UCPH Ventures
The investment company UCPH Ventures co-invests in new companies that grow out of UCPH's own research environments.
The University of Copenhagen has founded a limited liability company to support spinouts, i.e. companies that have grown out of the university's research activities.
UCPH Ventures will give the university's researchers better opportunities to get through the first phase of their entrepreneurship, where many spin-outs face challenges.
Spin-out companies are one way to transfer university knowledge to society. But especially in the early stages of a spin-out's life, it is difficult to find investors who have both the patience and risk appetite to get involved. At UCPH, we believe in our innovative researchers so much that we want to contribute to the investments that will equip them to become robust and viable. Hopefully, this belief can rub off on other investors,” explains Rector Henrik C. Wegener.
Working together with a new large venture fund
The need for collaboration with private investors is also reflected in the structure behind UCPH Ventures. UCPH Ventures was founded as a side fund to the venture fund Eir Ventures, which has funding from the European Investment Fund, Vækstfonden, Novo Holdings A/S, the Swedish private equity fund SamInvest and six Swedish universities, as well as a number of private investors.
The investment team at Eir Ventures consists of experienced professionals who have raised €122.3 million (approx. 915 million DKK) for the fund. Eir Ventures will invest in a broad range of companies within the healthcare sector, primarily with a focus on new drugs.
UCPH Ventures is founded with a capital commitment of DKK 15 million. The company invests exclusively in spin-outs established on the basis of inventions by UCPH researchers, where the rights are owned by the University of Copenhagen. The basis for the collaboration with Eir Ventures is a co-investment agreement. Eir Ventures is responsible for assessing investment potential, and in companies based on UCPH inventions, UCPH Ventures will have the opportunity to
Eir Ventures is a life science focused venture fund with a strong foundation in the Nordics, investing in both early stage and more mature opportunities. The fund started investment activities in 2020 and invests in medical technology.
Eir Ventures is founded by a team of experienced life science investors and backed by a strong investor syndicate consisting of Saminvest, the European Investment Fund (EIF), Vækstfonden, Novo Holdings and private investors. Eir Ventures I AB is a registered alternative investment fund and operates under the Swedish Alternative Investment Fund Managers Act.
The name Eir originates from Norse mythology, where Eir (Old Norse: [ˈɛir], “protection, help, mercy”) is a goddess or valkyrie associated with health. Eir is described in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson.
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