• Czech Presto Ventures welcomes Lucie Bresova aboard as a new partner
• Ms Bresova can boast about 10+ years of successful leadership at companies of all sizes
• Presto Ventures will leverage the new partner’s expertise in growth and scaling to benefit its new portfolio companies as part of the new Presto Tech Horizons Fund

This October, the well-known Prague-based VC Presto Ventures announced that Lucie Bresova (ex-Kiwi.com, Groupon, etc.) joined the fund as its new partner. The VC’s new Presto Tech Horizons fund looks to benefit from Ms Bresova’s 10+ years of experience at various startups, scale-ups, and NASDAQ-listed companies, which enjoyed rapid growth and transformation under her guidance.

Presto Ventures in Recap

Presto Ventures, a leading investor in the Czech Republic and CEE, can boast a portfolio of 60+ companies spanning Europe and beyond. Recently, it invested in Adam, a gig economy platform focused on home renovation.

In June, Presto Ventures unveiled its new EUR 150M fund, Presto Tech Horizons, that succeeded Presto Fund II. The new initiative was developed in close partnership with the industrial and technology powerhouse Czechoslovak Group (CSG) and marks the firm’s evolution toward supporting cutting-edge technologies with broad strategic implications.

Presto Tech Horizons prioritizes investments in groundbreaking projects emerging from NATO member countries and allied nations. The fund is particularly focused on dual-use technologies, which address both civilian and security applications. Key areas of interest include solutions that enhance privacy, bolster safety, and strengthen the security frameworks of businesses, institutions, and governments.

With this shift, Presto Ventures aims to support startups developing innovative technologies that align with modern security and privacy demands, fostering growth in industries crucial to national and global stability. This strategic focus highlights the firm’s commitment to shaping the future of technology in collaboration with key partners across the security and innovation spectrum.

A Snapshot of the New Partner

Ms Bresova is a seasoned leader with extensive experience across the tech ecosystem, from startups and scale-ups to NASDAQ-listed corporations. With over a decade of leadership expertise, she has successfully navigated companies through rapid growth, complex transformations, and operational challenges.

As the managing director, COO, and CFO of Kiwi.com, Lucie spearheaded the company’s exemplary growth journey between 2014 and 2018, scaling the company from 10 employees to 2,000 and driving annual turnover from zero to EUR 1B. As the CFO, she developed a sophisticated financial system capable of handling transactions in 28 currencies, optimized cash flow, and established robust reporting and budgeting frameworks.

Ms Bresova’s expertise extends beyond scaling companies to leading corporate turnarounds. At Groupon, she played a pivotal role in the company’s transformation from the brink of bankruptcy to stability, leveraging her strategic insight and operational acumen.

Today, Ms Bresova focuses on empowering innovative tech startups and scale-ups, helping them achieve their ambitious goals by blending strategic vision with operational efficiency. Her board-level experience and deep knowledge of financial structures, scaling, and corporate strategy make her a trusted advisor to businesses undergoing growth and transformation.

‘Lucie’s extensive experience with high-growth companies, her dedication to supporting young people and startups, her CFO and MD expertise in later-stage firms, and her uniquely deep understanding of the defense market made her the perfect fit. You would have to look really, really hard to find someone else as uniquely suited to this role,’ Presto Ventures’ partner Vojta Roček tells ITKeyMedia.

Ms Bresova about Herself

How did you find yourself in the startup/VC world?

The startup world drew me in in 2011, right when the surrounding ecosystem started emerging in the Czech Republic, and I dove right to its center. It is fascinating to watch it grow and evolve.

Which industries are you most interested in at the moment?

Our fund Presto Tech Horizons is focused on impact investing, aiming towards technologies that can be leveraged in ‘protecting the future’ – building resilience, security, defense, and dual-use. We aim to support post-revenue and later seed startups.

What is your role at Presto?

As a partner, my main focus is on supporting our portfolio companies and helping their teams bridge the chasm between a small startup and a fast-scaling company. I will be leveraging my vast experience in growing tech companies and working with founders and leadership.

Are there some foolproof ways to get your attention when a startup wants to collaborate with you?

Traction. Nothing speaks louder than a customer willing to pay for your product!

Is there a recent book or podcast that really got your attention?

The Wizard of Kremlin – a great read, as well as a strong insight into the rise of Putin and the power dynamics of contemporary Russia.

What is a non-work passion you have?

Sports. I’m a passionate climber and recently dove into water sports – surfing, wakeboarding, and especially kitesurfing.

‘We welcome Ms Bresova becoming part of Presto Tech Horizons core team. Her agility and experience are impressive. We wish for Presto Tech Horizons to have a strong and diversified team and this is the right step in this direction,’ Czechoslovak Group’s spokesman Andrej Čírtek concludes.