Today, she is at the helm of Europe’s largest biotech investment fund. In just three years, Dr Rafaèle Tordjman has successfully achieved – even smashed – all the goals she set herself when she founded Jeito Capital. In 2020, she planned to raise €500 million and exceeded her target by 34 million.

This widely acknowledged success, expertise and legitimacy make her the ideal “Special Envoy for Health Innovation” (her official title). Her role is to promote “the opportunities available in France for talented and experienced people working in top-notch biotech firms abroad” (joint press release by the French Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance). Thus, in July 2021, the French Minister Delegate for Industry, Agnès Pannier Runacher, and the Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Franck Riester – acting under the patronage of President Emmanuel Macron – entrusted her with this unprecedented mission.

This mission stems from the 7.5-billion-euro Health Innovation Plan announced by the French president on June 29, 2021. The goal is clear: to make France the European leader in health innovation by 2030.

A qualified physician, Dr Rafaèle Tordjman worked as a hematologist-oncologist at AP-HP Paris and as a researcher at INSERM. She then began her career as a life science investor in 2001 when she joined Sofinnova Partners, a Paris-based venture capital firm, as an analyst. In 2018, she struck out on her own and established Jeito Capital, Jeito meaning “we’ll find a way” in Brazilian Portuguese. Jeito targets European startups with a global focus, which develop disruptive therapies for patients who have run out of therapeutic options.

Three French firms feature among the ten investments it has made since its inception. Sparing Vision specializes in gene therapy applied to ophthalmology. InnoSkel also specializes in gene therapy, but applied to rare skeletal diseases, and Alentis Therapeutics develops antibodies for fibrotic disorders and the cancers associated with them.

Keen to empower women within the health industry, in 2010 Dr Rafaèle Tordjman also founded the association WITH (Women Innovating Together in Healthcare). It comprises 500 women around the world, who work across the entire medical innovation chain.

“Attracting talent in all areas from research to investment is vital to promote entrepreneurship in the health sector in France, support our startups to build them into world leaders, and further accelerate investment in this key sector,” says Dr Rafaèle Tordjman, CEO of Jeito capital and “Special Envoy for Health Innovation”.

The “Special Envoy for Health Innovation” was appointed for two years. To accomplish her mission, Dr Tordjman is in constant dialog with the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and the Recovery.

The former organizes international visits. They began in September 2021 and continue now, focusing primarily on world-leading health innovation ecosystems: the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Singapore, Israel, and of course all the European countries. The Ministry of the Economy orchestrates meetings with stakeholders in the French biotech, MedTech and e-health ecosystems, and highlights all the support measures introduced in recent years to ensure these sectors thrive at the national level. As part of this mission, special consideration is given to European countries, which France could work with to create a competitive environment for investors and entrepreneurs, to stand up to the tide of American and Chinese giants.

Internationally, open events are organized with French foreign trade advisors (CCEFs) specialized in the health sector. A wide range of researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors, as well as directors of large pharmaceutical groups, incubators, banks, and insurance firms are invited. In addition to sharing their contacts, these advisors help to draw up the guest list for these events and suggest meetings with leading figures in the health industry who are interested in investing in France. Even after this mission ends, the stronger and more organized network of CCEFs should keep up its momentum by running French communities dedicated to the health sector.

As a second step, this mission aims to make it easier for global health talent to move to France. Although a number of schemes already exist to help new arrivals settle in (such as the French Tech Visa or the Welcome to La French Tech initiative), Dr Tordjman and her team are working to improve the support provided. Ultimately, an online platform will be set up to compile useful business and administrative information. France wishes to attract not only young entrepreneurs or doctoral researchers, but also experienced professionals, managers, CEOs, etc. with a proven track record in the health industry. On arriving in France, they would be supported by key French actors such as regional innovation clusters.

These innovation clusters themselves will be more effectively showcased internationally and may receive visits from foreign delegations, instigated by the French Ministry of the Economy.

The “Special Envoy for Health Innovation” was appointed for two years. To accomplish her mission, Dr Tordjman is in constant dialog with the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and the Recovery.

The former organizes international visits. They began in September 2021 and continue now, focusing primarily on world-leading health innovation ecosystems: the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Singapore, Israel, and of course all the European countries. The Ministry of the Economy orchestrates meetings with stakeholders in the French biotech, MedTech and e-health ecosystems, and highlights all the support measures introduced in recent years to ensure these sectors thrive at the national level. As part of this mission, special consideration is given to European countries, which France could work with to create a competitive environment for investors and entrepreneurs, to stand up to the tide of American and Chinese giants.

Internationally, open events are organized with French foreign trade advisors (CCEFs) specialized in the health sector. A wide range of researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors, as well as directors of large pharmaceutical groups, incubators, banks, and insurance firms are invited. In addition to sharing their contacts, these advisors help to draw up the guest list for these events and suggest meetings with leading figures in the health industry who are interested in investing in France. Even after this mission ends, the stronger and more organized network of CCEFs should keep up its momentum by running French communities dedicated to the health sector.

As a second step, this mission aims to make it easier for global health talent to move to France. Although a number of schemes already exist to help new arrivals settle in (such as the French Tech Visa or the Welcome to La French Tech initiative), Dr Tordjman and her team are working to improve the support provided. Ultimately, an online platform will be set up to compile useful business and administrative information. France wishes to attract not only young entrepreneurs or doctoral researchers, but also experienced professionals, managers, CEOs, etc. with a proven track record in the health industry. On arriving in France, they would be supported by key French actors such as regional innovation clusters.

These innovation clusters themselves will be more effectively showcased internationally and may receive visits from foreign delegations, instigated by the French Ministry of the Economy.

crédits photo : ©Marie Rouge pour Les Echos Week-End