Gilde Healthcare, a private equity firm specializing in the healthcare sector, has announced the first and final close of its €100 million Healthcare Services fund, Gilde Healthcare Services II. The fund will focus on supporting the growth of healthcare service providers in the Benelux and Germany, targeting areas such as specialist clinics, elderly care, primary care, mental health, outsourcing services, medical product suppliers, and other healthcare services. It aims to invest in companies that deliver higher quality care at lower costs, reflecting the increasing demand for private capital in healthcare amid tightening government budgets and reduced bank financing.
According to Managing Partner Jasper van Gorp, the successful fundraising reflects strong support from blue-chip investors. With this capital, the firm plans to back more private healthcare companies with proven business models, working closely with management teams to expand their operations. Van Gorp emphasized Gilde Healthcare’s commitment to actively contributing to improvements in healthcare quality while supporting business growth.
Over recent years, Gilde Healthcare Services has developed a portfolio of rapidly growing companies. Among its notable investments is Fysius, a back pain specialist, which the fund helped expand from 13 to 26 branches, making specialized and affordable care more widely accessible. It also led the spinout of Viroclinics Biosciences from Erasmus Medical Center, supporting its international growth. Viroclinics has since become a leading provider of virology diagnostics and contract research services, particularly in influenza and infectious diseases, serving nearly all major pharmaceutical companies.
The firm continues to pursue new investment opportunities based on its established strategy of targeting lower mid-market healthcare companies with revenues between €7.5 million and €75 million. To strengthen its team, Gilde Healthcare Services appointed Matteo Racca as investment manager at the start of 2015. With a background in strategy consulting and private equity, Racca brings valuable expertise to support the fund’s ongoing expansion and investment plans.
