Business Angels Fund I

Risk capital fund for investments into innovative and export oriented companies in Lithuania.

The Fund will invest only together and on equal basis with Business Angel.

Business Angel is a company or private individual that is ready to invest his funds into the selected target and to share personal business experience with management of the company.

The Fund and Business Angel will participate in business development together with founders of the company. The key driver – invest into the profit generating projects.

The Fund and Business Angel will acquire new issue or the part of it.

The Fund and Business Angel will exit their stake together with founders to strategic or financial investor or to founders of the company.

European Investment Fund (www.eif.org) isthe founder of the Fund. Establishment Agreement of the Fund is signed under the project „JEREMIE the controlling fund“. JEREMIE is financed from structural funds of European Union and national funds according to the program of economy growth activities for the years 2007-2013. More info about JEREMIE the controlling fund can be found in www.skatinimoplanas.lt

JEREMIE (Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises) is a joint initiative launched by the European Commission (DG Regional Policy) and the European Investment Bank group to improve access to finance for SMEs in the EU within the Structural Funds framework for the period 2007 – 2013. JEREMIE enables the EU Member States and Regions to put money from the structural funds and also national resources into holding funds that can finance SMEs in a flexible and innovative way. Since the products will be provided on a repayment basis, funding will be reinvested and hence more SMEs will benefit from the EU resources.

The new initiative aims at developing and fostering the role of entrepreneurship within the EU in order to meet the objectives of the Lisbon agenda and help structural funds to deliver greater benefits to the market.

MAIN DATA ABOUT THE FUND

  • Size – EUR 8.42 mio
  • Fund Manager – consortium of MES INVEST Ltd and Strata Ltd
  • Investment period – till December 31st, 2015.
  • Investment area – Lithuania
  • Investment size – from EUR 50 000 up to EUR 600 000 per company.
  • Investment targets – small and middle size companies with annual turnover up to EUR 4.3 mio, sales oriented to export markets, having strong and successful management team. Potential investment target has to be active in the market for at least 1.5 – 2 years.
  • Use of investment – for acquisition of technologies and equipment and financing of working capital.
  • Investment principle – the Fund invests in equal proportion together with Business Angel, i.e. the Fund invests 50% (including 5% invested by Fund Manager) and Business Angel invests 50% of total investment amount. After acquisition of shares all shareholders sign the Shareholders Agreement disclosing general principles on management, formation of strategic plan, profit sharing and other issues that are essential to shareholders.
  • Type of investment – acquisition of the new issue of the target. Fund and Business Angel together aim to get 50% control of the company. Size of stake depends on company value and agreement with founders of the target.
  • Investment amount of Business Angel is from EUR 50 000 up to EUR 600 000 per company. Business Angel also dedicates one day per week to work together with management of the company.

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