Icare is a leading player in the contamination testing for the health industry in France.

Founded in 1995 by its current Chairman, Christian Poinsot, the group has developed unique expertise in the field of microbiological analysis of medical devices and pharmaceutical products.

(A medical device is an instrument, piece of equipment or software designed, by the manufacturer, to be used for human beings in the diagnosis, prevention, testing, treatment or alleviation of disease or injury. Directive 93/42/EEC on medical devices)

Alongside its testing and analysis activities, Icare has developed technical advisory services to help its clients optimise their in-house manufacturing processes all along the value chain.

Icare has invested millions of euros in its cutting-edge technology facilities near Clermont-Ferrand. This technical, technological and services complex of more than 3,000 square meters, is a base camp for expansion both in France and abroad.

Since its inception, Icare has achieved sustained growth, generating revenue of more than €13 million in 2016. For the past three years, Icare has placed expansion into overseas markets at the heart of its development strategy. The group began operating in Brazil after acquiring the Medlab laboratory.

The investment, which consists in MBO & Co acquiring the shares of Icare’s historical financial partners, Naxicap and Sofimac Partners, is the first investment made by MBO Capital 4, the latest of MBO & Co’ investment funds which was created in the second half of 2016.

The growth project, conducted by Christian Poinsot, aims at consolidating Icare’s position as a specialist in niche markets, while increasing its range of services (biocompatibility, for example). The group plans to pursue its active growth policy both in France and abroad (in particular Germany, Brazil and USA) with the support of MBO International Solution.