After the success of last year’s awards, ASCRI (the Spanish Venture Capital Association), Deloitte and the IESE Business School have organised the II Venture Capital & Private Equity Awards in the Iberian Peninsula this year. The prize-giving ceremony, presided by the journalist Olga Viza, took place on 21 May at a dinner given in the Hotel Ritz in Madrid, and once again brought together numerous representatives of the Venture Capital industry.
The prizes are awarded in five categories, to any Venture Capital companies based in Spain that disinvested any of their shares in a company during 2008.
The 2008 awards went to: Gestión de Capital Riesgo del País Vasco for its investment in Progenika Biopharma, as the best launch operation, and Diana Capital for its shareholdings in the Indal Group, as the best capital expansion operation; the awards for the best operation by a consolidated company went to AC Desarrollo for Fábrica Electrónica Josa and Espiga Capital for Tecresa; the award for the greatest economic and social impact was won by 3i for Sampletest; and the operation with the greatest innovation impact went to BCN Highrowth for Advancell.
The Honorary Award was received by Gabriel Gutiérrez Ugalde, the President of 3i’s Advisory Board, for a lifetime dedicated to developing the Venture Capital & Private Equity sector in Spain.
The awards in each of the categories reflect the contribution to and success of the Venture Capital & Private Equity sector in the Spanish economy, and its stimulating role as a source of financing in the creation and development of companies in times of crisis.
