the opportunities that this investment will create for companies working to improve the lives of children. Today’s agreement is a great example of how the strategic partnership between CDTI, the EIF, and the Spanish venture capital ecosystem can help fill investment gaps and convert research and innovation into tangible solutions for people´s needs, and specifically children’s health.”

Marc Ramis, Managing Partner of Montana Children’s Health Fund, states: “Montana is created to address a clear need in the European health innovation ecosystem. The backing of the EIF and CDTI validates our thesis and enables us to build a specialized fund with a clear ambition: to generate real impact in children’s lives while, at the same time, contributing to the development of a new model of preventive medicine in Europe. We are currently finalizing our fundraising with family offices and private investors”.

Innvierte Technology Transfer & Deep Tech: translating research and innovation into real solutions for people´s lives

Innvierte Technology Transfer & Deep-Tech is a venture-capital facility designed to strengthen Spain’s innovative technology ecosystem and facilitate the transfer of cutting-edge research taking place in universities and research centres into solutions that impact people´s lives and are strategic for the Spanish economy.

Based on the agreement between the CDTI and the EIF, the facility has been funded with €353 million to invest in specialised funds. The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities commits €300 million and the EIF contributes €53 million. In addition to providing funding, the facility will support the selected projects along the entire value chain – from feasibility study to market launch.

Through Innvierte Technology Transfer and Deep-Tech, CDTI and EIF co-invest in specialised funds as limited partners (LP). The EIF manages the call for expressions of interest and selects specialised funds in accordance with the relevant eligibility criteria and procedures. These funds will channel financing to technology-transfer and deep-tech projects in Spain.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group). Its central mission is to support Europe’s microenterprises and SMEs by helping them to access finance. The EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and microfinance instruments that specifically target this market segment. In this role, it contributes to the achievement of key EU policy goals such as competitiveness and growth, innovation and digitalisation, social impact, skills and human capital, climate action and environmental sustainability.

About CDTI

The Centre for the Development of Technology and Innovation is the state-owned innovation agency under the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Its purpose is to promote technological innovation in the business sector. CDTI’s mission is to help Spanish businesses create scientific and technical knowledge and convert this into globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2024, as part of a new strategic plan, CDTI provided more than €2.3 billion of support to Spanish companies and startups.

About Innvierte

An initiative of CDTI Innovación, Innvierte is part of the Spanish strategy for science, technology and innovation 2021-2027, adopted by decision of the Council of Ministers. The programme aims to promote business innovation by supporting venture capital investment in technology-based or innovative companies. To date, CDTI Innovación, through Innvierte Economía Sostenible SICC SME SA, has committed €2.898 billion in 65 investment vehicles that have invested in more than 636 companies. It has also invested €761 million in 199 companies through direct co-investment.

About InvestEU

The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The InvestEU programme brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the Member States, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

About Ship2Bventures

Ship2B Ventures invests in early-stage startups delivering high social and/or environmental impact by improving the health and quality of life of vulnerable populations and contributing to environmental sustainability and conservation.

The fund targets early-stage companies whose teams are committed to and experienced in impact-driven business models, bringing innovation and disruptive technologies, and demonstrating scalable business plans with a global outlook.