European Investment Fund launches platform to support tech transfer in Croatia and Slovenia

The European Investment Fund (EIF) has signed an agreement with development banks in Slovenia and Croatia to set up a regional tech transfer platform worth at least €40 million (over $47M US).

The Central Eastern European Technology Transfer (CEETT) platform would invest in venture capital funds, finance innovative research projects and help protect intellectual property developed at universities and research institutes in Slovenia and Croatia.

Slovenia’s SID Banka and the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) have joined EIF in the CEETT initiative. EIF estimates the universities and research institutes targeted by the platform will generate more than 350 patent applications and 100 start-ups in the next five years.

The CEETT platform will launch with a €20m contribution from EIF and €10m from both SID Banka and HBOR.

Source:  BNE Intellinews