Innova Capital

Today – after a five-year common journey - Innova/6 a private equity fund under Innova Capital Group, along with a consortium of individual minority shareholders have entered into an agreement for the sale of the entire share capital of Optical Investment Group, a leading retailer of optical eyecare and eyewear products in Romania to EssilorLuxottica. OIG was set-up in 2019 in cooperation with Innova Capital by combining two established Romanian optical retail chains – OPTIblu Romania and Optiplaza. Over the past 5 years, it has not only significantly expanded its network of traditional stores (almost 100 directly operated already in the portfolio), but has also developed e-commerce channels, with more than 650 talented employees and optometrists. “We were happy to see the business grow and develop over the last five years and solidify its leading position in Romania. We are confident that it will continue to flourish and grow for many years to come, as part of the global EssilorLuxottica family,” comments Leszek Muzyczyszyn, our Senior Partner. More: https://lnkd.in/dsxkrhpQ #investmentexit #opticalmarket #cee #privateequity #investment

⚽ As the football season heats up, we're delighted to share that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development – EBRD has invested EUR 20 million in R-GOL.com, alongside Innova! The move is part of a larger EUR 51.9 million funding round and will finance the recently announced acquisition of Unisport A/S as well as building a new, energy-efficient warehouse in Poland. 📣 “We are thrilled to collaborate with EBRD on this transformative deal for R-GOL. Joining forces with Unisport marks a crucial milestone in our journey to become the leading global digital ecosystem in the football category,” said Łukasz Cyran, Managing Director at Innova Capital. We are delighted to see how R-GOL has developed over the past year, both further expanding its customer base and kicking into high gear when it comes to digitalizing the business. We can't wait to see the further results of these activities and the above-mentioned investments! ✨ More: https://lnkd.in/dN8TcU9R #investment #CEE #acquisition #sports #privateequity

Romanian PE-backed companies are leading the way in job creation, according to a recent report by @ROPEA and @Deloitte. In 2022 such firms increased employment by an impressive 7.1% y/y! 📈 🌍 The publication also highlights that despite capital constraints, the PE and VC sector in Romania has great potential to grow and attract international investors. As it is our second-largest market, we are committed to developing leading sector players that grow even during volatile conditions. What also makes us proud is the fact that through close cooperation with our portfolio companies, we are able to create lasting value not only across one entity but for the entire market. As the authors of the report emphasize, in the case of fundraising Romania still misses a key class of investors – pension funds, which, in developed markets, provide up to 25% of the capital raised by PE and VC funds. 🔍 The report can be found here: https://lnkd.in/d2QGbBMd   #privateequity #report #investments

⚽ Our R-GOL.com team scores again by acquiring a majority stake in sportbm, a Polish software developer specializing in managing clubs and sports academies! ⚽ Together, the companies aim to create an innovation hub to support digital product development for the football ecosystem, enhancing the digitalization of sports clubs and academies in the region. sportbm already provides customers with tools to manage and automate most processes, including data administration, activities organisation, multi-channel communication, billing, or training process planning. Under the cooperation, new partners will address players’ needs comprehensively, combining R-GOL’s football products with sportbm’s platform features such as online business cards, document circulation, and insurance services. 📣 “The last twelve months have shown us that R-GOL is a team that combines a passion for football with great ambition and business professionalism, which is best demonstrated by this year's second acquisition. Joining forces with sportbm will allow the group to expand into the attractive area of SaaS software for sports clubs and academies, opening up an additional channel to reach key stakeholders in the football ecosystem – players, parents, or coaches,” comments on the acquisition Łukasz Cyran, our Managing Director. Congratulations to both teams and we keep our fingers crossed for this transfer! 🤞🎉 More information available here: https://lnkd.in/di2r42zu #acqusition #sportindustry #investment #privateequity #cee

"Companies need to be aware that reporting under ESRS is a staggered strategic process, starting with a double materiality analysis, which we have not seen before. As part of it, a company is supposed to identify both the impact the external environment exerts on the company, and vice versa,” says Daria Pawełko Pawelko, our ESG Director in today’s business supplement of Rzeczpospolita. Our expert discusses the upcoming changes related to the CSRD directive, which will – quite soon – impose mandatory reporting of sustainability activities on thousands of Polish companies. This is both – a challenge, and a great opportunity to professionalize and increase the credibility of #ESG activities ✅ 👉 At Innova Capital, we believe that proper structuring of ESG processes, digitization of reporting as well as training and well-planned adaptation to the new requirements will bring tangible benefits. Within our portfolio, we have already introduced ESG objectives into the compensation systems of the investment team. In the next step, such targets will also include members of the boards of all portfolio companies. Such measures are aimed at effectively delivering on our sustainability commitments. Read some insights from Daria here and join us in discussing the future of ESG in business 📰📈 #sustainability #CSRD #ESGreporting

💡ESG driven business transformation is a new reality. As the majority of our portfolio will fall under the CSRD requirements in 2026, we have already started preparations. One of the pillars of our ESG Strategy, “Beyond Profit,” focuses on “UNLOCKING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH.” Our companies have started the strategic process of a DOUBLE MATERIALITY analysis to identify the most material and impactful ESG topics. This is not only to prepare for future reporting requirements but also to build foundations for developing SUSTAINABLE GROWTH STRATEGIES across their value chains. Other goals for our portfolio companies include, among others: 📍 Achieving at least 30% underrepresented gender representation in Management and Supervisory Boards across Innova’s portfolio by 2027 📍 Calculating the gender pay gap and developing a transition plan to close the gap by 2026 📍 Calculating carbon footprints in all scopes and setting ambitious reduction goals (Scope 1 & 2 this year, Scope 3 next year) Prime Label is leading the way! https://lnkd.in/dwc8vmGj #ESG #CSRD #BeyondProfit #privateequity #CEE

Check out what Innova Capital is up to! 🎯 In the latest issue of Real Deals, our Senior Partners Krzysztof Kulig, Andrzej Bartos, and Leszek Muzyczyszyn summarize our journey and achievements over the years and explain our future plans for the fund. Highlights include: 📍 Market Evolution: We've contributed to the CEE region's growth, with our last three funds delivering IRRs of 20%. 📍 Investment Strategy: We focus on sectors like business & financial services, industrials, consumer & lifestyle, and technology. We've become leaders in founder succession deals and corporate carve-outs, utilizing our Platform+ approach. 📍 Successful Fundraising: Despite market challenges, our clear strategy and focus on industry leaders delivered strong returns. Our Innova/7 fund closed at €407 million, surpassing the target. 📍 Partnerships: Our collaborative approach helps management teams achieve exceptional growth, with companies in our portfolio significantly multiplying their revenues. Read the full story from a partner's perspective here: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/djrzt-CD #privateequity #CEE #growth

Join us during SoDA - Software Development Association Poland & CRIDO Breakfast! Next Wednesday – June 19 – Michal Wojdyla, Partner at Innova Capital together with IT market experts, will discuss the topic of M&A in this industry from the perspective of both – the sector itself and PE fund 💡 🚀 Is it a good time for a deal? And what can different investors offer to companies’ owners? Register and join the conversation on hot IT-related subjects both in Poland and internationally: https://lnkd.in/d-wz-K9C #discussion #mergersandacquisitions #IT #privateequity

🌟 We are thrilled to announce that Innova Capital has been shortlisted as a finalist in the "PE House of the Year - Mid-Cap" category at the Real Deals ESG Awards 2024! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/dnFUpQus This honor spotlights our unwavering dedication to ESG values and the impactful work we do alongside our portfolio companies. We invite you to explore our latest ESG initiatives and achievements in our recent report. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/d4AKkBx5 Thank you to our team and partners for their dedication and hard work! #ESGAwards #InnovaCapital #PrivateEquity #ESG #Sustainability #TeamWork

⚽ We have always said that business development is a team sport, so we are extremely pleased to announce that Unisport A/S, the social media-powered online football retailer has just joined the squad of our portfolio company R-GOL.com, a leading multi-brand distributor of football merchandise ⚽ The transaction – backed by Innova – is the result of reaching the agreement with Nordic Capital and marks a significant milestone for both companies, creating new opportunities to reach together even further than European stadiums 🏟 The combined business will have over EUR 200M combined revenues, above 500,000 football club team members, 1.6M loyalty members and reach over 10M followers on social media! BIG congratulations to all involved in the process, and good luck to Marcin Radziwon as well as Michael Burk and their teams on this new, exciting journey! more information: https://lnkd.in/dGzZB2QM #acqusition #growth #footballsegment #onegoal