Horizon Capital announced on Apr. 26 that it has received the Real Deals Private Equity Award 2026 in the category of Central and Eastern European Deal of the Year for its acquisition involving Datagroup-Volia and Lifecell. This marks the second time Horizon Capital has been recognized with this award.
The award highlights significant achievements in private equity, focusing on outstanding transactions within Europe over the past year. The Real Deals Private Equity Awards are regarded as a leading honor in the industry, gathering around one thousand professionals annually to recognize fund managers and advisors who have demonstrated exceptional work, according to information provided by Horizon Capital.
Lenna Koszarny, founding partner and chief executive officer of Horizon Capital, said: “The Real Deals award is a tribute to all those who contributed to this transaction’s success, including management teams at Datagroup, Volia, and Lifecell; our exceptional CEO Mykhaylo Shelemba; telecommunications visionary Xavier Niel and his NJJ team; Horizon Capital’s transaction team led by partner Dmytro Boroday; as well as EBRD, IFC, and the European Commission without whom this transaction would not have been possible. We also share these achievements with Ukraine to celebrate its strength, determination, and resilience—qualities that enable world-class investment results even under challenging conditions. Inspired by our telecom DVL deal’s success, we are launching a new reconstruction fund called Catalyst aimed at similar transactions to attract billions into Ukraine—in cooperation with international strategic partners—to help restore key sectors including energy, digital infrastructure, construction and more.”
According to Horizon Capital’s release, its role in structuring one of Ukraine’s largest mergers-and-acquisitions deals involved partnering with global entrepreneur Xavier Niel through NJJ Holding while acting as a minority investor. The company reported revenue growth of 3.8 times and EBITDA growth of 4.8 times over five years after taking operational control of Datagroup. Financing for this $1.5 billion investment was secured through debt from International Finance Corporation (IFC) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), supported by an EU framework—even amid ongoing conflict.
Dmytro Boroday, partner at Catalyst Fund’s investment committee said: “This award is not just recognition for another private equity exit but something much more meaningful—it recognizes Ukraine’s largest deal in a decade completed during full-scale war—something unprecedented in modern history… We are proud to bring this prestigious prize home to Kyiv.”
Horizon Capital manages assets exceeding $1.8 billion from investors whose capital base surpasses $700 billion globally. Its strategy focuses on supporting entrepreneurs leading high-growth companies across Ukraine and Moldova; funds managed by Horizon have invested in over 200 companies employing more than 56,000 people.
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