The package of services “Investment Consulting” aims to assist venture funds and companies in establishing successful projects in innovation markets (the markets of biotechnologies, nanotechnologies, energy saving and alternative energy sources).

Abercade has unique expertise in accompanying transactions and projects of innovation companies in Russia. During the nine years of its existence, Abercade has implemented over 20 projects aimed at assisting innovation companies and international foundations. Most of the implemented projects were connected with the establishment and development of innovation companies in the area of biotechnologies. However, in the past three years Abercade’s innovation practice has been replenished by projects in the area of nanotechnologies, solar energy and modern energy-saving technologies.

Realizing the importance of supporting innovators in Russia, Abercade’s team has promulgated the potentialities of the innovation community for many years.

Since 2004, Abercade has acted as a co-organizer of the international conference “Biotechnologies and Business”. Since 2005, Abercade’s managers have attended the largest international biotechnological forum arranged by the Bio Association (bio.org) where they delivered reports.

In 2002, the Vedomosti Newspaper published the article “Bacteria Help Earn a Billion”, in which the Russian market of biotechnologies was analyzed on a systematic basis for the first time ever. Since then Abercade has regularly published reports and articles dedicated to the Russian biotechnological market. In the Analytical Section you can find the main papers on the market of new technologies.

For nine years, Abercade has carried out scores of studies of the biotechnological market in Russia, EU and CIS countries, and the Asian region.

Starting with 2004, Abercade has been regularly monitoring the main kinds of products in the market of biotechnologies. The full list of studies carried out by Abercade analysts is presented in the Biotechnology Section.

The Analytical Section contains Abercade’s reports on various aspects of development of the biotechnological market in Russia and the world.

Since 2001, Abercade has been monitoring projects connected with the development and production of biological preparations. During the seven years of its work, a vast database of research centers and companies has been established, assessment of scores of projects conducted, and funding for several projects attracted.

Since 2005, Abercade has been managing a modernization project at Russia’s largest producer of enzymatic preparations. Within the framework of the project, the Company’s professionals address the following issues:

1. Attracting the funding: The first tranche of $8 million for production modernization and $1.3 million for funding R&D of new products for the period of 2006-2007.

2. Creating a pool of technological partners (suppliers of equipment, technologies and solutions). A number of biddings on the purchase of industrial, technological and research equipment as well as industrial technologies of production of new preparations have been arranged

3. Establishing a modern biotechnological product promotion and sale system.

Managing Venture Fund Project Portfolio

Abercade offers a unique package of services to venture funds and investors in the market of biotechnologies aimed at finding the best innovation projects and maximize their value in the process of collaboration between a venture fund and a company’s portfolio.

Services from this package are matched to the main phases in the operation of a venture fund and an innovation company starting from the establishment of the venture fund and ending with its disinvestment from the innovation company.

Consultative services in the phase of establishing a venture fund

1. Participation of consultants in formulating a venture fund concept (lines of investment, criteria of company selection, conditions, terms and strategies of exiting from projects, etc.)

2. Assessment of the growth potential of selected market segments

3. Involvement of independent experts

3. Establishment of a database of companies and research centers — potential investment beneficiaries

Consultative services in the phase of search for and selection of candidates for investment

1. Assessment of marketing data of applicant companies

2. Independent assessment of the claimed project budget

3. Assistant of a consultant in preparing/finalizing business plans and presentations

4. Participation of a consultant in designing a project’s business model

5. Assistance to applicant companies in drafting a plan of project activities

6. Technological assessment of projects

7. Preparation of independent opinion of the proposed project

8. Running of laboratory experiments

9. Carrying out of industrial tests

10. Selection of technological partners

11. Selection of marketing partners

Consultative services in the process of fund project management

1. Monitoring intermediary results

2. Independent assessment of intermediary results

3. Participation of consultants in preparing adjustment recommendations

4. Outsourcing

Consultative services in the exit phase

1. Analysis of key markets in the exit phase

2. Independent assessment of results of a company’s activity within the framework of the fund and preparation of recommendations on the further development of candidate companies

3. Participation of consultants in designing tactical exit schemes (identifying cost factors, compiling a list of potential strategic investors, etc.

Strategy of Investing in the Biotechnological Market

Abercade’s collaboration with venture funds and innovation companies is based on the Investment Strategy, which defines the key aspects of our approach to creating the value of innovation companies in this market.

Abercade’s Investment Strategy identifies the main segments of the biotechnological market, investment criteria and target development indicators of innovation companies, which can be achieved in each segment we have studied. Thus, Abercade’s investing Strategy is an integral system permitting a venture investor to select investment objectives consciously and plan its work for a long-term period.