Sofilaro
Sofilaro is a Montpellier-based regional capital investment firm and wholly-owned Crédit Agricole subsidiary managing €350M across six funds, serving startups, SMEs, and ETIs across six Southern French departments via development, transmission, infrastructure, venture, and private debt investment tickets of €300K–€5M.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersMontpellier, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sofilaro does
Sofilaro (legal name Sofilaro Gestion, also operating as Sofilaro CALEN) is a regional capital investment firm headquartered in Montpellier, France, founded in 1983 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crédit Agricole du Languedoc and Crédit Agricole Sud Méditerranée. The firm operates as an active minority investor serving startups, SMEs, and mid-sized companies (ETIs) across six departments in Southern France — Hérault, Gard, Aude, Lozère, Pyrénées-Orientales, and Ariège — with regional offices in Carcassonne, Montpellier, and Nîmes. Investment tickets range from €300K to €5M, and capital is held over a 5–7 year horizon.
Sofilaro deploys capital through six specialized fund vehicles grouped into four business lines: SOFILARO (Capital Développement et Transmission, €1M–€5M tickets, since 1983) for company growth and ownership-transition scenarios; CALEN (Capital Infrastructures, since 2009, up to €2M per plant or €17M per developer) for renewable energy infrastructure, with a portfolio spanning 1,300 plants and 660 MWc installed capacity; SOFILARO INNOVATION (since 2023, €300K–€2M tickets) for seed and acceleration-stage venture capital; and SOFILARO DETTE PRIVÉE (since 2021, €3M–€5M) for non-dilutive private debt. In 2025, SOFILARO EXPANSION and SOFILARO TRANSITIONS ARIÈGE PYRÉNÉES ORIENTALES were added to extend the platform. Aggregate assets under management reached €350M across 130+ portfolio companies.
Revenue is generated via management fees on AUM and carried interest on exits; figures are not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales: relationship-driven, referral-led, and supported by the Crédit Agricole regional banking network plus partnerships with France Invest, Le Village by CA, La French Tech Méditerranée, Méliès Business Angels, BIC Montpellier, and Créalia Occitanie. Recent disclosed equity participations include DiappyMed (€5M seed, March 2026) and Wheere (€8.5M, June 2026). The firm has been ranked #1 in the CF News minority fund ranking for six consecutive years through 2023.
Sofilaro firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sofilaro
- Legal name
- Sofilaro Gestion
- Website
- https://sofilaro.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sofilaro is a Montpellier-based regional capital investment firm and wholly-owned Crédit Agricole subsidiary managing €350M across six funds, serving startups, SMEs, and ETIs across six Southern French departments via development, transmission, infrastructure, venture, and private debt investment tickets of €300K–€5M.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sofilaro industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity and Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity (FSANACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Equipment Financing / Leasing (Venture-backed) (FSANAIAE)
Keywords
Where Sofilaro is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montpellier
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Sofilaro 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 Investment Management: Sofilaro generates revenue through management fees and carried interest from its investment funds. The firm manages 350M€ in assets under management across 6 funds, investing tickets ranging from 300K€ to 5M€ in development capital, innovation, infrastructure, and private debt instruments.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Sofilaro product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sofilaro is a regional private equity firm that invests minority equity, quasi-equity, and debt capital into startups, SMEs, and mid-sized companies (ETIs) across six departments of Southern France. It operates four specialized fund vehicles covering development and transmission capital, renewable energy infrastructure, venture-stage innovation, and private debt, with investment tickets ranging from €300K to €5M and €350M in total assets under management.
Product overview
Sofilaro Calen is a regional capital investment expert and subsidiary of Crédit Agricole, offering four distinct investment fund products: SOFILARO (Capital Développement et Transmission) for company growth and transmission since 1983, CALEN (Capital Infrastructures) for renewable energy infrastructure since 2009, SOFILARO INNOVATION for venture capital since 2023, and SOFILARO DETTE PRIVEE for private debt since 2021. Together these funds manage €350M in assets across 130+ portfolio companies with investment tickets ranging from €300K to €5M.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CALEN: Fund specializing in renewable energy infrastructure investments
- SOFILARO INNOVATION
- SOFILARO DETTE PRIVEE
- SOFILARO EXPANSION
- SOFILARO TRANSITIONS ARIÈGE PYRÉNÉES ORIENTALES
Products and services
- Capital Développement et Transmission Equity and quasi-equity investment fund for SMEs and mid-sized companies (ETIs) undertaking growth projects, external acquisitions, ownership transfers, management buyouts, and family succession. Tickets range from €1M to €5M with a 5-7 year horizon as an active minority shareholder.
- CALEN Capital Infrastructures Infrastructure fund financing the study, construction, and operation of renewable energy production, storage, ecomobility, energy efficiency, and decarbonation assets. Investment limits of €2M per plant and €17M per developer, with portfolio representing 1,300 plants and 660 MWc installed capacity.
- SOFILARO Innovation Capital Innovation Venture capital fund supporting seed and acceleration stage companies across all sectors, providing equity and quasi-equity investments ranging from €300K to €2M. Targets breakthrough innovation, impact innovation, and technological progress.
- SOFILARO Dette Privée Private debt fund offering alternative financing to traditional banking for companies seeking non-dilutive capital. Provides debt securities and bullet repayment bonds with investment capacity of €3M to €5M, supporting development, external growth, and transmission operations.
Companies that use Sofilaro
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sofilaro technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sofilaro partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- France InvestcoreSofilaro is a member of France Invest, the French association of investors for growth, aligning with industry standards and best practices in private equity and venture capital.
- Mélies Business AngelsminorPartnership with Mélies Business Angels network for co-investment opportunities and deal flow in the regional startup ecosystem.
- Le Village by CAminorPartnership with Le Village by CA accelerator program for startups in the Languedoc region, providing ecosystem connections and deal sourcing.
- Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole / BIC Business & Innovation CentreminorCollaboration with regional innovation support organizations for startup ecosystem development and deal flow.
- La French TechminorPartnership with La French Tech Mediterranean for regional tech ecosystem development and visibility.
- Créalia OccitanieminorPartnership with Créalia Occitanie business incubator for early-stage company support and investment pipeline.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sofilaro competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- IDIA Capital Investissement: National PE arm of Crédit Agricole Group, directly comparable to Sofilaro as a Crédit Agricole-affiliated generalist investor offering development, transmission, and innovation capital across France. Sofilaro leverages IDIA as a co-investment partner, making the two structurally aligned peers.
- Unexo: Crédit Agricole-affiliated PE firm operating in western and northern France, providing minority development and transmission capital to SMEs and mid-caps. Mirrors Sofilaro's strategy, geography (mutualist banking), and fund structure, making it a near-direct comparator within the same group network.
- Sofipaca: Crédit Agricole Provence Côte d'Azur's regional PE vehicle, serving SMEs and ETIs in southeastern France with development, transmission, and innovation capital. Operates with a near-identical mandate to Sofilaro's within a neighboring Crédit Agricole regional network.
- Carvest: Crédit Agricole-affiliated PE firm serving the Nord de France region, focusing on minority investments in regional SMEs and ETIs. Closely mirrors Sofilaro's regional-banking-anchored PE model, ticket sizes, and 5–7 year investment horizon.
- Socadif: Crédit Agricole's PE vehicle for the Paris / Île-de-France region, offering development, transmission, and innovation capital to mid-sized companies. Operates within the same Crédit Agricole PE network as Sofilaro, with overlapping investment theses and fund structures.
- GSO Capital: Crédit Agricole Grand Sud-Ouest's regional PE firm, providing minority capital to SMEs and mid-caps in southwestern France. Functionally equivalent to Sofilaro, sharing the Crédit Agricole PE platform, similar ticket sizes, and a regional-bank referral distribution model.
- IRDI Capital Investissement: Independent regional PE firm serving the Occitanie / Toulouse area, with overlapping investment scope (development, transmission, innovation) and similar mid-market ticket sizes. Co-invested alongside Sofilaro in DiappyMed's seed round, evidencing direct partnership.
Broad incumbents
- Capital Export (Bpifrance-backed regional funds network): While Bpifrance is a much larger national institution, its regional funds (e.g., via 'Capital Export' style vehicles) serve the same French regional SME and innovation market as Sofilaro. Useful as a broad incumbent benchmark for French regional PE/VC mechanics.
Emerging players
- Ventech: Early-stage French VC led the DiappyMed seed round alongside Sofilaro. Comparable as a French innovation investor serving seed/Series A tech and healthtech, partially overlapping with SOFILARO INNOVATION's mandate on ticket size and stage.
- AFI Ventures: French VC that co-led the DiappyMed seed alongside Ventech and Sofilaro. Comparable as a French early-stage investor with similar ticket sizes and sector breadth, making it a relevant peer for Sofilaro's venture activity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sofilaro social profiles
Digital presenceSofilaro compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Sofilaro financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sofilaro leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Sofilaro funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sofilaro M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments30 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sofilaro
What does Sofilaro do?
Sofilaro is a regional private equity firm that invests minority equity, quasi-equity, and debt capital into startups, SMEs, and mid-sized companies (ETIs) across six departments of Southern France. It operates four specialized fund vehicles covering development and transmission capital, renewable energy infrastructure, venture-stage innovation, and private debt, with investment tickets ranging from €300K to €5M and €350M in total assets under management.
Is Sofilaro a public or private company?
Sofilaro is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sofilaro founded?
Sofilaro was founded in 1983. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sofilaro based?
Sofilaro is headquartered in Montpellier, France, in the Europe region.
How does Sofilaro make money?
One revenue line is on record: capital Investment Management.
Who are Sofilaro's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are IDIA Capital Investissement, Unexo, Sofipaca, Carvest, Socadif, GSO Capital and IRDI Capital Investissement. Capital Export (Bpifrance-backed regional funds network) is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Ventech and AFI Ventures.
Does Sofilaro have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sofilaro.
What industry is Sofilaro in?
Sofilaro's product category is Private Equity and Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANACAO, Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity, with a secondary code of FSANAIAE, Equipment Financing / Leasing (Venture-backed). Its NAICS code is 52394 and its SIC code is 6282.