About NEO
Who We Are
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A Multi-Generational Investment Approach
NEVEQ Founded
Building the Portfolio
Exit Phase Begins
Neo Ventures Launched
Neo Gravity Launched
Neo Autonomy Launched
Neo Harmony (Planned)
NEO Crossover Strategy
High-Impact Transport
Industrial Automation
Scalable Performance
Investment Philosophy
Long-term Thinking
Founder-First Approach
Active Involvement
Building Sustainable Companies
Leadership
Ariel Fu
Pavel Ezekiev
Pavel Ezekiev is a serial entrepreneur and investor, Founder of NEVEQ, NEO Ventures, NEO Gravity, NEO Autonomy and Sofica Group. His career spans investment banking, venture capital, and company building, combining global financial expertise with hands-on entrepreneurial leadership.
At Neo Ventures, Pavel plays a key role in defining the fund's vision, strategic direction and investment philosophy. He contributes with deep experience in identifying scalable business models, supporting founders and building sustainable companies through active involvement and long-term guidance.
Pavel previously worked in the Investment Banking division of Deutsche Bank in London as a senior corporate finance specialist and later led the bank's Bulgarian office. In 2007, he left to co-found NEVEQ, one of the pioneering venture capital funds in the region.
Ivan Ivanov
Spas Peychev
Spas Peychev is a member of the Transaction Team at NEO Ventures. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Universitat Abat Oliba CEU (Barcelona) and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Data Analytics. Prior to joining NEO, he gained experience across strategy consulting, corporate banking, and infrastructure consulting, building a strong foundation in financial analysis, business strategy, and transaction execution. He is passionate about venture capital, entrepreneurship, and technology-driven businesses.
Pavel Bandilov
With a strong background in business development and active involvement in the investment community in Bulgaria, he is committed to supporting ambitious founders building scalable and technologically advanced businesses.
Prior to joining Neo Ventures, he gained solid experience in business development and strategic partnerships, while closely following and analyzing trends in capital markets.
Ben Matheson
Ben Matheson is an investor in NEVEQ and a board member at GoodVision, the AI-powered traffic-analytics platform in the NEO portfolio. He brings Techs Big 5 managerial roles in strategic and product marketing, and holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.
Dessi Hristova
Dessi Hristova is In-House Counsel at NEO Ventures, working with the Transaction Team on startup and venture capital law. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. Before joining NEO, she was an Investment Lawyer at DSP Law Office and Legal Counsel at Investbank Bulgaria, alongside several years of independent legal practice in Sofia. Her focus is on VC transactions and corporate law.
Mark Stevens
Mark Stevens is a Strategic Advisor with extensive international business experience in the aerospace and defence sector, spanning market strategy, the identification and qualification of major opportunities, and the leadership of capture teams and sales transformation.
Since 2024 he has worked as an independent consultant and strategic advisor at board level to leading Czech and Bulgarian industrials and groups, on sales strategy, business development, sales transformation and process. Czech clients have included CZ Colt, CSG, Aero Vodochody and CE Industries; Bulgarian clients have included Electron Progress and Miltech.
He spent twelve years at Thales, latterly as Group Regional Director, Europe, leading the group's defence business development and capture activity across Central Europe, and before that almost a decade at BAE Systems as Group Regional Business Development Director, based in Bulgaria and responsible for aerospace, defence and security business across Central and Eastern Europe. Earlier he was Regional Sales and Marketing Manager at Alenia Marconi Systems (GEC Marconi), Head of Sales at BGM Group, and Sales Manager at British Aerospace Defence, Royal Ordnance, having begun his career as a production engineer at Rolls-Royce.
His product understanding spans artillery and naval guns, military and MRAP vehicles, small arms and ammunition, unmanned air and autonomous land and naval systems, fast jets, avionics, C2 and communications packages, and air defence including C-UAS sensors and effectors.