RIVE Private Investment announces the first closing at €180 million of its RIVE Infrastructure Impact Fund, with a commitment of €100 million from the European Investment Fund

Paris, June 3, 2024. RIVE Private Investment (“RIVE”), a European investment firm managing assets exceeding €850 million, has achieved the first closing of its RIIF fund at €180 million. This milestone includes a cornerstone commitment of €100 million from the EIF, alongside contributions from a range of institutional investors and family offices. RIVE aims for a final closing in mid-2025, exceeding its initial target of €300 million.

RIIF is exclusively dedicated to the energy transition in Europe. RIVE invests across the entire value chain, supporting entrepreneurs from all sectors of the energy transition (renewables, green gas, sustainable thermal energy, energy storage, mobility infrastructure, etc.). With its historical market position in the small to midcaps segment, RIVE provides capital to SMEs to expand their asset base and achieve critical scale, setting them up to become future leaders in the energy transition. By investing in high-growth infrastructure companies, RIVE provides investors with the security of infrastructure assets, along with the potential for enhanced returns from expanding markets.

RIIF will extensively support companies on ESG topics through initiatives such as the implementation of a proprietary ESG Roadmap and tools. Classified Article 9 under the Sustainable Financial Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), aligned at 75% with the European Taxonomy, the Fund aims to reduce carbon footprint, provide green and affordable energy, and promote job creation. RIIF reinforces RIVE’s long-term commitment to mitigating climate change while integrating principles of social justice.

The EIF, part of the European Investment Bank (EIB), primarily aims to support European SMEs by helping them access financing. This EIF’s commitment of €100 million to the Fund, one of the largest in the energy transition theme, falls under the Infrastructure Climate Fund and EIB, InvestEU, and REPowerEU mandates, which contribute to mobilizing private investments in favor of EU policy priorities, including the Green Deal.

Pierre du Passage, Partner at RIVE Private Investment, comments:

« The EIF’s exceptional contribution confirms the relevance of RIVE’s positioning: investing in energy transition SMEs to finance their asset base and support their development towards industry leadership. We are convinced that decarbonizing energy production and usage will come through building an economic fabric capable of addressing local needs and seizing emerging segment opportunities. We extend our gratitude to the EIF and our investors for their trust and for aligning with the values promoted by our team. »

Marjut Falkstedt, EIF Chief Executive, comments:

« Our participation in the RIVE Infrastructure Impact Fund reconfirms the EIF’s strong commitment to supporting investments in green energy generation, low-carbon mobility infrastructure, and electricity storage across Europe. With the backing of the InvestEU programme and REPowerEU, we are very glad to support this experienced team that will make tangible steps in driving the green transition. »

About RIVE Private Investment

RIVE Private Investment is an independent European investment company, specialized in essential assets in the transport and energy sectors. Founded in 2013 by Yann Thomas and Etienne Mouthon, RIVE currently manages more than €850 million and has closed over 100 transactions. The RIVE team consists of 25 employees based in Paris, Luxembourg and Geneva.

Through its energy transition business line, RIVE invests across the entire energy value chain: renewables, green gas, sustainable thermal energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, and mobility infrastructure. RIVE’s positioning reflects a concrete commitment to climate change mitigation and a desire for a positive impact on local communities. The team has financed more than 850 MW of capacity across Europe.

About the European Investment Fund

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 (SMEs) by helping them to access finance. The EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and micro-finance instruments that specifically target this market segment. In this role, it contributes to the achievement of key EU policy goals such as competitiveness and growth, innovation and digitalisation, social impact, skills and human capital, climate action and environmental sustainability.

About InvestEU

The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investments for the European Union’s policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The InvestEU programme brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the European Union, 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 that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

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