Post by Pedersen & Partners

𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗻 & 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 and CMS in Germany co-hosted the 𝟭𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 on June 25th, 2025 in #Munich. The event brought together representatives from local and international private equity and venture capital firms for discussions and networking around the latest market trends and strategic insights. The panel discussion was moderated by Poul Pedersen, Equity Partner and Executive Chairman, 𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗻 & 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, and Tobias Schneider, Partner, CMS Hasche Sigle. Panelists included: Maximilian Coqui - Partner, Triton Partners Luisa Düsberg Dusberg - Principal, Burda Principal Investments Philipp Freyschlag - Managing Partner, VTC Patrick M. Schaich - Investment Partner & Managing Director, Tengelmann Twenty-One Rainer Strohmenger - Managing Partner, Wellington Partners Andreas Widholz - Partner, IMAP Germany Key takeaways from the event:  • Like in the rest of Europe German 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗣𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 which is a problem. The lifescience VC segment seems however to have generated good exit results.   • 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 like low consumer confidence, AI and uncertainty related to tariffs and armed conflicts is taken into account both during deal and value creation processes  • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠&𝗔 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘃𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀. In addion strategic buyers are increasing their share of the deals vs private equity/venture capital buyers.  • 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲-𝗰𝗮𝗽, 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 but challenging for smaller ones.   • 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 and having the right, motivated, leadership team is a critical component of the value creation plan.  • Despite a challenging first six months of 2025, all members of the panel expressed 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲. Germany is increasingly seen as an attractive investment location, also for non-European investors.