Spain: EIB and CriteriaCaixa sign loan to finance the construction of the CaixaResearch Institute, a research centre of “la Caixa” Foundation

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

• The EIB will lend €80 million to finance the construction and launch of this research centre established by “la Caixa” Foundation.
• This is Spain’s first centre for interdisciplinary and applied immunology research and it is expected to become a benchmark in its field in Europe.
• CriteriaCaixa, investment arm of “la Caixa” Foundation, will make the funding available to its sole shareholder, “la Caixa” Foundation, which will implement the project with a total cost of €110 million.
• Construction of the first module of the CaixaResearch Institute should be complete by 2025, allowing the first research groups to move in.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and CriteriaCaixa, holding company of “la Caixa” Foundation managing its business assets, have signed a €80 million loan to finance the construction and launch of the CaixaResearch Institute in Barcelona – Spain’s first biomedical research centre dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of immunology promoted by “la Caixa” Foundation.

CriteriaCaixa will make the funding available to its sole shareholder, “la Caixa” Foundation, which will manage the project with a total budget of €110 million. The loan has a maturity of five years.

The agreement was signed at an institutional event attended by EIB Director General for EU Operations, Jean-Christophe Laloux; Antonio Vila Director General of “la Caixa” Foundation and Ángel Simón Chief Executive Officer of CriteriaCaixa. 

“We are delighted to be joining forces with CriteriaCaixa and “la Caixa” Foundation to help get the CaixaResearch Institute up and running,” said Jean-Christophe Laloux, EIB Director General for EU Operations. “The Covid pandemic was a stark reminder to us all of the importance of immunological research and the Institute should help strengthen Europe’s capacity to prevent disease and meet future public health challenges.”

Antonio Vila, Director General of ‘la Caixa’ Foundation, said: “The agreement with the EIB, through CriteriaCaixa, allows us to take a step forward in the implementation of the CaixaResearch Institute. This pioneering centre is one of the “la Caixa” Foundation’s strategic commitments for the coming years. Being able to have the support of top-level partners such as the EIB makes the project even bigger and once again demonstrates the importance of joining forces to respond to today’s major challenges.” 

CriteriaCaixa CEO Ángel Simón said: “We are delighted to conclude this agreement with the EIB, which will help develop a project emblematic of “la Caixa” Foundation in the field of scientific research. We at CriteriaCaixa are proud to fulfil our mission of providing the economic resources that allow the Foundation to pursue social action, and thus of contributing to the role it plays in society, based on an unwavering commitment to socioeconomic development.” 

The financing agreement furthers the EIB Group’s strategic priorities set out in its 2024-2027 strategic plan, and highlights its commitment to investment in research, human capital, social infrastructure and digital transformation. The project will help increase EU competitiveness in the areas of healthcare and innovation and strengthen its economy.

A pioneering immunology research centre

The CaixaResearch Institute is expected to become a European benchmark in immunological research, attracting scientists from different countries who will help advance biomedical research and innovation in one of the most promising fields for healthcare. This research is key to increasing our knowledge and understanding of how immune system processes interact with the most prevalent diseases – autoimmune, neurological, oncological, metabolic and infectious – and to better analysis of the environmental factors that influence this.

The CaixaResearch Institute will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities on premises of over 20 000 m², designed to accommodate a team of more than 500, including scientists, technicians and administrators. The centre will have a clear mission to collaborate with the scientific community and is intended to increase innovation and competitiveness in the healthcare sector, which is strategic for the European Union.

The new building for the research centre will also be highly energy efficient, in line with the climate action and environmental sustainability objectives of the EIB, the EU climate bank. The centre will be integrated into the Sierra de Collserola Park and connected with the CosmoCaixa Science Museum, reinforcing collaboration among the two institutions and confirming a scientific campus. Construction of the first module should be finished by 2025, allowing the first research groups to set up office.

Background information

About the European Investment Bank

The EIB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by the Member States. It finances sound investments to pursue EU policy objectives. EIB projects bolster competitiveness, drive innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, and support a just and swift transition to climate neutrality.

In 2023 the EIB Group – containing the EIB and the European Investment Fund – signed over €11.4 billion in financing for Spain. Of this, around €6.8 billion went to projects for climate action and environmental sustainability. In total, the EIB Group signed €88 billion in new financing in 2023 worldwide.

About “la Caixa” Foundation

Built on 120 years of history, the “la Caixa” Foundation is one of the largest foundations in the world. Since its inception, it has been marked by a strong social commitment and a mission to promote the common welfare, through financial activities as well as social action. It finances and pursues social, educational, cultural and scientific activities. For 2024, the “la Caixa” Foundation has a record budget of €600 million, the highest in its history.

About CriteriaCaixa

CriteriaCaixa is the holding company of “la Caixa” Foundation that manages its business assets. Its priority is to provide the economic resources that allow the Foundation to continue pursuing social action, year after year – contributing to the development of a society that gives more opportunities to those who most need them and increasing the foundation’s equity through value generation.

As the first investment holding company in Spain and one of the first in Europe, CriteriaCaixa manages a portfolio of close to €30 billion that combines relevant shareholdings in strategic sectors with a growing diversified investment portfolio, ensuring the recurring flow of dividends.