Gemma Frisius Fund

Established in 1997, Gemma Frisius Fund is a seed capital fund formed as a joint venture between KU Leuven, KBC Private Equity, and BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity. Its primary objective is to stimulate the creation and growth of KU Leuven spin-off companies by providing seed capital in the very early phases of their development. The fund combines the research and technology transfer expertise of the university with the financial and investment expertise of the two banks.

The fund's investment scope is not restricted to a specific technology domain. Instead, it considers every spin-off opportunity where technology, know-how, or intellectual property developed at KU Leuven is involved. Since its establishment, Gemma Frisius Fund has invested approximately €31 million in companies across various technological domains, including food, chip design, engineering, biomedical technology, data analysis, and consultancy. These companies collectively employ around 850 people and have made significant contributions to society through their innovative products and services.

Gemma Frisius Fund primarily focuses on first-round financing, providing seed, start-up, and early-stage capital. It also offers second-round financing to support a spin-off company's growth during the initial years, in cooperation with other external partners. The fund's extensive portfolio includes companies such as Qaelum, TrendMiner, and Luciad, which have developed solutions in medical imaging diagnostics, big data analytics for industrial processes, and geospatial software, respectively.