Organisers

CROATIAN PRIVATE EQUITY AND VENTURE CAPITAL ASSOCIATION (CVCA)

CVCA’s mission is to facilitate the creation of an environment that will foster Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC) investment in Croatia and the neighbouring region. Our objective is to serve as the meeting point for players in this field and to improve the general understanding of PE/VC investing. CVCA considers PE and VC investing as an important ingredient for development and growth of entrepreneurship, capital markets and the economy in general. It seeks to develop the investment culture in Croatia and the region, while following internationally accepted best practices.

CVCA is the organizer of the VentureXchange South East Europe events, including very successful Second Private Equity in South East Europe Conference that took place on the 23 and 24 February 2010 (hotel Westin, Zagreb) and attracted an audience of more than 350 delegates including 50 speakers. This was the largest regional private equity gathering, organized under the High Patronage of the Croatian Government, endorsed by EBRD and EIF and supported by number of other important partners.

CVCA is also organizer of VentureXchange South East Europe Competition 2010 and is thus promoting the 9 finalist from the region as the attractive investment opportunities to private equity and venture capital investors. In 2008, CVCA organized the research project on SME finance resulting in the book by V. Cvijanovic, M. Marovic and B. Sruk: Guide to financing SMEs, published by Bionza Press (2008).

CVCA is a non-profit organization governed by the Assembly of all of its members. The Management Board is in charge of the management of the Association and its activities, headed by the President, Mirna Marovic, and two Vice-Presidents. Secretary's office conducts administrative and supporting functions. CVCA is honorary member of European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EVCA).

WEBSITE CVCA: www.cvca.hr

EUROPEAN INVESTMENT FUND (EIF)

EIF is EIB Group's specialist provider of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) risk finance across Europe. EIF plays a crucial role throughout the value chain of enterprise creation, from the earliest stages of intellectual property development to mid and later-stage. Through selected financial intermediaries, EIF offers small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) a wide range of financing solutions. Among EIF clients there are banks and promotional banks, leasing companies, guarantee funds, mutual guarantee institutions, venture capital and private equity funds, microfinance institutions and microcredit providers or any other financial institution providing financing or guarantees for SMEs.

EIF was founded in 1994. Owned by the European Investment Bank (EIB), with which forms the EIB Group, the European Commission and a wide range of public and private banks and financial institutions, EIF has a unique shareholding structure as a public-private partnership and benefits from Multilateral Development Bank status, and has the highest credit rating (AAA). Croatia, through Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) is also a shareholder of EIF. EIF may conduct its activities in EU member states, EU candidate countries and EFTA member states.

EIF has an authorised capital of EUR 3 billion, divided into 3,000 shares of EUR 1m each. On 1 July 2010, 21 of these shares were authorised but not yet issued. As of 31 December 2009, EIF had total outstanding guarantee exposure in 168 operations of EUR 13.594 billion and private equity funds under management invested in 307 fund of EUR 4.1 billion.

WEBSITE EIF: www.eif.europa.eu