VCMatch

European Investment Fund

www.eif.org

The EIF funds SMEs and infrastructure projects across their entire lifecycle—from start-ups to scale-ups—and supports critical infrastructure in energy transition, digital connectivity, social housing, and sustainability. They aim to make financing more accessible and affordable while advancing EU policy priorities in green transformation, innovation, social cohesion, and competitiveness.

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Investment Thesis

The EIF operates as a bridge between EU policy makers and market players, balancing policy goals with return objectives. They invest their own capital alongside partners to support EU priorities while delivering value to shareholders. Their approach is rooted in a dual mission: closing financing gaps for SMEs and infrastructure projects while maintaining commercial discipline through an intermediated model that doesn’t lend or invest directly, but rather shares risk with a network of ~1,900 financial intermediaries.

What Sets Them Apart

  • AAA rating from all three major rating agencies with €7.37 billion capital base
  • Achieved five-fold leverage: every €1 of public money generates ~€5 in further investments by other market players
  • Intermediated model—doesn't lend directly to businesses but works through 1,900+ banking and fund partners across EU
  • 30 years of SME risk financing experience with 2.2 million SMEs supported since inception
  • Unique position at intersection of finance, policy, and European value creation
  • Multilateral development bank status enabling 0% risk weighting on guaranteed assets under Basel standards
  • Portfolio companies include unicorns like Spotify, BlaBlaCar, WeTransfer, Skyscanner, and Vinted

Portfolio Highlights

Orqa

Robotics

The Knotty Ones

Social Impact

Gigglebug

Entertainment

Cylib

Deep Tech

Lunar Outpost

Space

Shazam

Music Tech

WeTransfer

Software

BlaBlaCar

Mobility

+ 5 more companies in their portfolio

Investment Team

11 Partners at European Investment Fund

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