Genesis Capital, one of the leading private equity groups in Central Europe, is preparing to launch its seventh fund. Genesis Private Equity Fund V (GPEF V) will build upon the group’s previous successful funds and will focus on investments in medium-sized enterprises in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Austria. With a target size of EUR 250 million, GPEF V aims to become one of the largest private equity funds in Central Europe. The fund is expected to be launched in the first half of 2025.
Ondřej Vičar, Managing Partner of Genesis Capital Equity, presents the strategic intent of the new fund: “GPEF V will continue the proven strategy of previous funds in terms of sector, geography, and investment situations. The fund will target established companies with a strong growth potential, particularly in situations where founders are looking for successors or need financial support for further development, innovation, or international expansion. At the same time, we will also be active in cases where multinational companies are restructuring their operations and exiting non-core markets or divesting their assets.”
Radan Hanzl, Partner at Genesis Capital Equity, adds: “As part of our strategy, GPEF V will continue to focus on four industries that we consider stable and at the same time with good future dynamics. These industries include B2B services, light and medium specialised manufacturing, IT services and technology outsourcing, specialty retail and consumer services. Focusing on multiple sectors will enable GPEF V to ensure diversification of its investments, thereby achieving an optimal expected return and risk profile for its investors.”
“With the new fund we aim to build upon the successful investments and attractive results we have achieved in our previous funds. Over its twenty-five-year history, Genesis Capital has become the most active private equity company in the Czech Republic, and I am pleased that with further development, we are now advancing among the leading firms in the industry within the broader Central European region,” adds Ondřej Vičar, expressing not only his confidence in Genesis Capital’s past achievements, but also his determination to further expand activities in the private equity sector in Central Europe.
The new fund targets companies with a responsible approach
“We want to invest in healthy, transparently managed companies that operate ethically and in accordance with principles of environmental protection, fair working conditions and positive social impact. We want to further encourage these steps as we believe that supporting a responsible approach to business benefits not only our investors, but all entities, individuals and communities that work with us,” adds Ondřej Vičar.
GPEF V, like previous Genesis funds, will invest primarily in the Czech Republic and selectively in neighbouring countries – Slovakia, Poland, Austria, and Hungary. The fund’s investors will be predominantly international and local institutions and investment companies.
“The preparation of the new fund at this time and its proposed size are supported by several factors: very good performance of the GPEF III fund (which started in 2015), the high investment pace and good outlook of the current fund GPEF IV and, most of all, the growing number of attractive and also larger investment opportunities, which we are able to process with our continuously expanding investment team,” concludes Tatiana Balkovicová, Senior Investment Director at Genesis Capital Equity.