Almaz Capital

Company: Almaz Capital

Description: Almaz Capital, established in 2008, is a distinguished venture capital firm focusing on investments in early-stage startups within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region. With substantial backing from industry leaders such as Cisco Systems and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Almaz Capital aims to create a vital connection between emerging companies in the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union and the resources and networks available in Silicon Valley. To facilitate this objective, the firm opened its initial offices in both Silicon Valley and Moscow. Throughout its history, Almaz Capital has actively supported a range of startups originating from Russia, including notable success stories like QIK, which was acquired by Skype, Yandex (NASDAQ: YNDX), and Parallels, which was acquired by Corel. However, the firm took a significant turn in March 2014, following the annexation of Crimea by Russia, leading to a cessation of investments in companies with any affiliations to the Russian market. In 2017, Almaz Capital relocated its European operations to Berlin, refocusing its investment strategy from the CIS to the CEE region, which encompasses a wider array of dynamic markets. In light of the political unrest in Belarus following the crackdowns in Minsk in 2020, the firm also ceased its investment activities in that country. In addition to its strategic shifts, Almaz Capital has been a steadfast supporter of its Ukrainian-based startups amid the ongoing conflict in the region. Over the past five years, the firm has emerged as one of the largest investors in Ukraine and has actively engaged at the governance level with the Ukrainian Venture Capital Association (UVCA). Almaz Capital has invested more than $50 million across over 15 companies led by Ukrainian founders or teams, including Adjoy, Arcycle, Content Analytics, DMarket, Hover, Jelastic, Mobalytics, Maketime, Petcube, Speedsize, Starwind, and 3Dlook. The resilience demonstrated by startup teams in Ukraine reinforces the firm’s belief in the country's potential, making Ukraine one of Almaz Capital's most favored investment destinations despite the ongoing challenges.

Industry: Venture Capital and Private Equity

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/almaz-capital-partners

Domain: http://www.almazcapital.com/

Founded: 2008

Location: Portola Valley, CA

Address: 3274 Alpine Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028, US

Size: 11-50 employees