Forbion raises €1.35 billion across two funds


  • Forbion’s largest fundraising to date
  • €750 million raised in the final close of the Forbion Ventures Fund VI
  • €600 million raised in the final close of the Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund II
  • Brings the total of funds under management at Forbion to €3 billion

NAARDEN, The Netherlands and MUNICH, Germany, April 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forbion, a leading European life sciences venture capital firm, today announces that it has raised €1.35 billion ($1.5 billion) for its two newest funds, bringing the total of funds under management to €3 billion. Both funds exceeded their original target sizes and represent Forbion’s largest fundraising success to date.

The final close of the Forbion Ventures Fund VI has reached the hard cap amount of €750 million and the final close of the Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund II has also been secured at the hard cap amount of €600 million. The two funds meet the needs of distinct segments of the market. The Forbion Ventures Fund VI is focused on building companies at an earlier stage of development and the Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund II supports the expansion of late-stage life sciences companies.

Forbion Ventures Fund VI
The Forbion Ventures Fund VI will build a portfolio of highly impactful therapeutics companies including existing biotechs and new companies (co-) founded by Forbion, created around assets sourced from pharma or academic institutions, or around proven management teams. Forbion’s Ventures Fund VI builds on the firm’s strong track record from previous Forbion Ventures funds. Forbion Ventures Fund VI saw a strong re-up rate by existing investors, and at the same time has attracted several new investors including Dutch pension funds PME and PMT, Loyola University of Chicago, the Scott Trust Endowment Ltd and Pictet Alternative Advisors.

Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund II
The Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund II builds on the strength of Forbion’s first Growth Fund. The fund is focused on investing primarily in European later-stage biopharma companies developing novel therapies in areas of high medical need. In these financings, the team aims to take leading positions with investment sizes of up to €70 million per deal. The fund has attracted several new institutional investors, including Amundi and Legal & General Capital which join Dutch pension funds PME and PMT, Pantheon and Eli Lilly and Company. The Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund II has already made four investments to date.

Sander Slootweg, Managing Partner and co-founder of Forbion said: “We are extremely proud of the confidence investors have placed in us as evidenced by the €1.35 billion that we have raised. This is a record for Forbion and a testament to our long track record as a leading investor that supports ambitious management teams and successful life sciences companies across different stages of their development. Achieving the final close of the Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund II at the hard cap highlights the continuing need for investment in late-stage European life sciences companies, a market segment that remains underserved. Furthermore, the successful final close of our Forbion Ventures VI Fund demonstrates continued investor appetite for our specialist investment strategy and the opportunities we see for superior returns in development-stage life sciences companies.”

Robbert van de Griendt, General Partner, Investor Relations and Impact said: ”We are delighted at the success of these two fundraisings, which were oversubscribed against the backdrop of considerable market uncertainty. The high demand from existing and new institutional and corporate investors reflects their confidence in the strong fundamentals of our industry and in Forbion’s ability to provide capital and expertise that enables high-quality life sciences companies to develop new therapeutics that can significantly impact the future of medicine.”

The Forbion Ventures Fund VI and the Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund II will be managed by Forbion’s highly specialized and experienced investment team and supported by a high-caliber group of Operating Partners, Venture Partners and Advisers.

For more information, please contact:

Forbion Investor Relations
Email: Robbert.van.de.Griendt@forbion.com
General Partner IR & Impact

Forbion Communications
Email: laura.asbjornsen@forbion.com
Head of Communications

Brunswick Group
Ayesha Bharmal, Charis Gresser
Email: Forbion@Brunswickgroup.com

About Forbion

Forbion is a dedicated life sciences venture capital firm with offices in The Netherlands, Germany and Singapore. Forbion invests in life sciences companies that are active in the (bio-) pharmaceutical space. Forbion manages €3 billion across multiple fund strategies that cover all stages of (bio-) pharmaceutical drug development. Forbion’s current team consists of over 30 life sciences investment professionals that have built an impressive performance track record since the late nineties with investments in 95 companies across 8 funds. Forbion’s record of sourcing, building and guiding life sciences companies has resulted in many breakthrough therapies and valuable exits. Portfolio company successes include NewAmsterdam Pharma (NASDAQ: NAMS), Gyroscope (acquired by Novartis) and Replimune (NASDAQ: REPL). Besides financial objectives, Forbion selects investments that will positively affect the health and well-being of patients. The firm is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment. Forbion operates a joint venture with BGV, the manager of seed and early-stage funds, especially focused on Benelux and Germany.

For more information, please visit: www.forbion.com