European Investment Fund

Overview

Established in 1994, the European Investment Fund (EIF) is a specialist provider of risk finance to benefit small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Europe. As part of the European Investment Bank Group, the EIF's mission is to improve access to finance for SMEs and small mid-caps in Europe. The EIF achieves this by supporting emerging and established fund managers with equity investments and by designing debt financing instruments that share the risk taken by financial institutions when they lend to or invest in small businesses. The EIF's extensive network of partners and financial intermediaries spans all EU Member States and associated countries, enabling it to bring support closer to entrepreneurs. The EIF's activities encompass venture capital, private equity, guarantees, securitisation, microfinance, risk sharing, regional development, Fund-of-Funds, innovation, European tech, European life sciences, start-ups, scale-ups, the EU Green Deal, and InvestEU. The EIF's investment focus includes private equity, venture capital, and fixed income (debt and bonds), with a geographical focus on EU Member States and associated countries. The EIF's investment stages range from seed and early-stage investments to growth, late-stage, pre-IPO, buyout, turnaround, and distressed investments. The EIF's minimum investment size is $1 million, with a maximum investment size of $500 million. The EIF's portfolio companies include a diverse range of SMEs and small mid-caps across various industries, reflecting its broad investment mandate and commitment to supporting Europe's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Investment Focus

• Focus on SMEs and small mid-caps
• Alignment with EU objectives
• Support for entrepreneurship, growth, innovation, research and development, and employment