International Chemical Investors Group

What they do

International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG) is a privately owned industrial group that operates with the discipline of a private equity firm but the long-term horizon of a strategic holder. Founded in 2004, ICIG specializes in acquiring non-core subsidiaries (carve-outs) from large multinational corporations and transforming them into independent, profitable platforms. Unlike traditional PE firms, ICIG typically holds and develops its assets for the long term, focusing on operational improvement and "buy-and-build" strategies. In recent years, they expanded their scope with ICIG Ventures, a VC unit that invests in industrial biotechnology and sustainable chemistry startups, leveraging the group's massive manufacturing infrastructure.

What they look for

ICIG's main group focuses on acquiring mid-sized chemical and pharmaceutical assets considered "non-core" by large corporations, integrating them into specialized platforms, and driving operational restructuring and market expansion. ICIG Ventures invests in early-stage startups reshaping the industrial landscape through Industrial Biotechnology, Green Chemistry, Energy, and Advanced Materials, explicitly seeking synergies with ICIG’s industrial capabilities to help portfolio companies scale. They prioritize sustainability, circular economy, and bio-based alternatives, avoiding pure software/SaaS plays without industrial application and minority stakes in mature companies for the main group.

Stage

Seed, Series A, Series B+

Sectors

Deeptech, Healthcare, Food and agriculture, Climate

Based

Luxembourg, LU