Capzanine, an independent asset manager and an established private investment house for small and mid-sized companies, has changed its name to CAPZA.

With 15 years of growth under its belt, CAPZA now offers capabilities in four European countries (France, Germany, Spain and Italy). On the back of its unique track-record, CAPZA early this year reinforced its historical partnership with AXA (now holding a 46% stake), which began in 2005, to support it in its international ambitions, particularly in rolling out new distribution channels.

Against this backdrop, this new name – which has been taken on board by the entire staff, a majority of whom are now shareholders – makes perfect sense. This new brand will give them greater wherewithal in helping the company achieve its new ambitions, particularly internationally. This new, more dynamic name, with its more universal appeal, is a link to the past, while reflecting CAPZA’s new aspirations.

CAPZA Group now has about 50 employees (in Paris, Munich, Madrid and Milan) and manages €2.7bn on behalf of European and international institutional investors. CAPZA has worked alongside small and medium-sized companies since 2004 and has developed unique know-how in offering them flexible financing solutions adapted to the different stages of their development through a platform offering four additional capabilities:

• Flex Equity: financing solutions for small and mid-sized companies with EBITDA lower than €10m, which CAPZA supports in development projects as a reference shareholder (via majority or minority stakes, or mezzanine loans);

• Private Debt: financing for small and mid-sized companies with EBITDA between €10m and €40m through unitranche or mezzanine;

• Transition: flexible asset-liability solutions (debt and equity) to assist companies in a transition phase (temporary imbalance or strategic challenge);

• Artemid: senior-debt financing of mid-sized companies with EBITDA between €10m and €40m through senior debt.

This unique platform allows CAPZA to take part in companies’ growth over time by offering them suitable and adjustable financing solutions (majority and minority stakes, senior and subordinated debt, etc.). Through its complementary solutions, CAPZA has assisted companies such as E.CF since 2006, Elivie since 2007, and Cérélia since 2010.

In an environment in which private investment is taking a larger and larger share of the asset allocations of institutional investors, CAPZA is capitalising on its 15-year track-record, its network of entrepreneurs and its origination capabilities, driven by its local footprint in four countries. It aims to expand its assets by €5bn in five years.

Its teams are also working to develop new products organically and/or through acquisitions to complement the existing offering.

“Since 2004, we have built up a community of European entrepreneurs who share our values and our investment vision. Our keen interest in their business and our ability to take a fresh look at ourselves has made us rethink CAPZA as an adjustable investment platform that addresses their needs, and not the reverse. This community of business leaders is the driver of performance that we deliver to our investors”, said Christophe Karvelis-Senn, President of CAPZA.

“In switching from Capzanine to CAPZA, we are streamlining our name. This new name comes even more naturally to us, given that many of our partners already call us that! Our name is changing, but not the values that have constituted CAPZA since the start and that are the hallmark of the confidence-based relationship that we have built with entrepreneurs and investors. These are entrepreneurship, inquisitiveness, pragmatism, humility, and teamwork”, said Laurent Bénard, Managing Partner of CAPZA.