Best investment funds in Luxembourg and raising money for a business project
This article will tell you about raising investments, offer useful tips, and tell you about the top venture capital funds in the Grand Duchy and beyond.
If you're ready to take the leap and start your own business, you've come to the right place. Luxembourg is aiming to become the "Silicon Valley" of Europe and is actively developing the infrastructure needed to support innovative businesses. It's available for different projects in different areas. As well as government support, business owners can get venture investments at good rates from some of the richest people and companies in the world.
Why choose Luxembourg as the fund domicile?
The heart of Europe, the Grand Duchy has a lot going for it, especially when it comes to business. It's no secret that all the big companies have their headquarters here. You'll find Amazon, Google, insurance companies, giant banks, and the most secure accounts of billionaires. The secret is simple —financial stability and a great tax system for super profits.
But this isn't the only thing that attracts business creators to the country, especially at the very beginning of the entrepreneurial journey.
Citizenship by investment in Luxembourg
The initiative is aimed at attracting new, promising investors who are ready to invest in the creation and development of new companies and enterprises. This residence permit is issued on the condition that the applicant implements an investment project approved by the Luxembourg Ministry of Finance.
How to prepare to attract investors in Luxembourg
The path to find investors can be quite long. But it always becomes easier when you divide the task into subtasks. Let’s have a look at 3 main steps on this way.
A clear and regular communication with your (potential) investors and key stakeholders is a very important part of the process.
Where can you do this? A good option for startups is participation in industry conferences and conferences for investments. At these events you can get valuable business advice and choose the shortest path to creating a successful company via networking.
Every year, conferences in various areas are held in Luxembourg. The scale of events can also vary, from multi-day conferences to short (one-day or shorter) InfoDays.
Events to watch out for in 2024
- The 2024 European Digital HealthTech Conference. This two-day event will be held with the support of Luxinnovation, in addition, participants will be able to take part in special matchmaking sessions.
- The Luxembourg European Defense Fund InfoDay 2024. Here information will be provided on opportunities and the application process for competitions run by the European Defense Fund.
- Startup Apéro. These networking events are supported by Startup Luxembourg. During these casual evenings startup founders talk about their experiences. At Startup Apéro you can discover the secrets of a successful company, communicate with like-minded people, organisers, speakers and coaches.
Ecosystem
Another option is participation in business incubators and accelerators that bring together companies and potential investors. There are many such places in Luxembourg, both institutional and private. The largest are House of Startups, Nyuko, and the Fit4Start program - a leading startup accelerator.
Every investor wants to hear not only beautiful words, but also see facts confirming them.
Here are the main documents you have to prepare:
- The Business Plan, including an executive summary, a product/idea description, a market research analysis, and a financial projection for the first 3 to 5 years.
- The administrative basics encompass information regarding prior investments, incorporation certificates, capital tables, customer and vendor contracts, and signed agreements.
- The financial model comprises several key elements, including top-line growth, headcount metrics, expenses, balance sheet components, and net burn.
- Historical monthly financials with income statements, balance sheets, and cash-flow statements.
- Investor Updates. Communication from your executive team, important performance metrics, a financial health check-in, and news on any product milestones. Send these updates at least once a month, if not more often!
The presentation should attract the interest of potential investors and convince them to invest money in the project. You can organise a personal meeting or take part in pitch contests. Pitch contests give the opportunity to speak to several investors at once. To win a pitch, you need to follow certain rules.
Top VC funds for startups in Luxembourg
Venture capital is private funding money given to start-up companies and small businesses with long-term growth potential. It's becoming more and more clear that the VC community is interested in the Luxembourg startup ecosystem. Right now, the most attractive areas for VCs are fintech, space, and digital solutions.
Local VCs are also really involved in sharing knowledge with founders. They bring a lot of education to the startup community, showing how to prepare projects, how to pitch, and how to raise money from institutional investors.
Luis Galveias, COO of Luxembourg Private Equity Association (LPEA)
Who to address with a startup project for investments?
The venture capital (VC) sector is a big part of the investment system in the Grand Duchy. It usually acts as a kind of bridge between the finance industry and the "new" economy, which are often quite distant from each other.
The government in Luxembourg also offers a number of financial subsidies to startups. These programs are attractive to VCs because if they invest, the government will also support startups with equity-free funding. This means no dilution on the cap table for investors and founders.
The national agency Luxinnovation works closely with the government, which offers a number of public incentives to encourage research, development, and innovation activities. The good news is that support is available to companies from any business sector, at any stage of development, from start-ups to mature enterprises.
International and local funds
Read more about launching a business in Luxembourg in our special guide
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why are there so many funds in Luxembourg?
Which funds are interested in investing in startups?
What is the current alternative fund industry trend in Luxembourg?
Where can startup companies find investment?
Source: www.exponcapital.com, www.startupluxembourg.com, www.crunchbase.com, luxtoday.lu, www.schroders.com, www.startupluxembourg.com
We took photos from these sources: Andrea Natali on Unsplash