The LfA-EIF Facilities

The LfA-EIF Facilities are virtually structured fund of funds (Dachfonds) totaling EUR 325 million with resources from LfA Förderbank Bayern and the EIF. The funds are managed by the EIF, aiming to address specific equity financing gaps at regional level.

The intention of LfA Förderbank Bayern and the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy has been to broaden the range of venture capital funds and available equity capital offer for early-stage, technology-oriented SMEs in Bavaria. The EIF is helping to achieve this by strengthening the equity capital market and creating incentives to raise additional funds from private or public sector investors.

Since its establishment in 2009, this partnership has developed as follows:

• LfA-EIF Facility: Closing in 2009 at EUR 50m, subsequently increased in 2011 and 2014 to EUR 150m.
• LfA-EIF 2 Facility: Closing in 2018 at EUR 50m.
• LfA-EIF 3 Facility: Closing in mid-2020 at EUR 50m, subsequently increased in 2021 to EUR 100m and 2023 to EUR 125m.

The LfA-EIF Facilities invest in venture capital funds present and investing in Bavaria. They target all technology areas (ICT, life sciences, energy-related innovations, as well as emerging and converging technologies), and are typically co-invested by other EIF managed mandates, e.g. the ERP-EIF Facility with its investment focus on Germany.

Commitments from the LfA-EIF Facilities, often combined with other EIF mandates like the ERP-EIF Facility, aim to support the funding of portfolio companies based or active in Bavaria. Supported funds are, however, not restricted to investing solely in Bavarian companies, and a sizable proportion of the LfA-EIF Facility is being invested through non-Bavarian or non-German fund managers, aiming to invest in the Bavarian venture capital market. So far, the LfA-EIF Facility has supported some 50 funds and more than 1,000 SME investments in Bavaria, Germany and Europe.

Are you a fund manager interested in the LFA-EIF Facilities?

• Read more information here about partnering with the EIF - how to submit and what to include in your fund proposal: EIF for Venture Capital & Private Equity funds.

Information for SMEs

• If you are looking for funding and would like to see which funds in your area cooperate with us currently, please visit http://www.eif.org/what_we_do/where/index.htm and contact the intermediary in your country directly.

For further updates about finance available under EU initiatives, check http://europa.eu/youreurope/business/funding-grants/access-to-finance