Fellowship - BioEconomy Fund

Fellowship (6 months)

 

About us:

Forbion is a dedicated life sciences venture capital firm with offices in The Netherlands, Boston and Germany. Forbion invests in life sciences companies that are active in the (bio-) pharmaceutical space. Forbion manages €3.2 billion across multiple fund strategies that cover all stages of (bio-) pharmaceutical drug development.

Forbion’s current team consists of over 30 life sciences investment professionals that have built an impressive performance track record since the late nineties with investments in over 110 companies across 9 funds. Forbion’s record of sourcing, building and guiding life sciences companies has resulted in many approved breakthrough therapies and valuable exits.

Besides financial objectives, Forbion selects investments that will positively affect the health and well-being of patients. The firm is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment. Forbion operates a joint venture with BGV, the manager of seed and early-stage funds, especially focused on Benelux and Germany.

 

Forbion BioEconomy:

Forbion BioEconomy is a newly launched investment strategy at Forbion. This strategy focuses on investing in innovative biotech companies that develop sustainable solutions in four sectors: Food, Agriculture, Materials and Environmental technologies. By leveraging Forbion's extensive biotech expertise, this strategy aims to address critical planetary health challenges by investing in impact driven companies. The fund targets companies that replace or create sustainable products and services, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and driving significant positive change for the planet and future generations.

We offer a unique opportunity in a dynamic, ambitious and professional work environment. You will gain exposure to a wide range of company due diligence activities, as well as interaction with other investors, bankers and advisers in the bioeconomy and climate tech venture industry.

 

Responsibilities and scope

The Investment Team is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and executing investment opportunities in the bioeconomy sector. Leveraging deep industry expertise and a rigorous investment process, the team plays a crucial role in shaping the future success of our portfolio companies and delivering strong returns for investors.

The primary role of the Fellow will be to support day-to-day management of deal flow and initial evaluation of new investment opportunities. Other activities will include investment due diligence, contributing to various ad-hoc assignments and special projects. This activity is expected to provide exposure to several biotech-enabled companies across the relevant sectors.

 

Key Responsibilities:

• Deal Sourcing: driving assessment and sourcing of investment opportunities leveraging networks, and market research. Deal assessment is one of the core pillars of work and include thorough due diligence of factors such as market potential, technology differentiation, competitive landscape, and management team quality.
• Financial Analysis and Modelling: driving financial analysis and relevant techno-economic modelling of opportunities as part of the due diligence process to assess the attractiveness of a potential investment
• Deal Structuring and Negotiation: supporting the investment team in deal structuring and negotiation, working closely with management teams, and legal advisors to define transaction terms, investment structures, and exit strategies.
• Due Diligence Management: supporting the end-to-end due diligence process for investment opportunities, coordinating cross-functional teams and external advisors to conduct comprehensive analysis of market dynamics, technology, regulatory considerations, and financial performance.
• Portfolio Management and Value Creation: Beyond deal execution, the investment team actively supports portfolio company management teams in developing and executing growth strategies, navigating key challenges, and achieving strategic milestones. They monitor and manage portfolio company performance, providing strategic guidance and operational support to drive value creation and maximize returns for investors.

The role will allow you to develop your skills in how to perform analyses of early-stage (Series A / B) companies in the bioeconomy (across food, agriculture, materials and environmental technologies) to identify value through scientific, technological, commercial and financial perspectives. You will work alongside the investment team and learn from a diverse group of individuals with extensive experience in the bioeconomy.

 

Duration and logistics

The fellowship is for 6 months on a full-time basis, working out of the Forbion office in Naarden, the Netherlands, starting in October 2024.

 

Experience Required

• Recently graduated with a Master’s degree or PhD/post-doc in biotechnology, biology / chemistry, or similar
• Demonstrated interest in the bioeconomy and climate innovation
• Fluent communication in English, both verbal and written
• International experience is a plus

 

Profile Required

• Independent, self-motivated, strong work ethic, enjoys fast paced environments
• Ambitious, proactive, show attention to detail, and with a structured approach to problem-solving
• Intellectually curious, disciplined, resourceful, and resilient
• Able to work as a team player with a high sense of responsibility