Network formed
Five Catalan universities have joined forces in a bid to attract US angel investors to back their technologies. The UniBA network, the first inter university network of its kind in Europe, has established a relationship with the North American Keiretsu Forum, America’s largest grouping of angel investors. To date its 400 members have invested around $70 million in 120 companies.
The UniBA network of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, the University of Barcelona, the University of Girona, the Technical University of Catalonia and the Parc d'Innovació La Salle will put the innovative projects incubated in these centres in contact with the Keiretsu Forum.
UniBA is supported by the Catalan Ministry of Economy and Finance and Ministry of Employment and Industry and the Centre for Innovation and Business Development (CIDEM), as well as a number of strategic private sector partners.
Through events at the universities and other venues UniBA will bring local investors together on the second Wednesday of every month to present the different projects chosen by a selection committee.
From October, the UniBA Network will initiate the cooperation agreement with the Keiretsu Forum, making it possible for innovative projects from the five Catalan universities to attract support from US business angels.
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