Advance Capital Partners will manage at least EUR 170m in its private equity funds

Ljubljana, 9th April 2024 -  Advance Capital Partners d.d., specialized in managing private equity funds, has raised EUR 120.6 m for Advance Capital Partners SIS (ACP SIS) fund at Initial Closing and additional EUR 50m for the second fund. Almost 50 institutional and private investors committed to invest in the fund in the first round of fundraising, which will end in April 2025.

“Extremely positive response from investors is a confirmation of our successful work so far and the trust in our vision. In the second round, we intend to raise a minimum of additional EUR 30m for ACP SIS, and given the expressed interest of investors, I have no doubt we'll surpass this goal,” said CEO of Advance Capital Partners d.d. Aleš Škerlak. “Simultaneously with fundraising, we have identified a significant number of potential acquisition targets from various sectors in Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia over the past six months, and we plan to close at least two acquisitions in the next few months,” added Škerlak.

“I am delighted by the trust of institutional investors, reputable individuals and companies who have decided to diversify their assets. Private equity funds are certainly a specific investment that requires full focus and commitment from the entire management team. History has taught us that this asset class can be a strong counterbalance and upgrade to traditional investment classes such as stocks, deposits, and real estate,” said Matej Runjak, a member of the management board at Advance Capital Partners.

Advance Capital Partners d.d., SIS, k.d. (ACP SIS) has a status of a special investment fund and is subject to supervision by the Securities Market Agency. It will invest in up to 12 companies aiming to develop them into leading players in the Adriatic region with 20 million inhabitants. The target sectors of the fund are IT, energy solutions, mobility/logistics, specialized retail/e-commerce, healthcare, industrial technologies, and other special opportunities, with the equity value of individual investments typically ranging between EUR 10m and EUR 30m. The anchor investor in the fund is Adventura Investments d.o.o., which has also invested its majority ownership stake in the leading Slovenian business digitization company Margis.

“The fundraising for the ACP SIS fund is expected to last until the beginning of April 2025. I expect that some renowned foreign institutional investors, that contacted us on their own initiative and expressed their interest to invest, family offices and private investors will join us in the next rounds.  Based on the commitments made so far, we’ll manage at least EUR 170m in both our funds, and the size will allow us to pursue attractive transactions focused on regional consolidation in priority sectors,” added Advance Capital Partners board member Tim Umberger.

The second fund, alternative investment fund Advance Capital Partners d.d., AIS II, d.d. (ACP AIS II), with a target value of EUR 50m, is in the phase of establishment. The investment policy of ACP AIS II will focus primarily on managing investment in Big Bang Group. Upon meeting certain conditions, Adventura investments will transfer its majority equity stake in Bidigital d.o.o. to ACP AIS II. The fund will seek opportunities in e-commerce and will be intended for professional investors only. After a successful entry into the Croatian market, Big Bang opened its first retail store in Bosnia and Herzegovina last year and entered the Serbian market. Big Bang group is aiming to generate over EUR 500m in revenue by 2028, doubling the result in 2022.

This message is informative in nature and is intended only to inform the public about the activities of Advance Capital Partners d.d.. This message is not intended for (pre)marketing of units of the specialized or alternative investment fund Advance Capital Partners II, SIS, k.d. or Advance Capital Partners d.d., AIS II, k.d.. Alternative investments fund Advance Capital Partners AIS II is currently in the phase of registration at ATVP for registration of alternative investment fund. Adventura Investments d.o.o. will transfer its 56,73% equity stake in Bidigital d.o.o., that owns majority equity stake in Big Bang d.o.o., to Advance Capital Partners d.d., AIS II, k.d. as in-kind contribution. The transfer of the investment is subject to obtaining all regulatory approvals and completion of suspensive conditions. The investment is currently still owned by Adventura Investments d.o.o..