Absolvo’s Partner, Iván Gyurácz Németh joined HVCA Board
We can proudly announce that Iván Gyurácz Németh has been unanimously elected to the Board of the Hungarian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HVCA).
Avokado – the online shopping service – raises a seed round
NEWS- Our days revolutionizing the FMCG e-commerce sector is not easy. The ones taking this challenge in Hungary are part of a start-up named „Avokado”. The goal is to bring a smooth and unique shopping experience to users who are enabled to shop from multiple stores while getting all delivered at once to their doorstep. On the other hand, the goal of the retailers is to enable expansion to the digital world while widening their customer base.
Contentsquare / Hotjar acquired the UK-based tech company PingPong UX
NEWS - Our Client PingPong UX Ltd., the UK based UX design startup, a fully-integrated platform for UX research and user testing, successfully closed its M&A deal with the global leader in digital experience intelligence and analytics Contentsquare. PingPong is joining forces with the Maltese-US giant Hotjar under the new branding “Hotjar Engage”. PingPong UX was advised by Absolvo Consulting in the transaction process with Contentsquare / Hotjar.
Continest successfully raised EUR 6.5M VC funding round
NEWS - Our Client Continest Technologies, developing and manufacturing innovative, foldable modular containers has received a total of HUF 2.4 billion (~ 6.5M EUR) in a syndicated investment round with the participation of DBH, Focus Ventures and Hiventures to support its growth ambitions.
The current investment round is aimed to further boost Continest’s international business development and expansion, as well as to support the establishment of a new manufacturing unit to increase production capabilities.
Innonic’s Shoprenter successfully sold its majority stake to the Polish e-commerce giant IAI
NEWS - Our Client Shoprenter, a member of the Innonic Group, closed a successful M&A transaction with the market leader Polish e-commerce SaaS provider company IAI (IdoSell), which acquired a majority stake (51%) in the Hungarian company. Shoprenter was advised by Absolvo Consulting in the transaction process with IAI.
Scaling internationally from CEE – first-hand experience from 500 Startups
MEETUP - If you want to build a successful startup / scaleup, raise capital to support your ambitious growth, you need to think globally, enter international markets and face a bunch of tough challenges leaving CEE. We will proudly host Enis Hulli from the most active global early stage VC firm 500 Startups and take his personal advice based on his deep experience in supporting CEE/SEE startups entering the global playground. When is the right time? What are the main risks and challenges on scaling beyond CEE, incl. founder mindset, sales, marketing, hiring, organization, culture, etc.?
The realistic timeframe of scaling vs. VC investment horizon
MEETUP - After fundraising, the growth expectations from VCs put a huge pressure on founders. They have to deliver profit, prepare for exit, close the fund; but what is the realistic timeframe of scaling, how does it fit into VC lifecycle, how do they handle the conflicts of time horizons?
The role of outbound approach in scaling – can you make it without?
MEETUP - Cold contacting, outbound efforts – a lot of founders, sales managers literally hate them, because it’s seen slow, providing low conversion – or don’t work at all, just burn money, time and motivation. What is the “truth-rate” of these statements? Is there a choice at all: can you scale and deliver an impressive growth to (also) your VC investor w/o an outbound approach, considering that your CEE local market is probably too small?
Beyond early stage: Series B/C rounds, debt financing to support international scaling
MEETUP - What you need to know about raising EUR 20-50M from international investors? Later stage investments, Series B/C rounds, debt financing - characteristics, rules, preparation, requirements and KPIs making these rounds highly different from any earlier stage investments – how to prepare successfully? What are the challenges to become “ready and go for it”? We will discover this topic with our international investor guests from Kreos Capital and OTB Ventures.
Conversific successfully closed EUR 2M late seed VC funding round
NEWS - Conversific, the Hungarian ecommerce analytics tool developer, ranking 1st among the analysis tools on Shopify, has just closed a late seed VC funding round of EUR 2M with Hungarian VC investors Hiventures and Bonitas. During the transaction Absolvo Consulting has been Conversific’s exlusive advisory partner.
German VC ecosystem and preparation for a Series A round
MEETUP - In CEE with the heavily funded local VC funds, you can easily get seed investments with even less impressive results and “safe” ambitions. Raising a next round (esp. with an international investor) may be hard after such way of funding. How to prepare for a REAL Series A round, what steps to be taken to close a successful deal with international investors? Why is it more likely to get funding from local / CEE VCs than e.g. German ones? How they see the CEE startup ecosystem, how to build on our strengths and “reposition” ourselves?
Meetup with Speedinvest & MOC: Valuation, terms, VC activity in COVID times
MEETUP - Lockdowns, supply chain issues, projects on-hold, strategy redesign, cost restructuring etc. - the majority of business players and startups are affected around the world, regardless which side of the table they sit. If you are building a startup / scaleup and you plan to raise a new VC round, you might have a plenty of questions: so what’s now? how? where from? what terms? Join us and raise your questions on 28 May at Equity Thursday online meetup directly to Jacek Lubinski (Market One Capital) and Alex Zhigarev (Speedinvest)!
Logiscool accelerates international growth with a 3.5 million EUR investment
NEWS - Logiscool, an international leader in coding education for children and teens, raised a 3.5 million EUR investment from Euroventures, one of the leading independent VC and PE firms in the CEE region. The current investment gives a significant boost to our Client Logiscool’s further international expansion and building its franchise network on the new markets. Logiscool was exclusively advised by Absolvo's growth financing team in the transaction process.
TheScaleupFest – International event on scaling
EVENT - Experienced VC investors about the challenges of scaling, founders with successful scaleup stories, corporates about the preferred partnership types on stage on 4th March in Budapest! How to scale and grow beyond CEE successfully? What is the essence to really make it? OTB Ventures, Capital 300, Fil Rouge Capital, Portfolion, DayOne Capital, Avatao, Innonic, IPR-Insights – just some of the great speakers and stories on stage! Share your pitch deck with VCs, meet and build your network!
The owner of EZIT sold his stakes to the European leader in hosting services Loopia Group
NEWS - EZIT Kft. and Magyar Hosting Kft. are significant players of the IT hosting market in Hungary, providing server-, cloud- and domain services for their clients. The owner sold 100% of the shares to the Sweden-based, private equity-backed Loopia Group, one of the most active players on the European IT hosting market. Absolvo’s M&A team advised the founder / owner of the companies in the transaction process.
A new investment brings Prefixbox’s e-commerce search to Poland
NEWS - Our Client Prefixbox, an AI powered e-commerce search provider, gets a seed investment of 500k EUR from Euroventures, a notable CEE investment firm, as part of a larger capital raising project. Investment is aimed to support the extensive product development and international expansion throughout the CEE region, with Poland as the first target market.
Genesis Capital acquired majority in 11 Entertainment Group of Hungary
NEWS - Our Client 11 Entertainment Group, the leading indoor family entertainment provider in Hugary, successfully closed M&A transaction with the Prague-based Genesis Capital. Over the last 10 years the company grew to 5 parks (Cyberjumps), attracting 500.000+ visitors annually. The Group is aimed to become the leading service provider in family entertainment services category in the CEE region; to support its growth plan they partnered the international PE investor Genesis Capital with 20+ years experience in the region. Genesis Capital acquired majority stakes (61%) in 11 Entertainment Group.
Equity Business Breakfast – Private Equity investments and the taxation issues of transactions
EVENT - This time we put private equity, its specialities and function in focus. Our international PE investor guest Genesis Capital will give an overview what investment opportunities they are looking for, then we give an insight into the specific details of a recently closed PE transaction in which majority of stakes of 11 Entertainment Group was sold. Both investor’s and owner’s perspectives will be discovered and understood during the discussions. Taxation issues will be raised and answered by OrienTax.
VCs in CEE 2019 – The scaleup journey
EVENT - Are you building a startup / scaleup and you are aspiring to become a regional or even global key player? Are you fundraising and want to meet international VCs, share your pitch deck with them and have the opportunity of an initial 1-on-1 meeting? If so, this event on 10th September 2019 is for you! We invite to Budapest and stage again international VCs and great CEE entrepreneurs to introduce you and share their experience, case studies and success stories – this time about the journey of scaling, challenges of global market entry, fundraising, and growing beyond CEE successfully.
VCs in CEE 2019 – The scaleup session
EVENT - Are you building a startup / scaleup and you are aspiring to become a regional or even global key player? Are you fundraising and want to meet international VCs? Or, are you simply interested in the investment and startup world of the CEE region? If so, this event on 26th March 2019 is for youVCs and entrepreneurs will share their experience, case studies, success stories, and discuss the challenges of global market entry and how to scale and grow beyond CEE successfully. We introduce again “new wave” of international VCs interested in the region.
Ceres Pharma acquires Ceumed
NEWS - Ceumed, a major supplier of baby- and healthcare OTC products in CEE successfully closed M&A transaction with the Belgium-based Ceres Pharma which acquisition opens the door to Ceres Pharma in the CEE region. Vendor’s co-founders Marc Coucke and Mario Debel played key roles in building, expansion and exit of 3.6 bn EUR of the global pharmaceutical giant Omega Pharma. CEUMED was advised by Absolvo’s M&A team in the transaction process.
VCs in CEE – Who’s next? International VC event
EVENT - Are you building a startup and aspiring to become a regional or even global key player? Are you fundraising and want to meet international VCs? Or, are you simply interested in the investment and startup world of the CEE region? If so, this event on 6th September 2018 is for you! We introduce you tomorrow’s industry scene, new international VCs willing to invest in CEE and Hungary. VCs and entrepreneurs will share their experience, case studies, success stories, and discuss the challenges of global market entry and how to grow beyond CEE successfully.