palero invests in ZEISS Hunting & Nature

• The ZEISS Hunting & Nature business is being established as an independent company and will be strategically developed further together with the partner palero
• palero will become the new owner
• ZEISS will contribute technology and brand as a licensing partner and will continue to be a premium brand for Hunting & Nature in the future.

Oberkochen, Germany | February 26, 2026 | ZEISS Photonics & Optics

On February 24, 2026, ZEISS and palero signed an agreement to spin off the Hunting & Nature business into a new, independent company. palero will be the sole owner of this company. ZEISS will license its brand to the new company, thus strengthening ZEISS as a premium brand for Hunting & Nature in the future. The completion of the transaction is planned for the second half of 2026, depending on the necessary approval and spin-off procedures. The teams and functions, as well as locations in Germany and the regions, will transition to the new company.

palero is a German investment company with over 15 years in experience, focusing on carve-outs in the SME segment. With an operational value creation approach, palero successfully establishes sustainable independent mid-size companies. palero is a partner of the existing management and employees. palero is conducting this transaction from its Fund V.

In a market characterized by focused and medium-sized enterprises, palero, as a medium-sized group, will be able to leverage growth potentials more quickly and comprehensively. In the new setup, the business will continue to represent itself as a strong player in North America, Europe, and Asia and grow with innovations. The goal of the transaction is to create an organization that enables even closer customer and market proximity and can fully utilize the advantages of an independent company, such as in the supply chain and collaboration with customers.

Hunting & Nature is committed to investing in research and development, innovation, design, concepts, and the marketing of products under the ZEISS brand, and will continue to do so in the future as an independent company.

The international team of ZEISS Hunting & Nature will continue its dedicated and successful work with its passion for hunting, nature observation, and birding. The management team of ZEISS Hunting & Nature will ensure the further implementation of the strategy and smooth service for customers and will significantly shape the new company.

The coming months will be used to prepare for a smooth transition and the launch of the new company. Both partners have agreed to confidentiality regarding the details of the transaction. Additional details regarding the establishment of the new company will be shared as they become publicly available.

palero is an independent Munich-based investment company which pursues an operational value creation approach. The group currently holds a portfolio of several integrated groups with numerous companies in different industries. palero is exclusively advised by palero Capital GmbH, which was the first German small-cap fund advisor to sign the principles for responsible investment set out by the UN (www.unpri.org). These principles are followed in investments in companies and their management.

Further information at www.palero.de.