www.oseo.fr

Mission:

Oseo mission is to provide assistance and financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises facilitating their access to banks and equity capital investors, in particular during the high-risk phases:

Start-up, Innovation, Development, International, Buy out.

OSEO pursues three main areas of activity with one aim in common, helping entrepreneurs to take risks:

• innovation support and funding for innovative technology-based projects with real marketing prospects

• funding investments and the operating cycle alongside the banks and financial institutions

• guaranteeing funding granted by banks and equity capital investors

Budget:

460 Meuro on an annual basis

Activities:

OSEO innovation is a private status Company (former Anvar), but part of a public body (OSEO) under the authority of the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Employment, and the Ministry for Higher

Education and Research.

Being the major actor for SMEs innovation in France, OSEO innovation managed in 2007 a funding budget of around 360M€ and shared the risk of innovation with about 4300 companies for innovation grants and loans.

A new scheme is being implemented from beginning of 2008 with the merge of the AII (Agency for industrial innovation) and OSEO innovation organisations with a stronger focus both on SMEs and “mid-caps” Companies with high growth potential.

At a European level, OSEO innovation participates in several European Programmes and Networks:   

- FP7 (OSEO is NCP SMEs for France and active member of the French NCP Energy/Environment consortium),

- EUREKA and the new transnational initiative Eurostars

- ERA-Nets

- INNO-Nets: Oseo coordinates the Innet project with 18 partners, aiming at strengthening the SMEs in technology clusters in Europe

- Oseo is WP leader for the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme 2007-2013. KIS-PIMS project (Knowledge Intensive Services in the field of Renewable Energy)

And is member of the TAFTIE Group.

At the international level, OSEO has special agreements in the following countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, Israel, USA, Norway, Morocco, and Tunisia.

OSEO network: Oseo networks with all the government agencies and private entities involved in supporting SME development and innovation.

OSEO group is a much decentralized Company and supports the development of SMEs in France in close association with the Regions, and is very attentive to the local and industrial fabric in connection with the French competitiveness clusters.

Staff:

450

Contact:

Francoise Lambert

27-31 Avenue du Général Leclerc
94710 Maisons-Alfort Cedex
tel  +33 1 41 79 95 26
fax +33 1 41 79 96 88
e-mail  
www.oseo.fr