Icos Capital, Brightlands Ventures and LIOF exit health food ingredient company BioActor, leader in the development and commercialisation of clinically proven natural active ingredients for leading food brands to French corporate Solabia Group
The Netherlands, 12 January 2023 – Announcement of sale of its shares in BioActor to Solabia
Founded in 2011, BioActor is an innovation leader in the development and commercialisation of clinically evaluated polyphenols extracted from edible plants and fruits and used by leading food supplement brands worldwide. Thanks to an in-house clinical research team with direct access to a state- of-the-art clinical research facility and a genuine passion for innovation, BioActor’s health ingredients are all first-in-class, offering supplement brands the opportunity to develop unique solutions to consumers worldwide. BioActor currently exports to more than 20 countries worldwide, serving leading brands across the nutrition and supplement industries.
Solabia is already present in the nutrition segment through original ingredients recognized for their health benefits. This strategic investment will allow Solabia to benefit from a wider range of ingredients and from BioActor’s expertise, strengthening its nutrition division positioning on this fast-growing market, as customers increasingly look for high quality active ingredients that combine naturality with proofs of efficacy.
Icos Capital led the initial series A investment in BioActor B.V. in 2011 and, together with co-investors Brightlands Venture Partners and Nedermaas Ventures (Liof), supported the company on its journey to create value by sourcing health food ingredient innovations from European R&D universities and technology institutes and systematically working on validation, sourcing, processing, scaling up production, marketing and sales of multiple health food ingredients. Today, BioActor has 8 products in the markets globally.
Peter van Gelderen, Managing Partner at Icos Capital, stated:
“In a joined effort with Brightlands Venture Partners and Liof we are proud to have supported the visionary founder and the team of BioActor to create a best in class platform to source, validate and bring to market innovative health food ingredients and supplements. We believe the foundations that have been created up to now, together with the expertise and market presence of Solabia going forward, will provide an excellent base for the next phase of the successful journey of BioActor. We thank all parties for making this successful exit happen and we wish the team all the best in realizing further ambitions.”
About BioActor
BioActor is an innovation leader in the development, and commercialisation of clinically evaluated polyphenols extracted from edible plants and fruits. Based at the Maastricht Health Campus at walking distance from the largest nutrition & health faculty of The Netherlands and the Maastricht University Medical Center, the Company has an in-house clinical research team with direct access a state-of-the- art clinical research facility. Since its inception in 2011, BioActor has developed 8 branded health ingredients, supported by more than 20 clinical studies. The company currently exports its products to leading brands in more than 20 countries worldwide across the nutrition, food and beverages industries. More information about BioActor can be found at: https://bioactor.com/
About Icos Capital
Icos Capital is a Dutch-based ClimateTech Venture Capital Fund. The collaborative fund brings startup and corporations together to accelerate sustainability, partnering with leading European corporations such as Bühler Group, Nouryon and Royal Cosun. Icos backs high potential technology to contribute to rapid decarbonization and a smooth transition to circular economy, specializing in Food Systems, Circular Economy, Sustainable Industry and Carbon Technology. Since 2006, the Icos portfolio has disrupted and led their respective markets and have benefited from the Icos approach of considering financial, social and environmental returns in equal measure.
About Brightlands Venture Partners
Brightlands Venture Partners (BVP) is an independent venture capital fund manager in The Netherlands. BVP is an ecosystem investor, investing in innovative companies with a link to one of the Brightlands campuses. Funds under management are Limburg Ventures, Chemelot Ventures, Brightlands Agrifood Fund and BVP Fund IV. The funds of BVP focus on sustainability and health; together the funds have made over 40 investments with exits realised to several blue chip companies..
About Liof
LIOF is the regional development agency for Limburg and supports innovative entrepreneurs with advice, network and financing. We are there for every startup, scale-up and SME with an innovative idea, a business plan or a financing question and for (foreign) entrepreneurs who want to establish themselves in Limburg. We also help with cross-border cooperation and international business. Together with entrepreneurs and partners we are working towards a smarter, more sustainable and healthier Limburg by focusing on the transitions energy, circularity, health and digitization.