Startup Funding: The Pertinence Invest 2 Fund
Are you a startup ready to take the next step and become a scale-up?
Good news! Sofimac Innovation is offering a new innovation financing option specifically for deep-tech startups in the seed stage: the Pertinence Invest 2 Fund.
As partners in this new investment fund, we at Dynergie are convinced that an effective financing strategy is the key to successful growth. That is why, in addition to helping you secure your Research Tax Credit (CIR), we support you in developing a comprehensive financing strategy for your R&D and innovation projects.
SOFIMAC INNOVATION: A KEY PLAYER IN THE REGION
Sofimac Innovation is an investment management firm and a member of the Sofimac Investment Manager Group(which comprises Sofimac Innovation and Sofimac Régions). With more than €750 million in assets under management, including €400 million dedicated to innovation capital, the group—founded 40 years ago—is one of France’s leading providers of investment and support services for startups and SMEs.
Sofimac Innovation supports innovative startups in their growth initiatives through a wide range of investment vehicles. With offices in Marseille (in addition to those in Paris, Lyon, and Rennes), the company has become a key player in the region’s local business community since 2017.
Active in a wide range of technology sectors, particularly engineering and healthcare, the firm is backed by a team of experienced investor-entrepreneurs who are experts in their respective fields.
THE PERTINENCE INVEST 2 FUND
A very attractive funding option for early-stage startups, in addition to the CIR and CII!
With a current budget of 47 million euros, this investment fund is designed to finance innovation at deep-tech startups in the pre-seed and seed stages that originate from or are affiliated with the academic community. It will also be able to support portfolio companies in subsequent funding rounds, adopting a patient capital approach.
Launched in March 2020, the Pertinence Invest 2 Fund was created in partnership with some twenty partner institutions, including engineering schools and universities located in major innovation hubs: Aix-Marseille University, the INSA Group, Grenoble INP, the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers, Centrale Schools (Lyon, Marseille, and Nantes), University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, University of Pau and the Pays de l’Adour, University of Limoges, La Rochelle University, University of Nantes, as well as IFP Énergies Nouvelles.
In the South region, Aix-Marseille University and Centrale Marseille are actively supporting this project.
The sectors targeted by this fund will be engineering sciences and health/nutrition, for which Sofimac Innovation is advised by the investment management firm Merieux Equity Partners.
Although the health crisis has disrupted the global economy, Sofimac Innovation, through its Pertinence Invest 2 fund, has pursued an active investment strategy, making 10 investments since March 2020, including two in the South Region: Nothing2Install and ACWA Robotics.
QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS
Sofimac Innovation sought to offer a fresh perspective on the role of seed investors by involving major manufacturers, mid-sized companies, and small and medium-sized enterprises in this innovation financing, enabling them to build relationships with startups at a very early stage as part of a supportiveopen innovation approach.
As a result, companies such as bioMérieux, Michelin, and Seb, as well as some outstanding mid-sized companies, have joined the project to help accelerate the growth of the startups it supports.
As a result, these companies benefit both from support from industry partners and from connections with leading research institutions and laboratories.
In return, industry partners gain specialized access to the world of innovation, active monitoring of topics of interest, and a direct line of communication with educational institutions to discuss R&D contracts or simply build their employer brand among students. This is a connection that is currently very rare!
Finally, this innovation funding initiative also has the support of Bpifrance and banking institutions, withwhom it shares deal flow and financing opportunities. In fact, in the South region, Sofimac Innovation works closely with teams from CEPAC and BNP Paribas.
BY THE NUMBERS…
In summary, the Pertinence 2 Fund is:
- 20 institutions (6 universities, 13 engineering schools, 1 public research organization)
- 466 research laboratories
- 17,000 researchers
- 14 industry partners
- 7 financial partners
- A deal flow of more than 1,000 projects per year
- An initial closing of €41 million
- A total size of €47 million, with a target of €50–60 million at the second closing
- An initial investment of between €100,000 and €700,000, with the option to reinvest
- Approximately 30 participants expected
AURÉLIE VIAUX'S WORDS
Investment Director at SOFIMAC INNOVATION, Marseille Office
“We feel that we have been pioneers in the areas of development for French deep tech that the government has been promoting over the past year: building connections between startups and industrial groups, as well as working on local ecosystems that bring together universities, investors, and companies.”
We are clearly taking a local ecosystem approach centered on qualified partners capable of providing the best possible support for our projects. It is with this in mind that we regularly work with Dynergie, our partners. They bring their expertise and professionalism to key areas for startups: consulting and financing (non-dilutive & R&D tax credits). This is an integral part of our investment strategy!
"Being part of this movement that bridges the gap between the research lab and real-world application, helping to shape the technological leaders of tomorrow… That’s what drives me every day! And the adventure has only just begun. We obviously have other projects in the works for the coming years in our region. "
Aurélie Viaux.
FURTHER READING
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Hugo Charbonnier
For the past 10 years, I have been supporting and advising innovative companies on the strategic and financial development of their innovations: identifying areas for growth, helping to develop business plans, assisting with financial projections, determining the best financing strategy, and preparing financing applications (CIR, CII, JEI, Bpifrance, Digital Innovation Competition, PIA, etc.). My technical expertise in diverse fields such as e-learning, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Big Data, Natural Language Processing, etc., is essential for effectively highlighting the innovative nature of projects to funding organizations.