Horizon Capital is a leading private equity firm in Emerging Europe, backed by over 40 institutional investors. We have a tenure of over 30 years in the region and manage six funds with assets under management of over $1.6 billion.
We are known for our strong team, high integrity and governance, value creation and track record of successful investments.
Our investment strategy focuses on fast-growing, export-oriented companies that leverage CEE’s cost competitive advantage to generate global revenues.
1.6 billion
assets under management
>$2.4 billion
capital attracted to the region
>30 years
tenure in the region
6 funds
managed
Our mission
We transform local leaders into regional and global champions.
We:
- Identify the strongest companies led by visionary entrepreneurs
- Back them with capital and expertise
To:
- Generate superior returns
- And help transform the region
Our principles
- We are a model of transparency and integrity
- We stand firmly for the interests of our investors
- We are committed to excellence and continuous growth
- Our relationships are based on trust and mutual respect
- We leave no stone unturned in achieving success
History
Horizon Capital was founded in 2006 as a spin-out of the investment management team of UMAEF, a $285m fund focused on Ukraine and Moldova and established in 1994. Today, the firm has two Founding Partners, Lenna Koszarny, CEO, over 30 years based in Ukraine and Jeffrey C. Neal, Chairman of the Investment Committee, 30 years at Merrill Lynch, former Chairman of Global Investment Banking.
Horizon Capital has launched three funds under the Emerging Europe Growth Fund brand. EEGF I (launched in 2006) with $132m raised, and EEGF II (in 2008) with $370m raised. Both EEGF I and EEGF II provided buy-out and expansion capital for domestic-focused businesses. EEGF III, the firm’s latest fund, closed in December 2018 with a hard cap of $200m, far surpassing its original target of $150m. EEGF III is focused primarily on IT and export-oriented companies, and select domestic champions.
The latest Ukraine-focused fund, Horizon Capital Growth Fund IV(“HCGF IV”, the “Fund”), has reached $350 million in commitments at its Final Closing held in Tokyo on February 19, 2024. The Fund invests growth capital alongside visionary entrepreneurs leading fast-growing primarily tech and export-oriented companies, as well as select domestic champions, in Ukraine and Moldova (the “Region”). HCGF IV is the first fund in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to be awarded 2X Flagship Fund status, 1 of circa 10 globally attaining the highest 2X Challenge designation for funds, and an estimated 1 of 2 such funds led by a female Founding Partner & CEO. 2X Challenge was launched as a bold commitment to invest in the world’s women and promote gender equality in finance.
Backed by U.S. and European investors with a combined capital base of over $700 billion
Portfolio
Viseven
Viseven is a leading global provider of digital marketing solutions and services for the pharma and life sciences industry, with a mission of saving lives by improving communication.
GoIT
GoIT is a leading global edtech company, with a mission to democratize engineering education for the digital professions of today and tomorrow.
Preply
Preply is an online language learning marketplace, connecting more than 40,000 tutors teaching over 50 languages to hundreds of thousands of learners in 180 countries worldwide
Miratech
Miratech helps visionaries to change the world and is a global IT services and consulting company that brings together proven global enterprise processes and methodologies and start-up innovation.
Creatio
Creatio is a global vendor of a no-code platform to automate workflows and CRM with a maximum degree of freedom
Rozetka-Evo
E-commerce champion
Ajax
Leading smart security systems manufacturer
Aurora
Leading dollar store player
Makeup
Niche e-commerce champion: beauty products
Genesis
Top 100 global IT product company
Intellias
Fast-growing IT outsourcing
Liki24
E-commerce platform for medicine delivery
Purcari
Leading wine producer in CEE
MAIB
#1 commercial bank in Moldova
Jooble
#2 global job search engine
Datagroup
#1 B2B fixed telecom operator in Ukraine
Yarych
Fast-growing confectionary exporter
- Exited
PURCARI (IPO)
Leading wine producer in CEE
- Exited
Ciklum
Leading IT outsourcing company
- Exited
Biofarma
Leading pharma manufacturer
- Exited
Ergopack
Household goods producer
- Exited
GCC/GCPrim
Leading Moldovan glass company
Our team
Strong team of investment professionals with top US and European business schools education and operational experience at blue chip companies globally.
Latest news
IFC, EBRD, EU, and France Help Deliver Largest FDI in Ukraine Since Invasion, Strengthen Telecom Infrastructure
October 10, 2024
Consortium Led by Xavier Niel Completes Acquisition of Datagroup-Volia and Lifecell
September 09, 2024
Creatio Raises $200M at $1.2B Valuation to Lead the Enterprise No-Code Market
June 26, 2024
EBRD and IFC Advance Appraisal to Provide $435m in Financing to Support Landmark Datagroup-Volia-Lifecell Telecom Deal in Ukraine
June 14, 2024
Horizon Capital’s Founding Partner and CEO Lenna Koszarny Honored with the 2024 Tryzub Leadership Award
May 15, 2024
Denys Sychkov promoted to Principal
April 16, 2024
Investment funds
HCGF IV
$350 million
Horizon Capital Growth Fund IV invests growth capital alongside visionary entrepreneurs leading fast-growing primarily tech and export-oriented companies, as well as select domestic champions, in Ukraine and Moldova (the “Region”).
HCGF II
$258.3 million
Horizon Capital Growth Fund II, LP is a private equity fund backed by international institutional investors, IFIs and global family offices, to provide additional capital and support further development of select high growth, Ukraine-based tech companies
EEGF III
$200 million
Emerging Europe Growth Fund III, LP provides growth equity to back successful export champions in IT, light manufacturing, food and agro, as well as domestic champions in Ukraine and the region
EEGF II
$370 million
Emerging Europe Growth Fund II, L.P. focused on core industries serving the emerging middle class, including financial services, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail and manufacturing in Ukraine and the region.
EEGF
$132 million
Emerging Europe Growth Fund, LP focused on core industries serving the emerging middle class, including financial services, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail and manufacturing in Ukraine and the region.
UMAEF
$285 million
Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund is US government-backed fund that has invested in small and medium-sized companies in Ukraine and Moldova.
Responsible Investment
At Horizon Capital, we believe that investing responsibly aligns us with the objectives of our investors, benefits our partners and portfolio companies that we back, and the communities that we live and operate in. Doing good is also good business as we believe that high standards of Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) result in a positive impact on the financial and operational performance of our investment portfolio.
ESG has been central to Horizon Capital’s DNA since we launched the firm in 2006. We have benefited greatly from the backing and support in adopting best-in-class ESG at Horizon Capital from international financial institutions and impact investors who back us, with their wealth of expertise and know-how.
The high standards of our global institutional investor base, with a capital base of over $700 billion, motivate, inspire, and support Horizon Capital in our role as an ESG standard-bearer in our Region. Horizon Capital is a proud signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), whose principles we share and have furthered in our investment operations. We do so by taking a systematic approach to risk assessment and Environmental and Social (E&S) management through the application of IFC Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability (IFC Performance Standards), and the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines. The established Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) is detailed in each fund’s Investment Policies and Procedures, including relevant Environmental and Social Policies and Procedures and incorporates E&S issues into the investment decision-making process. Funds under management include relevant E&S Covenants, which are integral elements of each Fund’s Limited Partnership Agreement.
Horizon Capital pays particular attention to ESG issues from the very beginning of a new partnership, incorporating a thorough evaluation of such issues in conducting due diligence of prospective investment opportunities, and during the life cycle of our investments. We identify gaps between ESG requirements and best practices during this evaluation stage, and post-investment, incorporate suggested improvements into action plans for implementation by portfolio company management, supporting this process with templates, best-practices shares and ongoing consultation.
Corporate governance is a crucial component of ESG. Horizon Capital focuses extensively on establishing effective corporate governance mechanisms together with each investee, negotiating key elements prior to entering the investment and ensuring strong corporate governance rights post-investment.
Horizon Capital has also implemented a strong Integrity and Anti-Corruption Compliance System at the firm, incorporating EBRD Integrity Guidelines to identify and manage integrity and anti-corruption compliance risks with respect to firm operations, operations of funds under management, and supporting the implementation at the investee level led by portfolio company management.
We work closely with portfolio companies to implement improvements, providing our partners with guidance and assistance as they strive to raise standards within the portfolio, and provide annual as well as ad-hoc comprehensive firm and portfolio company E&S reporting to our esteemed investors.
Join us
If you are interested in being a part of the Horizon Capital team, please send your CV to: [email protected]