Four key benefits
Limited dilution
Our financing has less of an impact on ownership than equity funding. This helps keep motivation high, while complementing equity capital.
Bespoke financing
Loans can be secured or unsecured, and provide different levels of subordination (including contingent/participating loans).
Hands-off approach
We have no direct involvement in daily management.
Signalling effect
Our financing is often seen as a mark of quality, helping attract additional investors.
Eligibility criteria
Who is eligible
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps developing highly innovative technologies, solutions or platforms.
The company must have already raised equity from professional investors, have a sustainable business model and business plan and have a solid corporate governance in place.
Eligibility criteria
What is eligible
The investee must have investment plans for research and development that are geographically located in the European Union (EU). The projects should be in commercial stage. Exceptionally, projects in pre-commercial stage may be accepted if the company develops technologies in areas of strategic importance to the EU.
We typically offer financing between €5 million and €50 million. Scale-up companies with a valuation exceeding €500 million are eligible for financing superior to €50 million.
Projects that apply for financing under InvestEU are eligible for venture debt financing.
The projects should fall under one of the following innovative areas:
Typically companies active in biotech, unmet medical needs, vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, med-tech, digital health solutions.
Companies we work with
Typically companies active in robotics, automation, high performance computing, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, advanced hardware components, advanced engineering, photonics, semiconductors, IoT, 5G and beyond, edge computing, industry 4.0, automation and data flows, advanced materials, sustainable/advanced manufacturing, space tech, and strategic sustainable ICT technologies.
Companies we work with
Typically companies active in sustainable transport, future mobility, transition to clean energy, decarbonisation technologies and digital solutions, bioeconomy, and circular economy.
Companies we work with
Contact us
How to get financing
Find more information about applying for EIB venture debt financing and the next steps of the process. Sign up for a contact account to send all inquiries directly to our Venture Debt team. Once signed up, your company can get in touch with us, make a general enquiry or apply for venture debt financing.
In focus
EU – Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Partnership
Together with the European Commission and Breakthrough Energy we are accelerating the deployment of emerging climate technologies in Europe through Catalyst. Through this partnership we identify and support projects with high potential for impact and cost-down trajectory in sectors such as clean hydrogen, energy storage, sustainable aviation fuel, direct CO2 capture and decarbonisation of heavily polluting industries.
Featured projects
Discover how our products help the economy, create jobs and promote equality.