About us

The COLUMBUS Private Equity Fund was established by EXIMBANK Zrt. and CARION Holding Zrt. with the aim of expanding SMEs that operate in Hungary and in Central and Eastern Europe internationally, primarily towards the US market.

Expansion of domestic-owned enterprises is essential for the growth of the GDP and GNP which, due to the limitations of the internal markets can be realized mainly through export activity. With the help of European Union funds - including the venture capital program implemented within the Jeremie program – SMEs have achieved significant R&D results during the past few years in Hungary. However, economic introduction and continuous development of these results in many cases require an international presence.

When entering the international market businesses typically face a major obstacle: Internationalization - due to the size of the markets - can only be achieved with much higher costs and corresponding financing requirements. In many cases, companies do not have the necessary resources and due to their indicators, most of them are unable to raise export credit. Moreover, in accordance with EUR regulations (Article 1 (2) (c) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014) export activity and international presence cannot be funded through EU Funds which also includes EU funded venture capital subsidies. Another barrier to entering the international market is the lack of proper market knowledge and networking. Because of the differences in the legal and cultural environment, entering the international market is already doomed to failure if the company wishing to enter the foreign market does not receive proper support.

The mission of the COLUMBUS Private Equity Fund is to support domestic SMEs by overcoming these obstacles through its two main activities. The Fund, on the one hand, provides capital to companies that comply with the investment policy of the Fund in order to finance their international presence. This will not only provide financing for the costs of entering the international market, but will also increase the creditworthiness of the companies concerned, by recapitalizing them and thus enable them to raise additional funds.

On the other hand, since the provision of capital does not solve the lack of proper market knowledge and networking, the COLUMBUS Private Equity Fund has created a so-called " Service Office” in the US. To contribute to the US success of the funded companies, Columbus Capital Management Company (CCMC) was established in Los Angeles, California in 2020. The Service Office or CCMC intends to assist, support and contribute to the successful launch of the funded companies wishing to enter the foreign market.

The COLUMBUS Private Equity Fund is managed by Carion Investment Fund Management Company (Fund Management Company, part of the Carion Group). Established in 2003, the Fund Management Company manages also the Carion Real Estate Investment Fund and managed the already successfully closed Carion Capital Venture Capital Fund, which at the time of its dissolution paid its investors a return in excess of the interest rate prevailing at the time. The Carion Group, having successfully closed a venture capital fund in recent years, currently manages three venture capital funds, the Core Venture Seed Fund, the Core Venture Growth Fund and the Capitalization Venture Capital Fund. Their combined value is close to 20 billion HUF.

The Carion Group has a high standard of knowledge, practical experience, an ownership background, management and a cooperative business partnership that is essential and required for the success of venture capital fund management activities.

The funds, known as Core Venture, were established to finance innovative ideas that were deliberately supplemented by investments in traditional low-risk industries. Accordingly, funding targeted projects related to renewable energy, emission-free waste treatment and projects using information and communication technologies, but also commercial hospitality, product retail and wholesale were included in the portfolio of these Funds. Launched in 2019, the Capitalization Venture Capital Fund operates - in part - as an urban development fund, making "traditional" venture capital investments in addition to financing smart-city projects as well. The COLUMBUS Private Equity Fund was established by EXIMBANK Zrt. and CARION Holding Zrt. with the aim of expanding SMEs that operate in Hungary and in Central and Eastern Europe internationally, primarily towards the US market. Growth of domestic-owned enterprises is essential for the growth of the GDP and GNP which, due to the limitations of the internal markets can expand mainly through export. With the help of European Union funds - including the venture capital program implemented within the Jeremie program – SMEs have achieved significant R&D results in Hungary during the past few years. However economic introduction and continuous development of these results in many cases require an international presence.

When entering the international market businesses typically face a major obstacle: Internationalization - due to the size of the markets - can only be achieved with much higher costs and corresponding financing requirements. In many cases, companies do not have the necessary resources and due to their indicators, most of them are unable to raise export credit. Moreover, in accordance with EUR regulations (Article 1 (2) (c) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014) export activity and international presence cannot be funded through EU Funds which also includes EU funded venture capital subsidies. Another barrier to entering the international market is the lack of proper market knowledge and networking. Because of the differences in the legal and cultural environment, entering the international market is already doomed to failure if the company wishing to enter the foreign market does not receive proper support. The mission of the COLUMBUS Private Equity Fund is to support domestic SMEs by overcoming these two obstacles through its two main activities. The Fund, on the one hand, provides capital to companies that comply with the investment policy of the Fund in order to finance their international presence. This will not only provide financing for the costs of entering the international market, but will also increase the creditworthiness of the companies concerned by recapitalizing them and thus enable them to raise additional funds.

On the other hand, since the provision of capital does not solve the lack of proper market knowledge and networking, the COLUMBUS Private Equity Fund aims to create a so-called " Service Office” in the US. The Service Office intends to assist, support and contribute to the successful launch of the funded companies wishing to enter the foreign market. The COLUMBUS Private Equity Fund is managed by Carion Investment Fund Management Company (Fund Management Company, part of the Carion Group). Established in 2003, the Fund Manager manages also the Carion Real Estate Investment Fund and managed the already successfully closed Carion Capital Venture Capital Fund, which at the time of its dissolution paid its investors a return in excess of the interest rate prevailing at the time. The Carion Group, having successfully closed a venture capital fund in recent years, currently manages three venture capital funds, the Core Venture Joint Seeder, the Core Venture Growth and the Capitalization Venture Capital Fund. Their combined value is close to 20 billion HUF.

The Carion Group has a high standard of knowledge, practical experience, an ownership background, management and a cooperative business partnership that is essential and required for the success of venture capital fund management activities.

The funds, known as Core Venture, were established to finance innovative ideas that were deliberately supplemented by investments in traditional low-risk industries. Accordingly, funding targeted projects related to renewable energy, emission-free waste treatment and projects using information and communication technologies, but also commercial hospitality, product retail and wholesale were included in the portfolio of these Funds. Launched in 2019, the Capitalization Venture Capital Fund operates - in part - as an urban development fund, making "traditional" venture capital investments in addition to financing smart-city projects as well.