The recent collaboration between the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU), the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), and the European Investment Fund (EIF) marks a significant milestone in Spain’s investment landscape. Together, they have formalized a joint investment of €74.7 million into the Asabys Innvierte Tech Transfer FCRE fund, managed by Asabys Partners. This funding is part of the Innvierte Deep Start financial instrument, aimed at fostering innovation in deep-tech sectors.
The Asabys Innvierte Tech Transfer FCRE fund is specifically focused on biotechnology and medical technologies. Its mission is to invest in the creation and development of innovative companies that leverage deep-tech applications in health. By tapping into Spain’s scientific excellence, the fund emphasizes technology transfer from universities, hospitals, and research centers. This initiative is particularly crucial as it targets very early-stage investments, including the establishment of academic spin-offs and the incubation of projects that require pre-seed financing to achieve proof of concept with an industrial focus.
The fund aims to foster companies that maximize the potential of deep-tech technologies such as artificial intelligence, supercomputing, synthetic biology, and new materials. Additionally, it seeks to explore new therapeutic modalities, thereby contributing to the advancement of healthcare solutions. This strategic focus aligns with the broader goals of enhancing Spain’s position in the global innovation ecosystem.
This investment represents the second deployment of funds through the Innvierte Deep Start financial instrument, which is integral to Spain’s National Deep Tech Strategy 2026–2030. With a total endowment of €353 million—€300 million from MICIU through CDTI’s SICC Innvierte and €53 million from the EIF—Innvierte Deep Start aims to bolster innovation at early stages (Technology Readiness Levels 2–4). The initiative is designed to strengthen the value chain and facilitate the transfer of technology from research institutions to market scale-up and internationalization, ultimately converting Spanish research into high-value solutions.
Through the investment in Asabys Innvierte Tech Transfer, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, CDTI Innvierte, and the EIF are reaffirming their commitment to innovation and technology transfer. This collaboration not only enhances access to financing for Spanish scientific research but also aims to develop real-world solutions that improve citizens’ lives and bolster the competitiveness of the Spanish economy. The Innvierte Deep Start instrument is pivotal in positioning Spain as a leading destination for funds specializing in deep-tech.
In this joint indirect co-investment scheme, CDTI and the EIF act as Limited Partners, supporting the efforts of professional fund managers while channeling resources toward funds with proven track records in technology, finance, and sustainability. The collaboration between CDTI Innvierte and the EIF under the Innvierte Deep Start framework also enhances the visibility of Spanish startups, facilitating the attraction of international co-investments.
General Information
Innvierte
Innvierte is an initiative designed to promote business innovation by supporting venture capital investments in technology-based or innovative companies. This program is implemented through the closed-ended collective investment company Innvierte Economía Sostenible SICC S.M.E., S.A., which is self-managed and supervised by the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), with CDTI Innovación as the sole shareholder.
To date, CDTI Innovación has committed €3,478.5 million across 61 investment vehicles through Innvierte. Additionally, it has directly invested €866.1 million in 197 companies via its co-investment line. This initiative is part of the Spanish Strategy for Science, Technology, and Innovation 2021–2027, which was approved by the Council of Ministers in September 2020. The strategy outlines the objectives, reforms, and measures necessary to drive growth and impact in the R&D&I sector, serving as a cornerstone for the government’s R&D&I policy in the coming years.
CDTI Innovación
The Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology, CDTI E.P.E., is the innovation agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities. Its primary objective is to promote technological innovation within the business sector. CDTI’s mission is to ensure that the Spanish business landscape effectively generates and transforms scientific and technical knowledge into globally competitive, sustainable, and inclusive growth. In 2025, CDTI is projected to provide over €2 billion in support to Spanish companies and startups as part of its Strategic Plan 2024–2027.
EIB Group
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group serves as the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and is one of the largest multilateral development banks globally. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion in new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects aligned with eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructure, the EIB Group plays a crucial role in crowding in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, increasingly participating in Europe’s markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees, and securitizations. In Spain alone, the EIB Group completed financing and investment operations totaling around €11 billion last year, alongside an additional €2.9 billion under the Regional Resilience Fund (NextGenerationEU loans).
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is a subsidiary of the EIB Group, specializing in providing guarantees and equity to enhance access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, the EIF mobilizes private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs. In 2023, the EIF, together with six Member States (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands), launched the European Tech Champions Initiative, a fund-of-funds aimed at scaling up innovative startups. This initiative has already facilitated the creation of 15 European venture capital mega-funds and scaled up 43 companies, including 11 unicorns (companies valued at over €1 billion).
Asabys Partners
Asabys Partners is a venture capital firm based in Barcelona, specializing in health innovation and life sciences, including biotechnology, medical technologies, and digital health. Founded in 2018 by Josep Ll. Sanfeliu and Clara Campàs, the firm is backed by Alantra and has Banc Sabadell as its anchor investor. Asabys aims to support highly innovative and transformative technologies that address unmet medical needs. Currently managing over €400 million in assets, Asabys has 23 portfolio companies and positions itself not just as an investor but as an active and collaborative partner, striving to translate disruptive science into tangible outcomes for patients.
