Axis Participaciones Empresariales
Venture capital management company wholly owned by Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO)
Also known as AXIS, Axis, AXIS Participaciones Empresariales S.G.E.I.C., S.A. S.M.E., Axispart
ICO's venture capital manager (1986). Runs Fond-ICO Global, Fond-ICO Next Tech, Fond-ICO Crecimiento and Fond-ICO Infraestructuras, committing public money to VC/PE funds and co-investing.
- HEADQUARTERS
- Madrid, Spain
- FOUNDED
- 1986
- AUM
- —
- OUTSIDE CAPITAL
- No — own capital only
- TEAM LISTED
- 3 people
FOCUS
- STAGES
- SeedSeries ASeries BGrowthBuyout
- ASSET MIX
- Funds (as LP)Venture capitalDirect investments
- GEOGRAPHY
- Spain
WHAT IT IS
Government-backed Fund. Public money — a state or EU-backed vehicle investing on behalf of taxpayers, often with policy goals.
- Public fund of funds launched by ICO in March 2013, managed by Axis; endowed with €4,500M; subscribes privately managed VC/PE funds (majority private capital, managers present in Spain) through periodic calls, from incubation and tech transfer to venture capital, expansion and debt
- €4,000M fund of ICO and Axis with the Secretaría de Estado de Digitalización e Inteligencia Artificial (Recovery Plan); invests in digital/AI scale-ups directly and through commitments to specialised funds; €400M committed to the European Tech Champions Initiative
- €250M fund, Axis's first (set up in 1993 as Fond-ICO, renamed Fond-ICO Pyme in 2012); invests mainly in funds (impact, business angels, diversified debt) and co-invests minority equity or loans in Spanish companies alongside private funds
- €400M fund (set up in 2009 as Fond-ICO Infraestructuras); minority, long-term investor in sustainable infrastructure projects (energy transition, environment, mobility, social infrastructure) in Spain and abroad, directly and through funds
ABOUT
AXIS Participaciones Empresariales S.G.E.I.C., S.A., S.M.E. was created in 1986 at the initiative of the official banks to promote venture capital in Spain and says it is management company number one in the CNMV register; ICO has owned a majority since 1993 and 100% since 2002. It manages four public funds: Fond-ICO Global (€4,500M, Spain's first public fund of funds, launched in 2013), Fond-ICO Next Tech (€4,000M, digital and AI), Fond-ICO Crecimiento (€250M) and Fond-ICO Sostenibilidad e Infraestructuras (€400M). As of 30 June 2026 it reported more than €4,200M invested in 159 funds and more than €626M in 136 companies over its history; Fond-ICO Global alone had €2,602M subscribed in 156 funds.
INVESTMENT THESIS
Promote financing complementary to bank lending for Spanish companies and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, mainly by investing in privately managed venture capital and private equity funds, and by co-investing in technology-based and growth companies alongside private funds.
PORTFOLIO (16)
- CabifyNOTABLEMobility & Logistics · since 2022
- WallapopNOTABLEConsumer & E-commerce · since 2023
- VoloteaNOTABLEMobility & Logistics · since 2011
- XoopleSpace · since 2023
- TruckstersMobility & Logistics · since 2023
- PaackMobility & Logistics · since 2023
- InbrainHealthTech · since 2024
- Tucuvi CareHealthTech · since 2026
- 011h Sustainable ConstructionReal Estate & PropTech · since 2026
- Qida (Caring Well S.L.)HealthTech · since 2026
- KDDeep Tech · since 2026
- Deep Tech · since 2023
- Seaya Andrómeda Sustainable Tech Fund I, FCR (fund commitment, €100M)Climate & Energy · since 2022
- Lead Wind Ventures, FCR (fund commitment, €100M)since 2022
- K-Fund II, SLP (Korelya Capital; fund commitment, €25M)since 2024
- GP Bullhound Fund IV (fund commitment, €50M)since 2024
TEAM
LINKS
FAQ
Axis Participaciones Empresariales is a government-backed fund based in Madrid, Spain, founded in 1986.
Yes. Axis Participaciones Empresariales invests directly in private companies. It also commits capital to third-party funds as an LP.
Axis Participaciones Empresariales invests at Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth and Buyout stages in Artificial Intelligence, Software & SaaS, Climate & Energy and HealthTech.
Key people at Axis Participaciones Empresariales include Manuel Illueca Muñoz (Chairman (Chairman of ICO)), Guillermo Jiménez Gallego (Director General) and Mercedes Storch (Head of Fond-ICO Next Tech and International Relations).
Axis Participaciones Empresariales's investments include Cabify, Wallapop, Volotea, Xoople, Trucksters, Paack, Inbrain and Tucuvi Care, among others.
The most recent publicly reported investment by Axis Participaciones Empresariales is Tucuvi Care (€5M via Fond-ICO Crecimiento), announced in Sep 2026.
Axis Participaciones Empresariales states that it accepts submissions through its official contact page.
No. Axis Participaciones Empresariales invests its own capital and does not raise money from outside investors.