Private equity fundraising in the CEE region totaled €1.8bn last year, the highest volume in the last 10 years, according to Invest Europe. The region’s venture capital funds attracted more than €500m for the second year in a row, while private equity investments hit €2.7bn across the region. The biggest growth was reported in Poland (5.1 percent), followed by Hungary (4.9 percent) and Latvia (4.8 percent). More than 190 companies in Hungary received investment backing last year, accounting for nearly half of the regional total.
“The strong levels of private equity fundraising, investment and exit activity in Central and Eastern Europe in 2018 demonstrate that the region continues to develop as an attractive investment destination,” said Robert Manz, chair of Invest Europe’s Central and Eastern Europe task force. “Global investors see that private equity and venture capital investment is one of the best ways to access the region’s robust markets and high-growth companies.”
