Sofinnova's Window on Early-Stage Technology in Europe

In Europe, one of the historical obstacles to company creation has been a lack of venture capital funding. Not any longer. Abingworth's life-science-focused fund, Abingworth Bioventures IV, raised $350 million; Schroder Ventures Life Sciences' fund International Life Sciences III was $402 million; and the latest life sciences fund of Techno Venture Management was $450 million. These funds now rival their counterparts on the East Coast or the Bay area of the US. Now, the Paris-based venture capital firm Sofinnova Partners has closed its fifth fund, at €385 million ($516 million). Sofinnova Capital V is perhaps the largest European fund dedicated to early-stage investing in life sciences and IT, with a focus on European companies.