The European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a €20 million investment in the Amethis Europe Expansion Fund, a new private equity vehicle designed to support European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) expanding their business in Africa, as well as in Europe and the Middle East. The initiative aims to strengthen economic ties between Europe and Africa, foster private sector development and promote sustainable and inclusive growth.

Amethis Europe Expansion will provide both growth capital and strategic support to help European companies establish in particular a local presence in Africa, through exports, partnerships, acquisitions, or direct investment. With a final fund size of €143 million, the fund benefits from strong European backing, including prominent private institutional investors and family offices as well as Bpifrance and COFIDES, under the Team Europe framework.

The operation is aligned with the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, which promotes sustainable, high-impact investment cooperation between Europe and Africa.

“This new investment in Amethis Europe Expansion Fund reflects our commitment to fostering sustainable economic ties between Europe and Africa” said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. He added: “By supporting European SMEs seeking to grow on the African continent, we are helping to unlock new opportunities for innovation, quality jobs and shared prosperity”.

Laurent Demey, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Amethis, said: “We are delighted to have our long-standing partner, the EIB, as a significant subscriber to this new innovative European strategy. The EIB's commitment to this new Amethis strategy demonstrates the relationship of trust that has been built up over more than 10 years. The EIB's support for this new strategy provides significant resources to support French and European SMEs in their international expansion, particularly in Africa, and create win-win partnership between the two continents”.

This marks the fifth EIB investment in an Amethis-managed fund, confirming a long-standing partnership between the two institutions. Since its creation in 2011, Amethis has become a key private equity player in Africa, backing local businesses to scale and thrive. With this new fund, Amethis now extends its impact by helping European companies take root and grow across African markets.

Source: EIB