Columbia Ventures

Columbia Ventures Corporation, known as CVC, is a diversified private equity holding company. It grew out of an aluminium smelter purchase made by its chief executive, Ken Peterson, in 1987.

Products and services

• Private equity investment: takes positions in businesses well beyond its original aluminium roots.
• Holding company ownership: holds and runs a varied portfolio.
• Contrarian opportunities: looks for strategic or unconventional deals.

Who it works with

The portfolio spans farming, wearable augmented reality, biomedical work, manufacturing, property development, robotics, cloud software and telecommunications. A list of past investments is also kept.

Key facts

• Formed: 1988, as a subsidiary; independent since 1996 and owned by the Peterson family
• Origins: a closed smelter beside the Columbia River in Washington State, bought in 1987
• Iceland: started building a smelter there in 1997
• Exit: sold its aluminium assets in the early years of this century