Introduction
FONSINNOCAT is an independent, multisectorial venture-capital fund, aimed at small-to-medium enterprises located in Catalonia and seeking finance for innovative projects, wherter in the production, commercial or organisational areas.
Investment is usually made over the short-term (3 to 6 years) and generally represents less than 50% of the share capital of the company in which the investment is made.
The fund contains some 20 million euros. Investment per project is between 0.5 and 2.5 million euros. Both newly created companies and consolidated companies may benefit, provided that the project is innovative and designed to improve competitivity and promote growth.
Investment Criteria
FONSINNOCAT is a fund aimed at SMEs outside the financial or property sectors with an annual turnover of between 0.1 and 50 million euros.
The fund invests in INNOVATIVE projects from any business sector, be they in the commercial, organisational, productive or research area.
However, it particularly focuses on the most innovative sectors, such as telecommunications, software, biotechnology, the environment, etc.
The geographical scope of the fund is not merely limited to Catalonia but extends to the entire European Union, as long as the company being invested in has its registered offices in Catalonia.
No more than 15% of the FONSINNOCAT fund is invested in a single project and no more than 30% in a single economic sector.
Investment decisions must all be approved by an independent Investment Comittee composed of widely acknowledged business experts.
Florenci Bach
Holder of a degree in Economics from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona and a diploma in General Management from IESE Business School, florenci Bach has largely worked in the new technologies area (computer systems and telecommunications) - in intangibles production (organisation, analyses, software), in the management of intellectual production teams, or as a consultant.
From 1997 to 2000, he was Deputy Chairman of the Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones (CMT), to which he currently acts as a consultant. He has been Director General of the SEDISI Business Association (1985-1993), a consultant to the Hospital de Sabadell and the consortium created by REDITEL (mobile telephone systems), Head of the Data Processing Centre of the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (1979-1984), Head of the Information Systems for the textile group M. Bosser S.A., and Programmer-Analyst at the Centre de Càlcul de Sabadell (1973-1975).
Mario Ezquerra
Having a PDG by IESE, Mario Ezquerra currently acts as business adviser and consultant to several companies. With 25 years experience in the financial sector, he has held posts in a range of institutions, including as Adviser to the Banca Catalana (until 2000), Assistant Regional Director for Catalonia-Balearic Islands for Banco BBV (1987-1993), Regional Business Director for Catalonia-Balearic Islands (1978-1986) and Vallès Area Director (1974-1978) for Banco de Vizcaya. Prior to this (from 1968) he was a territorial controller.
He has in-depth knowledge of the Catalan business sector and SMEs.
Enric Santamaria
Holder of an Industrial Engineering degree (majoring in Industrial Organisation) from the Universidad Politécnica de Barcelona, and MBA-GET degree from the same university in association with MIT (Massachusets Institute of Technology), Enric Santamaria is currently Senior Vice-Chairman (automotive and consumption) of the ABN AMRO Bank, NV. He previously occupied other posts in the financial sector, among them Business Account Director in the Caixa de Pensions de Barcelona (1998- 2000), Regional and Executive Director of Accounts and Head of Multinationals in Citibank NA. (1981-1998), as well as positions in the former Banco Vizcaya. Industrial experience includes posts in Armstrong Cork Co. and Algodonera San José, S.A.
Enric Santamaría is also a former lecturer and head of the Management Sciences department at the Universidad Politécnica de Barcelona (1978-1983). Since 1989, he has been a lecturer in International Finance at the Universidad Ramon Llull.
Andoni Olibarri
With over twenty years experience in the financial sector, Andoni Olabarri combines in-depth technical knowledge (acquired as Director of Studies in the Caja de Ahorros Vizcaya and as Head Economist in Argentaria), with vast experience in the management area. Former high-ranking financial posts include General Sub-Director for the International Division of Argentaria and Managing Director for the Belgian Gesbanque. He holds a degree in Economic Science from Universidad de Deusto (Bilbao) and a master’s degree in Economics from Universiteit Leuven (Belgium).