OSEO is a public company, unparalleled in Europe, with a mission that responds to a major national ambition: to help make France a great country of innovation and entrepreneurs. In a few years, OSEO has become the leading arm of the State in terms of financing innovation and the growth of SMEs as well as mid-sized businesses.
OSEO’s action revolves around three complementary areas of expertise, all aimed at helping entrepreneurs take risks: supporting innovation, guaranteeing bank financing, and equity fund interventions, financing investments, and the operating cycle alongside banking institutions.
This specificity allows it to offer a continuum of financing to support the company at every stage of its development, from creation to transmission.
Mission of general interest, regional anchoring for OSEO, which is under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industry, as well as the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
The activity of OSEO PACA in 2011 remained very strong, with a significant involvement in the framework of the future investment program, in addition to its traditional interventions.
In 2011, OSEO PACA supported nearly 7,000 companies [1]. They obtained 2 billion euros in financing (+6% compared to 2010), public and private, mobilized thanks to OSEO’s intervention:
Innovation: 157 million euros in financing for innovative projects, including the first aids set up by OSEO PACA under the Single Interministerial Fund.
Guarantee: 560 million euros in guaranteed loans for investment purposes.
Financing: 825 million euros in financing set up in partnership with banks and equity fund organizations, notably in the framework of “mezzanine” financing and, in particular, the Participative Development Contract.
Short term: 478 million euros in financed receivables.
2012: OSEO’s intervention is expanding.
Creation of OSEO Industrie
OSEO Industrie, a 100% subsidiary of OSEO, will be endowed with one billion euros in equity. Thanks to the leverage effect, OSEO Industrie should be able to lend more than 10 billion euros and, by triggering private financing, mobilize more than 20 billion euros for the benefit of the industry. The goal of OSEO Industrie is to finance the industrial sector and to promote the emergence of a larger number of mid-sized companies.
OSEO welcomes the teams of FSI Régions
Endowed with 350 million euros, FSI Régions can invest directly in companies or guide them towards a partner fund. The teams of FSI Régions are based in OSEO’s regional offices to offer companies a financing continuum, including equity strengthening interventions.
Research Tax Credit (CIR)
In addition to OSEO’s aids and financing, the CIR serves as a crucial fiscal incentive for R&D for innovative companies. Since early January, OSEO has been issuing the ruling to secure the eligibility of SMEs and mid-sized businesses’ R&D expenditures for the CIR. OSEO’s objective is to help increase the number of SMEs and mid-sized businesses benefiting from the CIR.
The new missions of OSEO allow it to strengthen its action with companies. Contributing to enhancing the competitiveness of businesses through innovation, international operations, and investment remains at the core of OSEO’s mission.
[1] Companies benefiting from different projects are only counted once.
