Gilde wraps up fresh health investment fund worth €600m

Netherlands-based investment group Gilde Healthcare has raised €600 million ($658 million) for a new transatlantic fund intended to support innovative ventures in digital healthcare, medtech, and therapeutics.

The Venture & Growth VI fund – backed by a broad range of international investors – will focus on “fast growing companies developing solutions for better care at lower cost,” according to the company, which says it takes the total raised in the last three years to €1.5 billion.

Among its previous investments are French healthtech company Withings, which develops wearable devices for patient data collection, as well as Dutch cancer medicines developer Lava Therapeutics and Belgian antibody specialist Ablynx.

The company is also known for its private equity business focusing on profitable companies, which backs healthcare providers, suppliers of medical products, and service providers to the healthcare sector, and has raised more than €500 million in its latest muster last year.

The new fund will invest between €10 million to €60 million per new portfolio company, said the company in a statement. Selection of candidates will be carried out with a recently formed Impact Council – chaired by former EMA executive director, Guido Rasi – which includes representatives from patients, healthcare professionals, regulatory bodies, industry, health technology assessment bodies, and the payer community.

Other members include Professor Carole Longson – former executive director of UK health technology assessment (HTA) agency NICE – as well as Kim Caldwell, former division director in the Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Drug Benefit Group.

“We are pleased with the strong interest from investors who support our mission,” said Gilde managing partner Pieter van der Meer.

“Innovations that improve the quality of care but also keep it affordable are essential to ensure access to healthcare,” he added. “Our broad strategy, covering digital health, medtech, and therapeutics results in a holistic approach allowing us to select the most optimal and cost effective solution for the individual patient.”

The new fund - the second sizeable raise in less than a month after the launch of Cure Ventures, with $350 million in capital commitments - comes in the wake of a challenging funding environment for health-related companies last year, after a record 2021.

This year has also seen US- and UK-based VC SR One close a $600 million second biotech fund, as well as the debut of Curie.bio with $520 million in capital commitments.