Activity
Russian Venture Capital Association (RVCA) was established in 1997 as a professional association of venture capital and private equity funds’ representatives.
The idea of the RVCA creation was suggested in Saint Petersburg at the seminar for managers of regional venture capital funds of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in December 1996.
In March 1997, the RVCA Constituent Assembly was conducted, where a Constituent Treaty was signed by management companies of 10 (of 11 existed at that moment) EBRD funds (apart from Daiwa Fund – Far East and East Syberia). In June 1997, RVCA became an associated member of European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (name changed to Invest Europe - The Voice of Private Capital) and joined to the Council of the European National Venture Capital Associations. By now, it has got into contacts with the majority of foreign venture capital associations.
The RVCA activities are aimed at formation and development of the Russian PE&VC market as well as creation of the environment necessary for its growth:
- attraction of investments to the Russian market;
- improvement of professional level of innovation companies and bringing them to conformity with the venture investors’ demands;
- creation of business environment favorable for venture capital.
The key RVCA projects are:
- Russian Venture Fair – a ground where the companies concerned with investments attraction for their businesses’ development are given an opportunity to present their projects to the attention of investors acting on the Russian PE&VC market, as well as to get into professional contacts with venture capital experts, businessmen and representatives of state authority.
- Education of venture business specialists – working-out and conducting short-term intensive upgrade educational programs on attracting PE&VC investments in technological projects for owners and top-managers of the innovation SMEs at seed, start-up, and expansion stages of development.
- Publishing appropriate informational and analytical publications as well as preparing translated from English into Russian versions of foreign special literature aimed at promotion of the entrepreneurial and investment culture improvement. Preparing and issuing the RVCA Yearbook: Russian PE&VC market review.
RVCA was one of the originators of the Industry formation in Russia. For the moment of its establishment, practically total PE&VC investments were represented by the EBRD funds, the “USA–Russia” fund, and some other international organizations.
The Association has done much for promotion of PE&VC industry, owing to its employees’ personal enthusiasm and willingness to operate in complicated Russian environment. The increase of the Russian business community’s concern in venture investing and the beginning of state-private partnership in this area – the merits of RVCA in many respects, and undoubted result of its activities.