We set ambitious goals. Thanks to our approach, the companies that we invest in usually overtake their competitors and become sector leaders on a local, European and even global scale.
We manage large investments effectively and are flexible enough to succeed with the most unconventional projects. We are interested in growing businesses that have already proved themselves in the market through having a good product or service and skilled management.
We invest predominantly in medium-sized privately owned firms, but our venture capital fund provides equity to smaller firms, too. Our period of involvement is usually between three and seven years. After the acquisition we focus on the company's long-term growth, providing additional financing where necessary and systematically reinvesting profits.
We play an active role in the development of our portfolio companies through supervisory board representation, without becoming involved in their day-to-day operations. Firms we work with can count on our full support when making key decisions regarding strategy, operational matters and financial planning. We assist them with recruitment for senior positions, to ensure management is of the highest caliber. We also help them with mergers and acquisitions, and prepare companies for public market entry.
Our extensive network of relationships means we are able to provide introductions to the best legal advisors and accountants, as and when required. We also offer access to our more than 100 past and present portfolio companies and their customers.
At Enterprise Investors we treat every investment individually, adapting the strategy to each company’s long-term investment plans. We know how to build value, create the right structures and motivate managers. We understand entrepreneurs and management teams, and respect their broad expertise. Together we are able to turn developing companies into impeccably organized, dynamic corporations. In most cases we offer management options to the senior managers of firms that decide to work with us.
Enterprise Investors has the most experienced investment team in Central and Eastern Europe, and the trust demonstrated consistently by investors from global financial markets is testimony to our outstanding competence. Thanks to the skills and potential of our team we add measurable value to every investment and minimize transaction risk. This is demonstrated by our past performance.
Looking at our history one could say that EI has grown in step with the leading businesses and economies of Central and Eastern Europe, investing more and more capital in individual projects. But we are also very aware of the capital needs of the new generation of companies, and have raised our first venture capital fund in response to the capital needs of SMEs operating on the Polish market and in the wider CEE.
Investors who trust us with their money know that we operate ethically and comply with local and international corporate governance requirements. Having pioneered the introduction of good business practices in companies, we pride ourselves on conducting highly transparent transactions and observing the highest business standards in all our dealings. This is of particular benefit to our investee partners, as it gives them the transparency and reputation that can help attract an industry investor or raise additional capital on the public markets. Moreover, the capital market regulators rank our portfolio companies very highly for their exemplary commitment to best practice in corporate governance.
While Poland remains our prime area of investment activity, we are constantly seeking new opportunities created by the expanding economies of Central and Eastern Europe. We realize our regional investment strategy from our offices in Warsaw, Bucharest, Prague, Budapest and Bratislava.