About us
Brightlands Venture Partners is an independent venture capital fund manager in The Netherlands. We are an ecosystem investor, investing in innovative companies with a link to one of the Brightlands campuses. Funds under management are: Limburg Ventures, Chemelot Ventures, Brightlands Agrifood Fund and BVP Fund IV.
Track record
We hold a strong record of solid returns and measurable impact, with several exits to blue chip companies that have further strengthened Brightlands’ ecosystem. For an overview of our past and current portfolio, please click here.
Focus
It is our goal to accelerate sustainable businesses that impact global environmental & health challenges. We invest if a company benefits from – and contributes to – the Brightlands ecosystem.
Within the themes Sustainability and Health, Brightlands Venture Partners invests in the following sectors:
- Renewable chemistry & circularity
- Regenerative medicine and biomedical materials
- Agritech & food
- Digital technologies (big data, artificial intelligence)
Criteria
We are always looking for new investment opportunities that have the following characteristics:
- Strong management with the ability to sail through bad weather
- Breakthrough proprietary technology with proof of principle
- Ability to demonstrate the market potential in global markets
- Strong growth ambition
- Credible business model
- Exit horizon within 7 years
- Fit with the Brightlands ecosystem
How we work
As an investor, we are actively involved in supporting our portfolio companies.
Our philosophy is that we invest in a company if we have confidence in the company’s management and believe they are able to execute the plan or find alternative ways to make the company successful.
Apart from capital, our added value is in making meaningful connections with our extensive network. As an ecosystem investor we know our investment areas and industries, the relevant co-investors, key opinion leaders and professionals within and outside the Brightlands campuses. We offer strategic as well as practical support. We work closely with our portfolio companies but do not take the place of the entrepreneur or the company’s management.
Our initial investment is typically between € 0.5 million and € 2.0 million per company. We generally reserve an amount for follow-on investments at least twice our initial commitment. Investments are mostly divided in milestone-based tranches.
We prefer to invest in a syndicate and can take the role of lead investor and help find co-investors. In addition, we will assist the company to obtain funding from non-dilutive sources.
Ecosystem
The Brightlands ecosystem has its roots in four centers of gravity:
- Chemistry and circularity R&D and production around the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen,
- Academic biomedical R&D at the Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus
- Agrifood technologies and nutrition R&D at the Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo
- Data science and smart services at the Brightlands Smart Services Campus in Heerlen
The Brightlands ecosystem has developed around these four campuses, with ties to strongholds in Eindhoven, Aachen and Leuven. Brightlands was built on the strengths of world leading innovative industrial companies such as DSM, SABIC, Lanxess, Sekisui and Medtronic. Over the last decade it grew strongly with companies such as BASF, Fresenius, Lonza and Saudi Aramco and a myriad of young innovative companies and R&D institutes.
For more information about Brightlands visit: http://www.brightlands.com
More information
If you have any questions or want to know more about us
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