medifundo is a Crowdfinancing platform with a very specific approach: It focuses exclusively on life sciences companies, which naturally have difficulty obtaining sufficient financing. The creators aim to establish financing via their platform as an alternative to existing financing options and as a new avenue for corporate financing.
“Effects far beyond financing”
The medifundo managers define Peter Biewald The life sciences sector is quite broad, from drug development to med-tech, diagnostics, tool and service providers, e-health, and other services. What's more, the crowdfunding platform's support isn't limited to raising capital.
“We want to support our companies in the long term and make our entire life sciences network available to them, so that our platform can have positive effects far beyond financing,”
emphasizes Biewald.
Experienced makers from Martinsried's biotech forge
Biewald and his founding partner Marcus Irsfeld are highly experienced in life sciences. Both have spent several years in the Martinsried biotech scene as CFOs and have also gained management experience in other industries, such as IT. This gives them excellent access, particularly in the area of e-health, but also in medical technology topics. In the past, they and their team have even over 250 million euros in financing volume collect.
The internal medical-technical evaluation of the medifundo portfolio companies is carried out via a network of “Medical Advisors”.
“In accordance with our approach that the more complex products and business models of life sciences companies can best be assessed by investors with an affinity for the industry, we primarily address healthcare professionals such as scientists, physicians, pharmacists and those interested in the industry, such as employees of laboratories or pharmaceutical companies,”
explains Managing Director Biewald.
medifundo makes 5 million euros and more possible
Life sciences companies can raise up to €2.5 million through medifundo. This is made possible by the Small Investor Protection Act passed last year.
“If one takes into account that the funds raised are considered equity, funding of the same volume can often be applied for on this basis,”
adds Biewald.
"In addition, many development banks are willing to mirror the funding volume achieved, i.e., invest the same amount again. In the best case scenario, this can result in a financing volume of more than EUR 5 million, which is also an attractive amount for biotech companies, for example."
Source of financing is not decisive
In addition to or in addition to crowdfinancing, the medifundo network also aims to attract business angels, semi-institutional investors such as family offices and institutional investors as (co-)investors.
“The primary objective is to cover the financing needs at adequate conditions, whereby the source of financing is not decisive,”
says Biewald.
