Elevator Ventures

Elevator Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), a prominent banking group with a significant presence across Central and Eastern Europe. Established in 2018, the firm was founded with a strategic mandate to invest in early-stage and growth companies within the financial technology (Fintech) sector and related enabling technologies. Its primary objective is to foster innovation and identify strategic partnerships that can enhance RBI's core banking operations and expand its digital offerings across its extensive network, leveraging the bank's deep regional expertise.

The firm employs a flexible investment approach, targeting both early-growth stage companies and more mature growth-stage businesses. For initial investments in early-growth stage companies, Elevator Ventures typically deploys cheques ranging from EUR 0.5 million to EUR 5 million (approximately USD 540,000 to USD 5.4 million, based on recent exchange rates). They also have the capacity to invest larger sums, up to EUR 10 million (approximately USD 10.8 million), for later-stage growth rounds, often as follow-on investments or for more established companies. This flexibility allows them to support promising ventures throughout their development cycle, from initial scaling to significant market expansion.

Elevator Ventures maintains a strong geographic focus on Central and Eastern Europe, aligning with RBI's core markets. Beyond providing capital, the firm offers portfolio companies invaluable access to RBI's vast customer base, operational infrastructure, and expert network, which can significantly accelerate market entry and product validation. Their investment thesis centers on technologies that can drive efficiency, enhance customer experience, or introduce new business models within banking and financial services, including areas like payments, lending, regtech, and blockchain. With a dedicated fund volume of EUR 100 million, Elevator Ventures is well-positioned to be a significant player in the CEE fintech ecosystem, actively seeking companies that align with RBI's strategic priorities.