IRD INVEST
IRD Invest is the AMF-regulated private equity arm of Groupe IRD, deploying €50K–€12M equity tickets through four funds (Nord Création, Nord Croissance, IRD Entrepreneurs, FE2T) into startups, SMEs, and ETIs in Hauts-de-France and neighboring French regions, supported by an in-house M&A and operating-partner ecosystem.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersMarcq-en-baroeul, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What IRD INVEST does
IRD Invest is the private equity and venture capital arm of Groupe IRD, an AMF-regulated portfolio management company (authorization n°17000017) headquartered in Marcq-en-Barœul, Hauts-de-France. Founded in 1990, the firm invests equity tickets ranging from €50K to €12M into startups, SMEs, and mid-sized companies (ETIs) primarily in Hauts-de-France and neighboring French regions. It deploys capital through four complementary fund vehicles: Nord Création (seed and business takeovers, €50K–€600K, 67 portfolio companies), Nord Croissance (SME development, €300K–€1M, 42 portfolio companies), IRD Entrepreneurs 1 & 2 (growth stage, €1M–€4M, ~€20M combined fund size, 11 portfolio companies), and FE2T (development and capital transmission, €5M–€12M, €80M fund size created in 2021, 8 portfolio companies). Cumulative track record covers 1,076+ companies supported since 1991, with 120 active portfolio participations representing €2.6B of combined revenue and 14,750 employees, and 25 operations completed in 2024.
The firm is embedded in the broader Groupe IRD ecosystem alongside IRD M&A (sell-side advisory), IRD Solutions — which houses the RSE Inside ESG architect service and the COBOOST project accelerator — and the Campus Entreprises & Cités in Marcq-en-Barœul. IRD Invest earns revenue through management fees on assets under management and carried interest on exits, with a deliberate co-investment model alongside Bpifrance, Finorpa, SOCADIF, Unigrains, UI Investissement, idiCo, and other regional and sectoral funds. RSE (Corporate Social Responsibility) is integrated as a core investment criterion, supported by the RSE Inside service. Go-to-market is relationship-driven, relying on a 30-year-old territorial network, entrepreneur-committee members, an expert network, and inbound deal submission through the firm website. Distribution is exclusively professional, restricted to French residents qualifying as professional investors.
IRD INVEST firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IRD INVEST
- Legal name
- Groupe IRD
- Website
- https://ird-invest.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- IRD Invest is the AMF-regulated private equity arm of Groupe IRD, deploying €50K–€12M equity tickets through four funds (Nord Création, Nord Croissance, IRD Entrepreneurs, FE2T) into startups, SMEs, and ETIs in Hauts-de-France and neighboring French regions, supported by an in-house M&A and operating-partner ecosystem.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IRD INVEST industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity and Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999)
- SIC
- Investors, Nec (6799), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
Keywords
Where IRD INVEST is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marcq-en-baroeul
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
IRD INVEST business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Capital gains from portfolio exits: IRD Invest generates returns through equity investments in portfolio companies, realizing capital gains upon exit events including LBOs, sales, and strategic transactions. Investment tickets range from 100K€ to 12M€ across four fund vehicles.
- Management fees and carried interest: As a portfolio management firm, IRD Invest earns management fees on assets under management and participates in investment profits through carried interest arrangements with fund limited partners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Nord Création - Seed and early-stage startups and company takeovers |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Nord Croissance - SME development stage |
| Other | Multi-year contract | IRD Entrepreneurs 1 & 2 - Growth stage companies |
| Other | Multi-year contract | FE2T - Larger transmission and development transactions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
IRD INVEST product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IRD INVEST is a regional private equity and venture capital firm that invests in startups, SMEs, and ETIs (mid-sized companies) primarily in the Hauts-de-France region of France. The firm deploys capital through four complementary SCR fund vehicles covering all maturity stages: Nord Création (seed/early-stage, €50K-€600K), Nord Croissance (SME development, €300K-€1M), IRD Entrepreneurs 1 & 2 (growth, €1M-€4M), and FE2T (large transactions, €5M-€12M). The firm combines capital investment with strategic governance support, operating partner accompaniment, and access to the broader Groupe IRD ecosystem including M&A advisory, RSE Inside sustainability consulting, and COBOOST project acceleration.
Product overview
IRD INVEST operates as a capital investment firm offering a portfolio of four complementary investment fund vehicles targeting companies at different stages of development: Nord Création (startup/TPE, 50K€-600K€ tickets), Nord Croissance (PME/PMI, 300K€-1M€ tickets), IRD Entrepreneurs 1 & 2 (10-20M€ CA companies, 1M€-4M€ tickets), and FE2T (companies with CA >20M€, 5M€-12M€ tickets). The firm also provides advisory services including COBOOST (project accelerator) and RSE Inside (sustainability consulting) to support portfolio companies in their growth and transformation journey.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nord Création: Investment fund dedicated to startups and business creation in Hauts-de-France with tickets of €50K to €600K. Created in 1990.
- Nord Croissance
- IRD Entrepreneurs 1 & 2
- FE2T
Products and services
- Nord Création Venture capital SCR fund dedicated to startups, TPE companies, and business takeovers in the Hauts-de-France region, with investment tickets ranging from €50K to €600K. Created in 1990, supporting business creation and first development phases.
- Nord Croissance Development capital SCR fund serving PME/PMI companies with revenues typically below €10M, with minority investment tickets between €300K and €1M. Over 25 years of experience supporting regional SME development.
- IRD Entrepreneurs 1 & 2 €20M entrepreneur fund targeting companies with revenues typically between €10-20M, with minority investment tickets from €1M to €4M for capital development and transmission operations. Focuses on industry, ESN, health, agribusiness, and service/distribution sectors.
- FE2T (Fonds d'Entrepreneurs de Transformation) €80M territorial transformation fund (Fonds d'Entrepreneurs de Transformation) created in 2021 for companies with revenues typically above €20M. Offers minority or majority equity and quasi-equity tickets from €5M to €12M for development and transmission capital operations, with an integrated operating partner accompaniment model.
- COBOOST Project accelerator service part of IRD Solutions (within Groupe IRD ecosystem) that scans, co-constructs, and monitors action plans with portfolio companies to support their growth and transformation.
- RSE Inside RSE (Corporate Social Responsibility) architect service part of IRD Solutions (within Groupe IRD ecosystem) designed to help portfolio companies integrate sustainable and responsible practices into their operations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,076+ companies supported since 1991
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use IRD INVEST
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
IRD INVEST technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
IRD INVEST partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Groupe IRD (parent company)coreIRD Invest is part of Groupe IRD, which includes IRD M&A (M&A advisory), IRD Solutions (including RSE Inside and COBOOST accelerator), and Campus Entreprises & Cités. The group provides integrated support including strategic consulting, operational accompaniment, and ecosystem services.
- COBOOSTcoreProject accelerator that scans, co-constructs, and follows action plans with portfolio companies. Part of IRD Solutions within Groupe IRD ecosystem. COBOOST provides operational acceleration services to IRD Invest portfolio companies.
- Entreprises et Cités (Campus)coreIRD Invest is situated at the heart of Campus Entreprises & Cités, an entrepreneurial campus offering varied services to entrepreneurs, companies, and their employees. The campus fosters economic transformation addressing environmental, social, and societal challenges.
- Groupe IRD - IRD M&AcoreIRD M&A provides sell-side advisory services to business transferors. In the DECADE transaction, IRD M&A acted as seller advisor (Jean-Yves Pettenati, Matthieu Debosque), demonstrating integrated group service delivery.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
IRD INVEST competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bpifrance: France's national public investment bank; the dominant regional co-investor alongside IRD (joint deals in ARCHIMED, Maison Kaviari, Staphyt, Group Revolt). Provides the public-fund counterweight to IRD's private capital and represents both a partner and a competitive threat.
- Unigrains: French sector specialist PE firm focused on agribusiness and food; lead investor alongside IRD in Staphyt. Comparable in size, AUM, and ticket range, but specialized in agri-food versus IRD's generalist regional approach.
Direct peers
- UI Investissement: Independent French regional PE firm with similar ticket sizes and sector mix, also serving SMEs/ETIs in northern France. Co-investor with IRD in Maison Kaviari (MBO) and Mon Spécialiste Auto, making it a directly comparable regional competitor.
- Nord Capital Partenaires: Hauts-de-France and Grand-Est regional PE/VC firm managing the ReBoost, Nord France Amorçage, and other funds. Recurring co-investor with IRD (e.g., PRIMAGROUP/ETIGO, DiagRAMS Technologies) targeting similar SME/seed profiles.
- Capital Croissance: French independent PE firm specialized in growth capital for SMEs and ETIs with revenues of €10M–€100M, with a multi-regional fund structure mirroring IRD's Nord Croissance and IRD Entrepreneurs strategy.
- Siparex: Largest independent French regional PE/VC group, managing multiple regional funds across France with similar SME/LBO and venture profiles. Closest national-scale analog to IRD's multi-regional-fund platform model.
- Finorpa Gestion: Regional PE firm also based in Hauts-de-France/Nord-Pas-de-Calais, focused on SME development and business transmissions. Direct co-investment partner of IRD Invest (jointly invested €1M in DECADE), making it the closest like-for-like peer in the same geography and ticket range.
- SOCADIF: Independent French regional PE/VC firm (subsidiary of Caisse d'Épargne Hauts-de-France), directly competing for the same deal flow as IRD in Hauts-de-France. Recurring co-investment partner (3 deals together in Groupe CLICAR) and structurally adjacent investor.
Regional players
- Caisse d'Epargne Hauts-de-France Capital Investissement: Regional corporate venture/private equity vehicle of Caisse d'Épargne Hauts-de-France. Indirect co-investor with IRD (Sopac Medical LBO) and a potential competitor for the same Hauts-de-France SMEs.
Others
- idiCo (Eurazeo): Part of the Eurazeo group, idiCo is a French mid-market PE investor active in family/MBO transactions. Co-investor with IRD in Maison Kaviari MBO; competes for the upper end of IRD Entrepreneurs / FE2T's ticket range.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
IRD INVEST social profiles
Digital presenceIRD INVEST compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
IRD INVEST financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IRD INVEST leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
IRD INVEST funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IRD INVEST M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments8 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IRD INVEST
What does IRD INVEST do?
IRD INVEST is a regional private equity and venture capital firm that invests in startups, SMEs, and ETIs (mid-sized companies) primarily in the Hauts-de-France region of France. The firm deploys capital through four complementary SCR fund vehicles covering all maturity stages: Nord Création (seed/early-stage, €50K-€600K), Nord Croissance (SME development, €300K-€1M), IRD Entrepreneurs 1 & 2 (growth, €1M-€4M), and FE2T (large transactions, €5M-€12M). The firm combines capital investment with strategic governance support, operating partner accompaniment, and access to the broader Groupe IRD ecosystem including M&A advisory, RSE Inside sustainability consulting, and COBOOST project acceleration.
Is IRD INVEST a public or private company?
IRD INVEST is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was IRD INVEST founded?
IRD INVEST was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is IRD INVEST based?
IRD INVEST is headquartered in Marcq-en-baroeul, France, in the Europe region.
How does IRD INVEST make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Capital gains from portfolio exits are the primary driver. The others are management fees and carried interest.
Who are IRD INVEST's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bpifrance and Unigrains. Direct peers are UI Investissement, Nord Capital Partenaires, Capital Croissance, Siparex, Finorpa Gestion and SOCADIF. Caisse d'Epargne Hauts-de-France Capital Investissement is listed as a regional player. idiCo (Eurazeo) is listed as an others.
Does IRD INVEST have an API?
No public API is recorded for IRD INVEST.
What industry is IRD INVEST in?
IRD INVEST's product category is Private Equity and Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure). Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6799.