In this conversation at 0100 EE25, Edgar Kolesnik, Partner at Abris Capital Partners, shares why Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) remains one of the most compelling—yet underappreciated—regions for private equity investment.
Kolesnik outlines three core advantages that define the region:
Structural growth: CEE holds 25% of the EU population but only 10% of GDP—signaling room for long-term expansion.
Limited competition: An abundance of SMEs primed for succession, digitization, or regional expansion.
Strong, cost-efficient talent: A mature pool of STEM-skilled executives and lower labor costs than Western Europe.
Abris’s strategy focuses on transforming local market leaders into regional champions, particularly in sectors like technology, healthcare, and specialized manufacturing. Their “sell before you buy” approach ensures value creation is tailored with clear exit paths in mind.
Despite global headwinds, Abris closed five exits worth over €1 billion in the past year—a testament to the firm’s disciplined execution and focus on exit readiness.
Kolesnik also touches on the region’s evolving commitment to ESG and sustainability, noting Abris actively tracks 600+ ESG indicators annually—not just to manage risk but to drive value.
“Central Europe is appealing—it’s just not always well understood. But for investors seeking diversification and superior returns, the opportunities are here,” says Kolesnik.
As private equity adapts to a prolonged high-cost environment, investors are being forced to rethink how they source deals, create value, and deploy capital. Ahead of her appearance at 0100 Europe (April 21–23), we spoke with Geraldine O’Keeffe, Partner at EQT Healthcare Growth, about how one of Europe’s leading investment platforms is transiting today’s market dynamics—across healthcare, technology, and beyond.
Ahead of her appearance at 0100 DACH in February, Daisy Cai, General Partner at B Capital, reflects on deep tech beyond the label—and where frontier innovation becomes enduring value.
AI is no longer a fringe technology—it is rapidly reshaping entire industries, from climate and energy to industrial operations and enterprise software. Yet as competition intensifies and barriers to entry fall, the question facing venture investors is no longer whether to invest in AI, but how to identify companies capable of generating durable, long-term value. In this interview, Jeremy Brown, Principal & Head of Climate at Anthemis, shares his perspective on evaluating AI businesses beyond the hype, drawing on his experience at the intersection of AI, climate, and complex industrial markets, and setting the stage for a broader discussion with fellow investors on where real opportunity—and real risk—now lies in AI venture capita
