Health and well-being at the heart of the Monaco Sustainable Finance conference

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On Friday 16 June, Minister of Finance and Economy Mr Jean Castellini opened the third Monaco Sustainable Finance conference, a government initiative launched in March 2021, focused on the theme of health.

Two previous events brought together financial specialists to examine the themes of the energy transition and plastic.  These subjects are of top concern to the Constitutional Reserve Fund (CRF), which recently invested $20 million in Lombard Odier IM’s circular plastic fund, dedicated to fighting plastic pollution and the development of a more sustainable and circular economy for plastics.

Plastics and climate change have a serious impact on human health. The chosen theme of the third conference was therefore well-being, in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 3: Good health and well-being.

The healthcare sector is evolving and offers a number of investment opportunities. With longer life expectancy, population growth and an increasing prevalence of diseases, investors in the financial sector need to be aware and informed of trends, breakthroughs and opportunities in this area.

To represent the financial sector, the Swiss venture capital and growth equity fund Endeavour Vision presented its second fund, currently among the largest in the world in the medtech sector.

“In a global market worth 300 to 400 billion, with a rate of growth of 5 to 6%, Endeavour Vision invests in technologies and companies with the potential to be among the three best in the world in the therapeutic field. “

Investment managers warmly welcomed a presentation by researcher Dr Vincent Picco of the Stem Cells and Brain Tumours team at the Monaco Scientific Centre.

Dr Dania Rubin, head of partnerships and resource mobilisation at the Department of Technical Cooperation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations agency tasked with promoting “Atoms for Peace and Development”, also attended the event to present the role of the IAEA in the peaceful use of nuclear science and technology and its benefits for human health.

MonacoTech’s new Director, Sandrine Sauval invited three of the incubator’s start-ups to present their medtech and biotech solutions:

- Infineis, which has developed a personalised medical device that simplifies and increases the safety of intracranial surgeries.

- Spheno, which combines 3D video and biomimetics solutions with 3D printing to replace human anatomical models in university education and specialised training.

- Coraliotech, a marine biotechnology start-up already well established in Monaco for its achievements in the fields of corals and medicine and its work with the Scientific Centre, which presented its project to expand one of its fundamental research laboratories in Monaco.

The event brought together around sixty investment managers and some thirty financial entities. The Monaco Association for Financial Activities (AMAF) was represented by Gérald Mathieu, who manages its promotional activities and handles ESG-related questions. Laure Canas da Silva and Eric Tournier represented the Monaco Association for Sustainable Finance (AMFID).