CriteriaCaixa Pours $343M into Biotech and DeepTech Startups

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-13

CriteriaCaixa, the Barcelona-based holding company that manages the business assets of the 'la Caixa' Banking Foundation, just rebooted its startup investment arm. The goal? To fuel high-potential science and tech companies that can change the game. ### A Massive $343 Million Commitment Through its two funds, Criteria Bio Ventures and Criteria Venture Tech, the firm plans to invest $343 million (roughly 300 million euros) in early-stage companies. Most of this cash will flow into Spain and Portugal, with selective bets on Europe and North America. Right now, nearly 70% of the portfolio's value sits in Spanish companies. According to the company, these funds will "promote transformative therapies and technologies that can have a positive impact on society, prioritizing long-term value creation." That's a lot of money chasing big ideas.  ### Why This Matters Now This $343 million allocation comes at a time when investment in these sectors is already heating up. EU-Startups' 2026 coverage of selected biotech, clinical-trial tech, cybersecurity, AI infrastructure, and semiconductor companies identified about $367 million in disclosed financing. Spanish firms alone accounted for roughly $226 million of that, including Barcelona-based Biorce, Gate2Brain, NeuralTrust, Zepo Intelligence, 8Layers, and chip developer Openchip. ### Who Is CriteriaCaixa? CriteriaCaixa is the exclusive independent body that manages the assets of the 'la Caixa' Foundation. Both entities work closely together, forming a group whose main job is to carry out social work through smart asset management. In 2025, CriteriaCaixa's gross asset value hit $51 billion, spread across four portfolios: - The founding stake (CaixaBank) - Significant investments (listed companies like Naturgy, Telefonica, ACS, and Veolia) - Alternative investments (including Criteria Capital Risc) - The liquidity portfolio As the foundation's investment vehicle, CriteriaCaixa's goals are simple: generate resources to guarantee its annual budget and grow assets under management. ### A Fresh Brand for a New Era As part of its 2030 Strategic Plan, CriteriaCaixa voted to rebrand its venture capital management company. Caixa Capital Risc, founded in 2002 within 'la Caixa' and a wholly-owned subsidiary of CriteriaCaixa since 2013, will now operate under the Criteria Capital Risc brand. This move reinforces its market positioning as CriteriaCaixa's VC investment arm. ### What the Two Funds Focus On Through its two specialized vehicles, Criteria Capital Risc actively manages its investments by sitting on the boards of its portfolio companies. Here's what each fund targets: **Criteria Bio Ventures** specializes in biotech and health. It identifies, funds, and supports innovative companies developing new therapies that could transform disease management. The fund works with entrepreneurs building disruptive therapeutic approaches for unmet medical needs. Its portfolio includes: - Minoryx Therapeutics (therapies for rare diseases like adrenoleukodystrophy and Rett syndrome) - Adaptam Therapeutics (immuno-oncology) - Aboleris Pharma (autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis) - NRG Therapeutics (therapies for neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and Parkinson's) - Tolerance Bio (therapies that reverse immune system aging) - Cytospire (immuno-oncology) **Criteria Venture Tech** focuses on deep tech and key verticals like AI, cybersecurity, and software/data infrastructures. It invests from the early stage, backing startups that push boundaries. ### The Bigger Picture This move shows how serious Europe is about building its own tech and biotech ecosystems. For U.S. investors and professionals watching the EU Inc scene, it's a signal that capital is flowing into innovation hubs outside Silicon Valley. Whether you're looking for partnerships or just tracking trends, this $343 million commitment is worth noting. > "We're not just writing checks; we're building the future of science and technology," the company seems to say through its actions. So, keep an eye on Iberia. With CriteriaCaixa leading the charge, the next big breakthrough might just come from Barcelona or Lisbon.