The Finnish Greenovate! Europe member Lahti Science and Business Park and the early-state fund Cleantech Invest have joined forces. The alliance wraps-up the services of both parties into one unified whole. The common goal is very clear: to accelerate the growth of most promising Finnish cleantech start-ups and prepare them for next financing round. The alliance contains placement and board seat of Lahti Science and Business Park in the Cleantech Invest’s early stage fund.
Both parties are already prominent and well known players in the Nordic cleanctech scene. Unifying services into one coherent whole means more efficient innovation radar, and allows for supporting the best cleantech teams with industry specific business intelligence, growth finance and pathways to go global.
Cleantech Invest manages private equity funds and invests together with co-investors. The shareholder value is increased with working closely together with the portfolio companies. Cleantech Invest has raised an early stage venture capital fund focusing on cleantech start-ups. Target companies are backed by grants from TEKES – the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, which enables attractive funding packages for early stage companies. Total funding is typically 1-2 million euros.
Lahti Science and Business Park is one of the leading cleantech technology centres in Nothern Europe. Its long term mission is to speed up Finnish companies to grow and internationalize. This mission is boosted with a mandate from the Government: Lahti Science and Business Park coordinates the Finnish Cleantech Cluster and runs programmes to expand businesses in China and Russia. In 2010 the cluster was nominated as the 3rd best cleantech cluster globally by Sustainable World Capital. With over 30 cleantech specialists LSBP runs a renewable energy research centre called Energon and incubates and serves a hub of cleantech companies.
The two companies started working together already in 2005 when the first Cleantech Venture Day (CVD) was arranged. CVD has taken its place as one the most recognized forums for cleantech innovation and finance to meet. The last CVD in early November gathered a record breaking number and high quality of presenting companies and financiers looking for investment targets (see more at www.cleantechday.fi). CVD will remain as the spearhead of the cooperation.
Cleantech Invest
Cleantech Invest is a venture capital firm focused on clean technologies. It manages private equity funds and invests together with co-investors to meet the funding requirements of each portfolio company. The company creates success stories by combining capital, sector know-how and access to key players in the cleantech sector, globally. Since 2005 Cleantech Invest has been a trusted partner for institutions and corporations investing in clean technologies as well as for companies developing and commercializing clean technologies.
For further information, please see: www.cleantechinvest.com
Lahti Science and Business Park
Lahti Science and Business Park is responsible for the development of top-class fields of expertise, the environment, design and business in the Lahti region. The company has about 50 specialists, 80% of focusing solely on cleantech and cleandesign. Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd conducts an international IASP (International Association of Science Parks) Enviroparks network and is coordinator of the Cleantech Cluster of the Finnish Centre of Expertise Programme.
For further information, please see: www.lahtisbp.fi