Healthcare-focused venture capital firm changes name and expands investment strategy
Lisbon, Portugal – 01 February 2021 – Bionova Capital is the new name of venture capital firm Hovione Capital, to reflect an expanded investment focus in disruptive life science companies across Europe. Bionova Capital is now adding investments in early-stage companies developing breakthrough therapeutics to its existing focus on medtech and digital health. The new name is intended to support this expanded scope.
The venture capital firm was founded in 2015, as Hovione Capital, by the shareholders of Hovione, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Portugal, with manufacturing and research operations in USA, Ireland, China and Portugal. Bionova Capital continues with the same shareholders and management.
“Our venture capital firm has built a strong reputation as an active, value-adding investor in early-stage healthcare startups across Europe”, said Peter Villax, Chairman, Bionova Capital. “We have made a strategic decision to also invest in companies developing new therapeutic products for unmet medical needs. This strategic decision has widened and diversified our investment strategy, and our new name opens the door to additional investment opportunities”.
“We recently made our first investment in a startup developing a groundbreaking therapeutic product, CellmAbs, a European startup developing a novel anti-cancer drug”, said Ricardo Perdigão Henriques, CEO, Bionova Capital. “We screen hundreds of promising companies developing breakthrough therapeutics across Europe and given the exceptional quality of biomedical research in this region, additional investments in this area will certainly follow.”
Bionova Capital is strengthening its in-house expertise by creating an international Scientific Advisory Board composed of world-leading scientists and industry executives that will advise and provide access to new investment opportunities across Europe.
About Bionova Capital
Bionova Capital is a healthcare-focused venture capital firm, investing in early-stage life science companies. Founded in 2015, Bionova Capital actively manages a portfolio of five companies, two in the UK and three in Portugal. Bionova Capital invests in groundbreaking therapeutics, medtech and digital health startups across Europe.
More information:
Ricardo Perdigão Henriques - CEO
www.bionovacapital.com