Teknoseed secures SEK 50 million in new early stage VC fund
IKANO Investments, Sparbanken Finn, Innovationsbron Syd and Region Skåne are making an initial investment of MSEK 50 in the Venture Capital fund, Teknoseed II. With a broadened investor base, including both private and public capital, Teknoseed will intensify its focus on recently formed innovation-based companies in Southern Sweden. The total capital under management by Teknoseed now amounts to MSEK 160. The aim is to further increase the size of the new fund.
IKANO Investments, a part of the IKANO Group – which also owns a large portion of the property portfolio in the Ideon Science Park in Lund – is a significant investor in Venture Capital funds all over the world.
– Teknoseed has a unique position in Southern Sweden and has shown that a consistent investment strategy generates high levels of return, even in companies at an early stage of development, says Leif B. Bengtsson, Managing Director of IKANO Investments.
Sparbanken Finn, with its strong position and network in regional trade and industry, has followed the development of Teknoseed and its current portfolio companies for a long period of time.
– We believe in continued strong growth in the Öresund Region and in particular within the investment focus of Teknoseed II, says Lars-Olof Svensson, Vice President of Sparbanken Finn.
Innovationsbron Syd (IS), which founded Teknoseed AB in 1997, and Region Skåne have both, for a considerable period of time, contributed to the creation of improved conditions for recently formed growth companies in the County of Skåne and Southern Sweden, and view their partnership with the new fund as a natural continuation of the efforts that have been undertaken to date.
– It is particularly pleasing that we are now working with private capital in our joint focus on developing new, innovation-based companies, says Sven-Thore Holm, Managing Director of Innovationsbron Syd, and Hans Henecke, Head of Trade and Industry Promotion of Region Skåne.
Teknoseed’s strengths are found in, amongst other things, its access to a broad network of competences from both trade and industry as well as from academia. Via this network, access to a flow of high quality, recently formed companies, requiring equity capital is secured.
– In out efforts to develop new entrepreneurship and generate high levels of returns we are proud and pleased to be able to work with some of the region’s strongest players, says Semmy Rülf, Chairman of Teknoseed and Adam Schatz, Managing Director of Teknoseed.
TeknoSeed is a member of Medicon Valley Academy.
More information: www.teknoseed.se