TECHEU THEMATIC INNOVATION (INVESTEU VD) LE II

The project refers to a Lending Envelope for investments comprising Thematic Venture Debt (Equity Type) operations eligible under the Thematic Innovation - Research, Innovation and Digitalisation Window (RIDW) InvestEU Window, including: 1.1. Health Innovation; 1.2. Future Tech; and 1.3 Areas of strategic importance, as well as any additional requirement defined by the specific financing sources part of the Envelope. The Lending Envelope will be implemented in EU Member States as well as other countries contributing to the InvestEU programme. The investments to be financed are expected to be implemented within the period 2024-2030, unless the facility is extended.

Lending Envelope under InvestEU RIDW Thematic Innovation aiming at providing venture debt finance to eligible counterparts in all InvestEU eligible countries.

The Lending Envelope concerns the investments for the development of innovative technologies suitable to strengthen the EU's position among Thematic Innovation as defined in the InvestEU Guarantee Agreement, as well as according to the requirements under the different sources of funds contributing to the RIDW Thematic Innovation. It concerns investments for the development of innovative technologies needed to strengthen the EU's position especially in the fields of: (a) research, development and innovation, (b) health innovation investments, (c) the development, deployment and scaling-up of digital technologies and services, especially those that contribute to the objectives of the Digital Europe Programme, (d) key enabling technologies and (e) areas of strategic importance. The sub-projects under the operation will lead to positive externalities (including environmental), through the market deployment of the concerned technologies, and will contribute to further knowledge creation, accumulation and diffusion (through patenting and R&D collaboration between universities and industrial partners) and workforce reskilling needed to operate in the evolving technologies and markets.

The EIB financing therefore supports investments addressing the market failure and gaps associated with imperfect competition and incomplete markets for very innovative and still market-entry technologies, and those associated with positive environmental and knowledge externalities generation.

The sub-projects concerning the operations under this Programme Loan are expected to be sound, properly managed and implemented by competent and knowledgeable management and development teams, which will make possible implementing them, delivering the expected results and addressing the relevant market failures.

The financing structure under this equity-type operation is designed to address high-risk investments that are requiring long-term capital, so the EIB is additional in terms of both maturity and volume. A similar long-term financing structure is not available from other market players at comparable terms and/or within the same crucial timeframe. The EIB's expertise is pivotal in quasi-equity transactions as they involve a highly customised structuring component, a key element of this innovative financing, and frequent monitoring to ensure consistency with policy objectives and implementation milestones.

The level of risk of the sub-projects under the proposed Lending Envelope will be in excess of the risk capacity that the EIB could take using its own resources. The operation could not be executed without the strong EU First Loss Piece support provided by InvestEU.

Final beneficiaries will be requested to comply with applicable national and EU legislation, as appropriate.

Final beneficiaries will be requested to comply with applicable national and EU legislation, as appropriate.