Milan, 7 March 2023 — Promoting investment in Italy and Europe, offering new growth opportunities to small and medium-sized enterprises via long-term financing, helping to develop even the most complex projects, are the objectives of the Anima Alternative 2 Fund of Anima Alternative Sgr, in which Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and the European Investment Fund (EIF, part of the EIB Group), as cornerstone investors, have pledged to invest a total of €70 million (€40 million from CDP and €30 million from the EIF, respectively).
This new Fund, which targets investments in small and medium-sized businesses in Italy and to a lesser extent in the rest of Europe, has already received subscription commitments from professional investors to the tune of over €120 million, thus exceeding the minimum threshold to be able to start operations.
The funds committed by the EIF are backed by InvestEU, the EU programme aiming to trigger €372 billion worth of investments by 2027 via a guarantee of €26.2 billion. Anima Alternative 2 is the first diversified debt fund operation in Italy under the InvestEU programme, 75% implemented by the EIB Group (EIB and EIF) and 25% covered by national promotional institutions such as CDP, which at the beginning of February signed the third agreement with the European Commission aimed at mobilising total investments worth €1.2 billion in Italy.
Anima Alternative 2, promoted and supported by the ANIMA Group, is a direct lending alternative investment fund focused mainly on Italy. The Fund’s investment strategy comprises (i) the provision of mostly senior and variable rate loans, and (ii) diversification of the portfolio with a view to reducing risk. The Fund[1] will invest in small businesses that need long-term financing to support their external and organic growth.
Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of CDP Dario Scannapieco said: “Thanks to this operation, CDP continues to support investments in Italy and Europe and facilitate access to credit for small businesses, including via innovative finance instruments. This agreement further strengthens CDP’s role in facilitating access to the funding and development opportunities offered by the European Union. CDP is thus pursuing its commitment to Italian companies’ growth plans in terms of innovation, sustainability and internationalisation, in keeping with the goals of the 2022-2024 Strategic Plan.”
“The EIF is delighted to support the launch of Anima Alternative 2, a new fund investing in sound, sustainable businesses, and will provide them with tailor-made, long-term financing”, said EIF Chief Executive Marjut Falkstedt. “As part of the EIB Group, InvestEU’s main implementing partner, the EIF will leverage €11 billion of InvestEU funds to unlock €145 billion of investment in small and medium-sized businesses, infrastructural and private sector projects”.
"Less than two years after the first closing of Anima Alternative 1, we are pleased with the interest shown by investors in the Company's second fund,' comments Alessandro Melzi d’Eril, Chief Executive Officer of ANIMA. 'On the one hand, it is an ideal instrument to support SMEs with medium- to long-term financing suited to their needs; on the other hand, it is an investment solution that can offer shelter against excess volatility, thanks to the choice to invest in floating-rate instruments that can adapt to changing interest rates.”
Background information
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group. Its central mission is to support Europe's micro, small and medium-sized businesses by helping them to access finance and venture capital. The EIF is also active in supporting climate fund investments and infrastructure with a strong focus on environmental sustainability. In this role, the EIF fosters EU objectives in support of innovation, research and development, entrepreneurship, growth and employment.
The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable economy. It helps generate additional investments in line with EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal, the digital transition and support for small and medium-sized enterprises. InvestEU brings all EU financial instruments together under one roof, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub, and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners who invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. This guarantee increases their risk-bearing capacity, thus mobilising at least €372 billion in additional investment.
Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) is the national promotional institution that has supported the Italian economy since 1850. It is committed to accelerating the industrial and infrastructural development of the country in order to contribute to its economic and social growth. CDP’s core activity promotes the sustainable development of the regions as well as the growth and innovation of Italian companies, including internationally. It partners with local authorities, providing funding and advisory activities to build infrastructure and improve public utility services. It is also active in the area of international cooperation to implement projects in developing countries and emerging markets. Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is financed from entirely private resources via passbook savings accounts and postal savings bonds and through issues on the national and international financial markets.
Anima
ANIMA is the largest independent asset management group in Italy, with total assets under management of ca. €177 billion (as of December 31st, 2022). ANIMA results from a process of aggregation of several companies, with different and complementary specializations, and today can count on more than 300 professionals in Italy.
It creates and manages forward looking, flexible investment solutions built around the specific needs of clients, whether institutional investors (insurance and financial groups, pension funds), companies or individuals.
The parent company ANIMA Holding is a public company listed on the Milan Stock Exchange since 2014. In 2020 the group has enlarged through the creation of Anima Alternative Sgr a company focused on private market investment and controlled by Anima Holding.
Press contacts
EIF: Lorenzo Squintani, l.squintani@eib.org, mobile: +366 57 90 312
Website: www.eif.org/press — Press Office: +352 4379 21000
press@eib.org
CDP: Media Relations
ufficio.stampa@cdp.it, tel.: +39 (0)6 4221 4000 — Website: www.cdp.it
Barabino & Partners
Tel.: +39 02 72023 535
Emma Ascani
e.ascani@barabino.it
Agota Dozsa
a.dozsa@barabino.it
Anima
Tel.: +39 02 80638 410
Matteo Tagliaferri
matteo.tagliaferri@animasgr.it
Giovanni Masini
giovanni.masini@animasgr.it
[1] dedicated to institutional clients and classified in accordance with Article 8 of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
InvestEU EIF and CDP lend 70 million euros to Anima Alternative 2 Fund.pdf