The Call for Expression of Interest for the announcement of the Intermediaries for the new EquiFund II Equity Fund has been announced, with a relevant posting on the European Investment Fund (EIF) website.

This follows the official presentation of the Fund on 14 May by the Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance, Nikos Papathanasis, the Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group, Ioannis Tsakiris, and the Managing Director of the EIB, Marjut Falkstedt.

EquiFund II, as an equity fund, is the first thematic venture capital instrument focusing on the life sciences, health and sustainability sectors. It supports innovative companies operating in these sectors to gain better access to equity financing, and to become more competitive by realising their full growth potential.

The new EquiFund II Equity Fund is funded by €200 million from the NSRF Competitiveness 2021-2027 Programme and national resources.

The Intermediary Financing Institutions will be designated by the European Investment Fund, in accordance with the conditions and criteria set out in detail in the Call for Expressions of Interest.

"The operation of the new EquiFund II Equity Fund, through the excellent cooperation of the Greek State with the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund, is going to finance innovative and start-up companies with strong growth prospects, operating in sectors fully connected to the new era, such as Life Sciences, Health and Sustainability", said the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Nikos Papathanasis, adding: "We continue to actively support entrepreneurship, competitiveness, extroversion, innovation and employment, aiming not only to fill the investment gap caused by the economic crisis and create more jobs, but also to mobilise capital that will showcase internationally the potential of the Greek economy and the country's human potential."