Raft Capital became a full member of the Lithuanian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association
2024-09-16 Vilnius
Raft Capital, a leading growth-stage investment firm, has become a Lithuanian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (LT VCA) member.
“We are an investment firm that helps small and medium-sized companies grow. Therefore, we need to be part of the broader investor community in Lithuania and the Baltics. Joining the LT VCA community is both exciting and a commitment to sharing our knowledge with our colleagues in the region,” says Artūras Gegužis, partner at Raft Capital.
“We congratulate Raft Capital on becoming a full member of the largest Lithuanian PE&VC community. Over the past several years, investments by our member funds have not only provided vital financing to various sectors but have also contributed to job creation and economic growth. This is particularly important in the SME sector, where Raft Capital specializes,” Greta Mieliauskaitė, Managing Director of the Lithuanian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, says.
LT VCA unites the main private equity and venture capital market participants in Lithuania, with 64 members. In 2023, members of the Association invested EUR 111 million in Lithuanian companies alone.
Andrejus Boicovas, another partner at Raft Capital, suggests, “Many small and medium enterprises in the Baltics have hit a ‘glass ceiling.’ Expanding into export markets has become increasingly difficult because banks are often unwilling to finance these businesses.”
“These companies face a dilemma: either borrow at much higher costs through bonds or credit unions, sell a stake in the company, or sell the business entirely. The latter option is particularly challenging for business owners who established and grew their ‘babies’ after independence in the early 1990s,” Mr. Boicovas says.
“This is where Raft Capital offers an attractive alternative to these founders—not only necessary capital for growth but also know-how, expertise, and partnership,” Mr. Gegužis agrees.
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Raft Capital is a growth-stage investment firm dedicated to fueling the expansion of high-potential companies across the Baltics. As a generalist investor, we target diverse industries, seeking businesses that demonstrate distinctive competitive advantages through market leadership, advanced technology, or innovative products.
Headquartered in Vilnius, Lithuania, Raft Capital operates in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.