Forbion Raises $2.6B Across Two Biotech Funds, Becoming Europe's Largest Life Sciences VC

Netherlands-based life sciences venture capital firm Forbion raised €2.3 billion ($2.6 billion) across two new funds, the largest fundraising in its history, the firm announced on October 6, 2026. The raise exceeded its target and lifted total assets under management to roughly €7.5 billion, up by half since 2024. European investors contributed about 60% of the total, with North American backers supplying 40%. Backers include Dutch pension managers MN and PGGM, Germany's KfW Capital, the Kauffman Foundation, and Eli Lilly and Company. Capital will be deployed through Forbion Growth Opportunities Fund IV, targeting later-stage biopharma in Europe and North America, and Forbion Ventures Fund VIII, focused on therapeutics biotech. The two funds are expected to finance approximately 30 portfolio companies. The raise is among the largest global life sciences venture fundraisings in five years, per Preqin data. It comes as European biotech faces headwinds: European funds hold just 7% of global life sciences venture capital, versus 63% for U.S. funds, according to the European Life Sciences Coalition.