The European Investment Bank’s development arm, EIB Global, has announced a strategic investment of $37.5 million in Alta Semper Fund II, a private equity vehicle focused on accelerating the growth of pharmaceutical, MedTech, and healthcare companies across Africa. This high-impact commitment is designed to catalyze additional capital—expected to reach up to $150 million—to strengthen regional manufacturing, expand access to affordable medical products, and deepen trade and innovation links between the European Union and North Africa, with targeted activity also in sub-Saharan markets.
This investment positions Alta Semper Fund II as a pivotal growth engine for life sciences across the Southern Neighbourhood and beyond. The fund’s strategy prioritizes innovation, sustainability, and local production, aiming to support companies that deliver quality healthcare solutions while creating jobs and building resilient supply chains. By channeling development finance into private equity, EIB Global seeks to mobilize private investors and development partners to scale proven business models that address urgent healthcare needs and improve health security across the continent.
Alta Semper Fund II will focus primarily on North Africa (approximately 70%) while allocating the remainder to sub-Saharan Africa (about 30%), reflecting a deliberate geographic strategy to leverage North Africa’s manufacturing potential and trade connectivity with the EU. This geographic emphasis is expected to accelerate regional value chain integration and foster partnerships between African portfolio companies and European suppliers.
A core objective of the fund is to advance gender equality within the healthcare sector. Alta Semper Fund II has committed to ensuring that at least 30% of its portfolio companies will actively advance gender equality, including support for women-led enterprises and inclusive employment practices. Embedding gender considerations into investment decisions not only promotes social equity but also strengthens business performance and market resilience, making gender-smart investing a central pillar of the fund’s impact thesis.
The investment was formalized at a high-level event in Cairo attended by senior public and private sector leaders, signaling strong political and institutional support for the initiative. Stakeholders highlighted the role of this partnership in mobilizing capital, technical assistance, and market access to scale local solutions that meet rising demand for quality healthcare across Africa. The collaboration between EIB Global, Alta Semper Capital, and other development finance institutions underscores a shared commitment to building resilient healthcare ecosystems that can respond to future public health challenges.
Alta Semper Fund II’s investment approach includes selective backing of disruptive health technologies and digital health platforms that can scale rapidly and expand access to care. Examples of prior Alta Semper investments include leading online pharmacy and telemedicine platforms, regional diagnostics networks, and manufacturers of specialized medical devices. By combining growth capital with operational support, the fund aims to accelerate commercialization, improve regulatory compliance, and expand distribution networks across target markets.
The involvement of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and other international investors alongside EIB Global strengthens the fund’s credibility and market appeal. This blended finance model is designed to crowd in private capital, reduce perceived investment risk, and attract additional institutional investors at final closing. The expected mobilization of private investors will amplify the fund’s capacity to scale high-impact healthcare companies and deliver sustainable returns while addressing critical public health gaps.
For governments and policymakers, the fund offers a pathway to accelerate national health priorities through private sector engagement. By supporting medium-sized enterprises in healthcare and consumer health, the fund can help countries expand domestic production of essential medicines and devices, reduce import dependency, and strengthen supply chain resilience. These outcomes are particularly relevant for countries seeking to enhance health security, stimulate industrial development, and create quality employment opportunities in the post-pandemic era.
Investors and stakeholders evaluating Alta Semper Fund II should note the fund’s dual focus on commercial viability and measurable social impact. The fund’s investment thesis bridges gaps in healthcare services, facilities, and products while prioritizing scalable technologies and business models that can democratize access to health and well-being. This blended mandate—combining financial returns with development impact—positions the fund as an attractive vehicle for impact-oriented investors seeking exposure to Africa’s growing healthcare market.
Looking ahead, Alta Semper Fund II is expected to play a catalytic role in shaping the future of healthcare investment in Africa. By channeling capital into companies that prioritize affordability, quality, and innovation, the fund can help close critical gaps in access to care while fostering sustainable private sector growth. The combination of EIB Global’s development mandate, Alta Semper’s sector expertise, and IFC’s market influence creates a powerful coalition to drive long-term improvements in health outcomes and economic resilience across the region.
For readers seeking to understand the broader implications, this investment signals a maturing market for healthcare private equity in Africa and a growing appetite among development finance institutions to back regionally focused funds with clear impact metrics. The fund’s emphasis on local manufacturing, gender inclusion, and EU-Africa trade integration reflects a strategic approach to development that leverages private capital to deliver public goods. As Alta Semper Fund II deploys capital, stakeholders should monitor portfolio company performance, job creation metrics, and progress on gender targets to assess the fund’s real-world impact.
The $37.5 million commitment from EIB Global to Alta Semper Fund II represents a major step toward strengthening Africa’s healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors through targeted private equity investment. The fund’s focus on innovation, local production, gender equality, and EU-Africa cooperation positions it to deliver both financial returns and meaningful development outcomes. As the fund moves toward final closing and deployment, its success will depend on effective partnerships, rigorous impact measurement, and the ability to scale companies that can deliver affordable, high-quality healthcare across the continent.
