Playing on strengths

Indeed, two of this month's exits highlight Germany's traditional venture strengths: Ventizz has sold its 50% stake in ersol Solar Energy to Robert Bosch AG for EUR546m, after having partially exited their stake three years ago when about 30% of the company floated on the Frankfurt Prime Standard. This conjures up memories of Apax Partners' exit of Q-Cells AG in 2005-06, which returned a staggering 27x cumulative money-multiple. The life sciences sector also provided a success story this month: Life Science Partners sold biotechnology company U3 Pharma AG to Japanese company Daiichi Sankyo for EUR150m.

This is further supported by Deloitte's Global Venture Capital Survey, published with the National Venture Capital Association at the beginning of June. Here, the DACH countries prove especially strong in biopharmaceuticals, medical devices and equipment, and alternative and clean energy. Switzerland and Germany rank third and fourth as countries with the best biopharmaceutical technology, behind the US and the UK. For the medical devices and equipments sector, Germany is seen as second best behind the US, closely followed by the UK. Germany also ranks second best for alternative and clean energy, just behind the US - but in this case, vastly before the nearest contenders Japan, UK, and Canada. As nearly 400 global venture firms responded in the survey, this shows both Germany's and Switzerland's high global profile, which should attract more capital into the DACH region and allow investors to reap what they sow.

Yours sincerely,

Mareen Goebel

Editor, Deutsche unquote"

Tel: +44 20 7004 7462

mareen.goebel@incisivemedia.com.

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