Our approach

Our investment criteria

Clarity of vision & direction
Strong leadership
Focus on innovation
Excellence in creating customer success

We have a keen eye for potential, and we recognise and reward entrepreneurship. We are curious about the story behind our entrepreneurs and their business. Our own investors have all successfully built their own businesses in a diverse range of end markets. They know better than anyone how to seize opportunities and weigh up risks to create structural value. This means we can support businesses not only with our capital but also with our entrepreneurial skills.

Equity ticket
€5-50m

Deal
Majority, minority,
buy-out and
growth capital

Duration
Flexible
Evergreen structure
In general 4-8 years

Size
€10-100m sales
€2-15m EBITDA

Investment themes
Digitalisation
Health & Wellbeing
Environment

Our investment themes

We focus on 3 investment themes as transformational trends in the market.

Digitalisation

Technological evolutions such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, machine learning and internet-of-things are leading to new business models, more efficient processes and innovative products.

We support companies in software, hardware or digital services that are riding this wave of innovation or companies that have built up a competitive advantage thanks to digitalisation.

Investments

Healthcare & Wellbeing

The aging population worldwide needs innovative and advanced healthcare. Evolutions in diagnostics and medical technology make it possible to decentralize healthcare and bring it closer to the patient. In addition, there is an increasing demand for a better quality of life and wellbeing.

Smile Invest aims to promote healthcare and wellbeing by investing in companies active in medical technology, diagnostics or services that contribute to better healthcare and to a better quality of life.

Investments

Environment

Significant investment will be needed in all sectors to achieve the EU’s climate ambitions by 2050. There is also gradually a consensus that the world should use scarce raw materials such as air, water, energy and certain ores in a more sustainable way. Accelerating the efficient use of energy and materials is an important way to mitigate climate change and, in this matter, promoting innovation and technology development is unavoidable and necessary.

Smile Invest aims to promote reducing the effects of climate change by investing in companies active in the energy transition sector and/or proposing innovative environmental solutions that contribute to a more sustainable world - they are the leaders of the future.

Investments

Strategic support

We are an actively engaged sounding board for the management team
We build on our experience in digitalisation, healthcare and environment
We extend our companies with a vast network of entrepreneurs and experts

Growth

We help management lay out a go-to-market strategy for new products and services
We support international growth
We help realize and financially structure acquisitions

Operational excellence

We exchange 'best practices' on efficient processes
We future-proof organizations and extend ideate on structuring and strengthening
We accelerate digitalisation and automation

Our
added
value

Relevant expertise. We have vast expertise thanks to our focus on innovation and growth, the experience and international networks of our investment team at our fingertips, and 40 entrepreneurial families who have invested in us.

Flexibility for bespoke transactions. As an open-end evergreen investment fund, we offer flexibility through our scale (€350 million), our choice of minority or majority deals, and our long-term commitment.

Entrepreneurial approach. We are happy to use our approach, which is embedded in our organisational structure, in our cooperation with our partner companies.

Our key
characteristics