EIF backs French Life Science Tech Transfer Fund

Read the full press release in French

The European Investment Fund (EIF) has committed EUR 12m into Auriga Bioseeds IV, a Technology Transfer fund based in Paris, France. Auriga Bioseeds IV is dedicated to supporting the creation of innovative businesses emerging from research centres and academia linked primarily to the Pasteur Institute and the Institut de Recherche Technologique (IRT) Bioaster, Lyon.

EIF is joined by a number of established industrial and institutional investors including the Fonds National d’Amorçage managed by Bpifrance, the IRT Bioaster, the pharmaceutical companies Sanofi Pasteur and Pfizer, as well as the Groupe Unéo.

By backing the Auriga team, EIF will participate in the development of innovative projects in a sector at the forefront of French research, providing financial resources to help contribute towards the development of novel cures and treatments primarily for infectious diseases.

EIF's central mission is to support Europe's micro, small and medium-sized businesses by helping them to access finance.  EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and microfinance instruments which specifically target this market segment. In this role, EIF fosters EU objectives in support of innovation, research and development, entrepreneurship, growth, and employment. EIF’s total net commitments to private equity funds amounted to over EUR 6.9bn at end 2012. With investments in over 435 funds, EIF is a leading player in European venture due to the scale and the scope of its investments, especially in high-tech and early-stage segments. EIF’s guarantees loan portfolio totalled over EUR 4.7bn in close to 255 operations at end 2012, positioning it as a major European SME guarantees actor and a leading micro-finance guarantor.

• EIF:  Joëlle Harvey, email:  j.harvey@eif.org