PARIS, March 25 (Reuters) - European venture capital firm 360 Capital said on Thursday it was set to launch a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) focused on the technology industry, following a wave of blank-cheque companies raising funds in the United States and Europe.
360 Capital, which has offices in Paris and Milan, said it planned to raise 250 million euros ($294.4 million)in a first instance with the vehicle, which will be listed on the professional segment of Euronext Paris.
Some of the venture capital firm's partners as well as several of its independent board members and four entrepreneurs with tech experience will invest in the SPAC, which is aiming to close in on a target worth between 1 and 4 billion euros.
"We would like to be able to announce a deal by the summer," Fausto Boni, one of 360 Capital's partners and the chairman of the SPAC vehicle told Reuters.
SPACs have become an increasingly popular alternative structure to traditional stock market listings. By merging with a SPAC, companies can debut in the stock market with forecasts and predictions that are not as regulated as they would be in initial public offering (IPO) investor roadshows. ($1 = 0.8493 euros)