Major industrial groups Alstom and Schneider Electric are launching a new venture capital fund to finance innovative start ups in the fields of energy and the environment.
Aster Capital is based in Paris and will receive progressively a capital subscription of €70m, from Schneider Electric (€40m) and Alstom (€30m).
Aster Capital (www.aster.com) aims to take minority interests in innovative start ups based in Europe, North America and Asia, developing new technologies that could lead to innovation in the fields of energy and the environment.
The initiative can be joined by other potential partners.
Aster Capital will benefit from the venture capital expertise that the Schneider Electric Ventures team has acquired since 2000 through the management of its first €50m fund invested in more than 20 companies in North America and Europe.
Two experts from Alstom have recently joined the team, further strengthening its capabilities.
FinSMEs
15/01/2010