Warsaw, August 13, 2025 — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced a €20 million investment in Spire Capital Partners Fund I, a newly launched independent private equity fund based in Poland. The fund aims to strengthen the growth of technology-enabled small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Poland and Central and Eastern Europe.
This strategic commitment has been instrumental in helping Spire Capital Partners reach its target fund size of €90 million, positioning it as a promising new player in the region’s private equity landscape.
🚀 Investment Focus and Strategy
Spire Capital Partners Fund I will deploy equity and quasi-equity investments ranging from €5 million to €20 million in SMEs operating in sectors such as:
- Technology-enabled services
- Software development
- E-commerce
The fund targets companies with established market positions, positive cash flows, and strong growth potential. Its investment approach emphasizes strategic, operational, and digital transformation to drive long-term capital growth.
🗣️ Institutional Endorsements
Anne Fossemalle, Head of Equity Funds at the EBRD, highlighted the fund’s role in bridging a critical financing gap:
“There is a missing layer of capital for companies that are profitable but require a professional investor to prepare them for the next stage of their evolution. Spire Capital will help to bridge this financing gap between early growth and mature buy-out investments”.
Andreea Moraru, EBRD Regional Director for Poland and the Baltic States, emphasized the broader impact:
“We’re proud to support the emergence of new fund managers such as Spire Capital. This is crucial to make the region’s enterprises more competitive and innovative”.
🌍 Market Context and Challenges
Despite Poland’s relatively mature private equity market, domestic institutional participation remains low, and SMEs continue to face limited access to bank financing. First-time fund managers, in particular, struggle to attract international capital amid global fundraising volatility.
Arkadiusz Podziewski, Partner at Spire Capital, acknowledged the significance of the fund’s launch:
“Closing our first fund in today’s challenging geopolitical and macroeconomic environment is a strong signal that investors view our strategy as compelling”.
📊 EBRD’s Broader Impact in Poland
The EBRD has been a cornerstone investor in Poland since 1991, with over €16 billion invested across 576 projects. In 2024 alone, the Bank committed a record €1.4 billion to the country, reinforcing its role as a key driver of economic development and innovation.
Source: EBRD.
