Hasselbald under new ownership

“Hasselblad is the world’s most renowned camera brand. We are proud to have such an iconic brand in our portfolio and are convinced that with solid financial support and a suitable growth strategy, Ventizz can further strengthen Hasselblad’s position as the first class producer of medium format digital camera systems. Furthermore, we plan to develop Hasselblad cameras to appeal to a wider circle of ambitious photographers“, said Dr. Helmut Vorndran, Managing Partner and CEO of Ventizz Capital Partners AG, the exclusive advisory to the Ventizz funds.

Ventizz Capital Partners was set up in 2000 and has offices in St. Gallen and Zürich, Switzerland, Düsseldorf, Germany, and Vienna, Austria. The company advises solely the currently four Ventizz Private Equity funds which provide equity capital for growth in high tech companies predominantly in the German-speaking region, representing a total capital volume of Euro 675 million (US$ 977 million). The Ventizz Capital Fund IV L.P. is the largest of the four hitherto issued funds. It was closed at the end of 2007 after a mere six month fundraising process which raised Euro 450 million (US$ 651.4 million), making it one of the biggest private equity funds in the area of growth capital and mid-size tech buyouts in the German-speaking region, according to Ventizz.

Dr. Larry Hansen, Hasselblad Chairman & CEO, commented: “After eight years of ownership by the Hong Kong-based Shriro group, Hasselblad is now moving back to its European roots. Ventizz has a very impressive funding pedigree in the technology marketplace and our joint focus now will be on both maintaining our market-leading position with ongoing, advanced high-end camera products and also on exploiting the potential we see in brand new markets.”