Equity investment

Do you have a highly scalable, innovative company with global ambitions? Then an equity investment from an investor may be your way to risk-tolerant capital and the key to the next step of your growth journey.

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The Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) provides different types of equity investments. This page offers you an overview of how to obtain equity investment directly from EIFO or from one of the Business Angels and funds that we collaborate with.

Capital directly from EIFO

EIFO makes equity investments at market terms in Danish enterprises who are young, innovative, and highly scalable with an ambition for global growth. We are a patient investor with a long-term perspective. When we invest in your company, we offer more than just capital.

CASE: Investment from EIFO

Bornholm-based entrepreneurs are transforming haulers’ daily work from analogue to green and digital

DORA has developed a system which makes haulers’ and freight forwarders’ day digital, enabling them to easily handle consignment notes, regulatory CO2-emissions calculations and other daily tasks from their phones.

As an active investor with substantial experience across sectors, we can also offer competent sparring and a solid network within your industry. Our investment managers all come from start-up companies or the industry.

Every year, we invest in 5-10 new enterprises across sectors with investments typically ranging from DKK 5 to 200 million. EIFO invests predominantly in enterprises with a position in a clearly defined market with a market-ready product or where product development is nearing completion and the product is ready for market launch.

The seven investment criteria

When assessing whether we wish to invest in your enterprise, our assessment will be based on these seven criteria:

Management: Competent team with ambitions and a will to succeed
Market: International market or global niche where the company can gain a strong position
Innovation: Highly innovative as regards products, services, business model, distribution etc.
Business model: Financial scalability in sales and production
Environment and ethics: Responsible conduct in accordance with adopted international principles for sustainable social, environmental, and financial development
Business plan: A clear business plan
Return of investment & exit: The return must correspond to the investment risk as well as demonstrated in a realistic exit plan for EIFO.

Investment collaboration

Could an investment collaboration with EIFO directly be the solution to your capital requirements? In that case, reach out to our team of advisors or contact the advisor from the investment team that you have been in contact with earlier. See the list of employees here (in Danish).

Our value proposition

With EIFO accompanying you on your journey, you will get

A competent and active partner for sparring

EIFO’s investment managers all have a background from either start-ups or as industry leaders, and we readily make our experience and network available as your active sparring partner. By cooperating respectfully , we help motivate, put into perspective, and make a case so that you as an entrepreneur can make the right decisions when it comes to your enterprise.

A reliable and patient investor

With a fast-growing company in an often unpredictable world, you need a reliable and patient investor. We aim for transparency in our observations and predictability in our actions to ensure a trusting relationship with our portfolio companies. We also take a long-term view in our efforts to secure a positive return.

Network and knowledge sharing

At EIFO’s investment department, we have accumulated numerous years' experience as regards successful start-up companies, and with a portfolio of more than 30 companies, it is inevitable that someone else has been in your shoes or in shoes very similar to them. That is why we facilitate knowledge sharing at, e.g. network meetings across companies. Furthermore, we also assist with best practice implementation.

Development of talent and team

Success is achieved as a combination of a good idea, a skilled entrepreneur, and a strong team. That is why we help you – the entrepreneur – with the development of both your own skills and those of your team, e.g. by actively participating on boards and by providing professional feedback on the composition of the best teams.

Capital from EIFO’s partners

Business Angels

EIFO collaborates with a wide range of Business Angels who invest in Danish pre-seed and seed-companies. Through our match financing scheme, we can match the investment from a Business Angel with a loan from EIFO at the ratio of 1:1.

Is your company at a very early stage of development and would you like to be accompanied by a Business Angel on your growth journey? Read here for more information about the match financing scheme or see our list of approved Business Angels that we collaborate with here (in Danish).

Funds

EIFO invests in funds that invest in unlisted companies. We invest in many different types of funds who specialise in different sectors and target different stages of a company’s development. Our fund investments are done in close collaboration with private investors and are therefore working as a lever for the market.

As a company you can apply for financing from the funds that EIFO invests in and perhaps find the required competencies which can help to scale your company, e.g., insight into a specific sector, input to improve the company’s ESG profile or strategic advice regarding entry into new markets. Collaboration with funds could also open new doors through introduction to relevant networks.

Are you interested in raising capital for your company? Then contact the fund that you are interested in directly.

See EIFO’s list of portfolio funds here (will soon be available).

The fund’s website provides a description of their profiles and investment criteria which will help you find the fund that matches your company’s strategy and growth potential.