EMBL Ventures, a dedicated early stage life science investor and the venture capital arm of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), has held the first close of the EMBL Technology Fund II (ETF II) at EUR40 million (USD55 million).
Building on the scientific excellence of EMBL, EMBL Ventures remains focused on Life Sciences investments primarily in European biotechnology and medtech companies with innovative early stage technologies and products that have the potential to become first in class. EMBL Ventures plans to commit between EUR2 million and EUR5 million per investment.
EMBL Ventures typically plays a pivotal role in actively building investment opportunities by identifying and sourcing promising technologies or development stage products. Given its crucial role in the creation of the companies it invests in, EMBL Ventures prefers to act as a lead investor.
“We would like to thank our existing investors for their ongoing support and we are excited about our new distinguished investors” says Dr Stefan Herr (pictured), Managing Partner at EMBL Ventures. “We are grateful to all our investors for their commitment to the team and to our strategy. We are looking forward to working with highly motivated scientists and entrepreneurs to create outstanding companies.”
“In supporting ETF II we are continuing to build the right environment for a successful start-up culture within EMBL,” says Prof Iain Mattaj, Director General of EMBL, Heidelberg. “Basic and translational research that benefits our member states and beyond is one of EMBL’s missions. Through EMBL Ventures we will continue to leverage the network and scientific excellence of EMBL as Europe’s flagship research institute to achieve this goal.”
“The current fund raising environment forces management teams to develop new and sustainable investment strategies. We are convinced that EMBL Ventures’ approach with a focus on capital efficiency and significant innovation meets these criteria and that the team will continue to translate this strategy into successful investments,” says Dr Markus Schillo, Head of the ERP-EIF Dachfonds, ETF II’s cornerstone investor. “We believe that through our commitment to ETF II, we are supporting an important and successful player in the early stage venture capital sector in Europe”.
