OSEO was born in 2005, by bringing together ANVAR (French innovation agency) and BDPME (SME development bank), around a mission of general interest supporting the regional and national policies. Its mission is to provide assistance and financial support to French SMEs and VSEs in the most decisive phases of their life cycle : start up, innovation, development, business transfer / buy out. By sharing the risk, it facilitates the access of SMEs to financing by banking partners and equity capital investors.

OSEO covers three areas of activity :

• Innovation support and funding : for technology transfer and innovative technology-based projects with real marketing prospects.
• Funding investments and operating cycle alongside the banks.
• Guaranteeing funding granted by banks and equity capital investors.

OSEO head structure is a holding with public status. It reports to both the Ministry for Economy, Finance and Industry, and Ministry for Higher Education and Research.

OSEO's partners are : banks, financial institutions and equity capital investors ; research laboratories, universities, engineering schools, major companies ; chambers of commerce and industry, tradesmen's guilds ; business start-up assistance and support networks ; government agencies and private organisations working to promote the use of information technology by SMEs ; European structural funds and Community research programmes...

OSEO covers all areas of France, through its regional network. It works with local communities and in particular with the French regions. It makes its skills and networks available to them, acts on their behalf and in accordance with their economic development priorities.