Amethis Investment Fund Manager S.A., the alternative investment fund manager dedicated to responsible long-term growth across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, is pleased to announce the final close of Amethis Europe Expansion FPCI (“AEE” or “the Fund”) on target at nearly EUR 150mn, including a dedicated co-investment envelope.
Despite a challenging fundraising environment for first-time funds, Amethis Europe Expansion successfully reached its target after an initial close at EUR 75mn. The Fund has already deployed close to 50% of its commitments across five investments, reflecting its differentiated strategy of supporting European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in their international development in the EMEA through exports, enhanced supply chains, local expansion and M&A.
A European small cap fund with an international angle
Led by Nicolas Manardo and Romain Gauvrit, Amethis Europe Expansion combines Amethis’ historical expertise in international growth with Edmond de Rothschild’s strong European platform. The Fund targets majority and minority investments between EUR 8mn and EUR 20mn.
Amethis Europe Expansion benefits from the backing of leading institutional investors (over half of total commitments) including the European Investment Bank (EIB), Bpifrance, Groupe BRED, Arkéa Federal Finance or Cofides, alongside a number of family offices and private investors brought together with the support of Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity’s private banking network.
A diversified and fast-deploying portfolio
To date, Amethis Europe Expansion has completed five investments across Europe:
Building bridges in the EMEA
“Our investment thesis, supporting SMEs in their international development, resonates strongly with investors seeking geographical diversification within a small cap universe,” said Nicolas Manardo and Romain Gauvrit, Senior Partners at Amethis. “With teams and offices across Europe and Africa and the Middle East and with the support of Edmond de Rothschild’s network, we have a unique platform to execute this strategy effectively.”
Luc Rigouzzo and Laurent Demey, Co-Founders and Managing Partners at Amethis stated: “The final closing of Amethis Europe Expansion marks a significant milestone in Amethis’ journey. This strategy perfectly illustrates our ambition to build a strong bridge between our European DNA and our long-standing commitment to Africa and emerging markets. We are proud of the continued trust our investors have placed in us, and we have full confidence in Nicolas and Romain to ensure the success of this fund, drawing on their deep expertise and extensive experience in private equity markets.”
Strengthening Amethis’ European presence
This final close marks a major milestone for Amethis, reinforcing its position as a leading European and African Private Equity player with EUR 1.4bn of assets under management across multiple funds dedicated to the SME segment in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.