The investment industry has a crucial role to play in accelerating the decarbonization of our economies and building a more sustainable approach to sourcing and supply chains. The ESG revolution underway opens multiple opportunities for far-sighted investors, but a rigorous analytical approach based on scientific criteria, such as the Planetary Boundaries framework, is essential to channel investment where it is most effective.
Numerous macro-economic and geo-political factors are prompting growing concerns among politicians, corporations and consumers about economic sovereignty. Nicolas Debock, Wilfried Piskula, and Arnaud Vincent examine how private equity investors need to take account of the trends and help their portfolio companies address the challenges face and, in some cases, identify the opportunities.
Sustainable tech is a hot sector in Europe thanks to the momentum created by the continent's entrepreneurs, consumers, and regulators rallying to meet ESG requirements. Sophie Flak and Zoé Fabian suggest that investors should continue to respect rigorous investment criteria as they scan the market for opportunities.
Covid threw the spotlight on a handful of younger biotech companies which emerged as heroes of the crisis. Peter Neubeck and Daniel Parera of Kurma Partners, part of the Eurazeo Group, explain how this “lighthouse effect” can help steer future European biotech entrepreneurs to success, and show why VC investors are key in helping them build their businesses to play a role alongside Big Pharma on the global stage.
As tough economic times are putting the squeeze on traditional bank loans and effectively shuttering the CLO market, Europe’s small & medium businesses are increasingly turning to private debt funds to finance their growth plans. Vivien Buttiaux, Valérie Ducourty and Maxime de Roquette-Buisson explain what’s driving the market, and the criteria for a successful investment strategy.
Europe’s small and medium-sized companies have been hard hit by the multi-faceted crisis of the last two years, but Erwann Le Ligné and Florian Zimmermann argue that many of them will emerge strengthened by recent ordeals, well positioned to pursue their ambitions of developing into pan-European and even global champions.
The volume of secondary transactions is accelerating due to the sheer volume of primary deals in recent years, compounded by the need of many LPs to realize liquidity. But Christophe Simon warns that investors looking to take advantage of the growing number of deals in this market need to have the expertise, resources, and relationships to ensure that GP and LP interests are aligned.
Despite tough inflationary times, there is still demand for brand name products, but real concerns about ESG considerations among consumers on both sides of the Atlantic are putting new pressure on companies to live up to expectations. Amandine Ayrem and David Choi look at how private equity firms can work with their portfolio companies to navigate the new demands.
The combined impact of the energy crisis, supply chain disruption and climate change has sparked a surge of interest in Europe’s climate tech sector. Encouraged by the EU’s demanding regulations, investors, corporates and entrepreneurs are working together to give Europe a lead in the sector. Alice Besomi and Mélissa Cohen look at the role of venture capital and infrastructure funds in European decarbonization.
Despite the current headwinds facing companies across the region, the European mid-market segment provides a rich seedbed for building regional and global champions. Eurazeo’s selective, well-proven buyout strategy can reveal hidden treasures across the region, justifying a call on institutional investors to think their asset allocation, notably in the pan-European private equity sector. Christophe Bavière explains how Eurazeo’s four-part strategy helps Europe’s SMEs realize their ambitions.