BASF Venture Capital GmbH, Ludwigshafen, Germany, has invested in the venture capital FINTECH GIMV Fund L.P. (FGF), which focuses on Japan-based high-tech startup companies. The main areas involved are life sciences, alternative energy generation and storage, material sciences, and information and communications technology. The bulk of the startups are spin-offs from Japanese universities and industrial corporations.
FGF has raised $55 million (about €38 million) in its first closing, with BASF Venture Capital contributing $2 million (about €1.4 million). Other investors include the Japanese investment bank FinTech Global Incorporated, Belgium's largest capital investment company GIMV, and the Development Bank of Japan.
The move allows BASF to benefit from FGF's excellent connections in the Japanese financial and venture capital markets. The investment also gives BASF access to innovative technologies in Japan that support the company's five growth clusters: energy management, raw material change, nanotechnology, plant biotechnology and white (industrial) biotechnology.
"Japan is a global front runner in megatrend technologies. Our investment in FGF gives us a first-class view of Japanese technologies at an early stage of development and increases our access to Japanese startups. FGF's experienced management is an additional benefit" said Dr. Knut Eichler, investment manager at BASF East Asia Regional Headquarter Ltd.
Source: BASF
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