The Free State of Bavaria's venture capital company was launched in December 1995. Since then, Bayern Kapital has invested approximately €210 million in more than 230 Bavarian startups, which together employ more than 5,000 people.
At the 20th anniversary celebration in Munich in early December 2015, the Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Ilse Aigner, highlighted the importance of Bayern Kapital for the Free State:
“Without the commitment of Bayern Kapital, many Bavarian startup stories would not have been possible and many business models would not have been developed.”
Bayern Kapital currently has approximately €200 million of newly investable funds at its disposal. Dr. Georg Ried, Managing Director of Bayern Kapital, believes the investment company is on the right track:
"The Bavarian Growth Fund, launched this year alone, comprises 100 million euros. It is intended for later-stage projects and rounds out our comprehensive investment offering."
The wholly-owned subsidiary of LfA Förderbank Bayern currently manages eleven investment funds with a total volume of approximately €340 million and owns shares in approximately 65 companies. These include sectors such as life sciences, software & IT, medical technology, materials & new materials, nanotechnology, and environmental technology. Sixteen of the companies supported over the past two decades are now publicly traded, and 24 have been acquired by strategic buyers.
