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PARIS, June 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ALIAD, the Venture Capital arm of the Air Liquide Group, expands its footprint in Asia by investing for the first time in China, while strengthening its position in the energy transition through an equity investment in the Cathay Smart Energy Fund. Since its creation in 2013, ALIAD has made more than 35 investments globally for a total commitment of around 100 million euros.
Alongside Total Carbon Neutrality Ventures, Hubei Provincial High Technology Industry Investment Group Co., Ltd., CMA CGM Group and Wuhan Jingkai Industry Investment Fund Management Co., Ltd, ALIAD has invested in the Cathay Smart Energy Fund, a venture capital fund dedicated to the energy transition in China, with a specific focus on energy platforms, energy storage, smart grids, hydrogen energy, clean transportation, renewable energy and low-carbon solutions.
China is implementing environment-friendly policies which aim to foster the emergence of innovative enterprises and promote a renewal of its energy industry, addressing the global challenge of the energy transition.
In this context, the Cathay Smart Energy Fund has identified numerous innovative companies that are reshaping the energy sector in order to design an efficient and low-carbon industrial landscape. The Fund has already carried out its first investment in ALLSENSE Technology, an innovative IoT solutions provider currently specialized in the digitization and optimization of China's thermal power industry.
These promising technologies, combined with the know-how and experience of the Air Liquide group, will allow innovative carbon neutral solutions to emerge, in line with Air Liquide Climate Objectives. Through this first fund investment in China, ALIAD supports Air Liquide's innovation strategy in one of the most active and fast-transforming innovation ecosystems in the energy sector.
ALIAD
Created in 2013, ALIAD (Air Liquide Venture Capital) aims to take minority stakes in innovative technology start-ups in three sectors: energy transition, health and digital. ALIAD positions itself on the technologies of the future by supporting the development of start-ups, through its industrial and technological experience and its knowledge of customers around the world. These investments are accompanied by the implementation of technological and/or business agreements between these new companies and the entities of the Air Liquide Group.
Cathay Capital Group
Cathay Capital Group is a global investment platform specialized in cross-border development with a focus on Northern America, Asia, Europe and Africa. The group identifies investment opportunities with the potential to impact the world and accompanies portfolio companies in their international expansion through its ecosystem of partners and the local expertise of its close to 100 employees based in Paris, Shanghai, Beijing, New York, San Francisco, Munich, Tel Aviv and Singapore. Founded in 2007, the Group has completed over 140 buyouts, growth and venture capital investments and manages €3.5 billion in assets, distributed in a range of investment strategies and vehicles. Launched in 2018 by Cathay Capital, the Cathay Smart Energy Fund is an investment fund dedicated to the smart energy sector in China.
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