Niels Köster

WGZ Initiativkapital GmbH (WGZ-IK) is the private equity arm and a wholly-owned subsidiary of WGZ Bank AG (Westdeutsche Genossenschafts-Zentralbank), the lead institution in Rheinland-Pfalz and Nordrhein-Westphalen for the cooperative banking networks VR-Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken. WGZ Bank is based in Düsseldorf, Münster and Koblenz. Located in Münster, WGZ-IK originated in 1984. The current firm emerged from the 2003 merger of WGZ Beteiligungsgesellschaft and WGZ Venture Capital Gesellschaft. The firm's culture emphasizes their regional focus and the cooperative structure of the VR network. WGZ-IK's primary focus is direct private equity. They do not manage any private equity funds. WGZ-IK delegates venture capital investing to their affiliate VR Mittelstandskapital, established in 2004 and in which they hold a significant minority interest. The balance of ownership interest is held by a group of cooperative banks of the VR network.

VR Equitypartner GmbH (VREP) is a private equity subsidiary of DZ Bank AG founded in 1970. The firm is headquartered in Bavaria, Germany.