Patrick A. Koller

Great opportunity for scaleups to connect with key capital market specialists, get to know the next steps, learn about IPO pitfalls, and what you need to prepare beforehand, and master the importance of a concise equity story. Discover more https://lnkd.in/gks2vAQ2

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🚀 Fantastic news! NZZ Connect (SEF.Growth) and PMF Factory are teaming up to launch the 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆. The mission of the Growth Academy is to unlock the potential of Swiss startups. Achieving a strong product-market fit is key to long-term success, yet only 1 in 10 startups manage this today. The 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆 aims to change that by equipping startup entrepreneurs with the essential tools and knowledge. 📈 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆: • Be among the best startups in Switzerland • Learn from top entrepreneurs like Jeremias Meier , Herbert Bay , Raphael Schaad , Manuel Hartmann , and Thomas Dübendorfer • Gain the tools and insights needed to achieve PMF efficiently and effectively ▶️ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄! Only 10 startups will be selected: https://lnkd.in/daux5YMZ Thanks to the team: Lukas Froesch Christoph Bernhard Danielle Gribi Svenja Pfister Dominic Lüthy Martina Biedermann Ralf Boltshauser Nadine Spicher Corine Blesi Lorenz Scheibli Swiss Economic Forum SICTIC be-advanced AG Aare Ventures ZID Bernapark AG #GrowthAcademy #SwissStartups #ProductMarketFit #StartupSuccess #Entrepreneurship #SEF24

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When a CHF30bn CEO joins your board - you know you're on to something... 😍 **How it all started** Fabrice Zumbrunnen, former CEO of Migros, knew that the company's future needed diversification. But for a CHF30bn company, breaking away from the success of the past is hard. It wasn’t just about strategy—it was about shifting culture. **The vision** Migros had tried accelerators, corporate VC, and intrapreneur programs - but none delivered the radical change and financial impact. That’s when he turned to Stryber: “They weren’t there to praise you but to tell you the truth,” he said. **The results** Together, Stryber launched an independent venture builder, starting and scaling new ventures in rapid fire. It delivered real impact - fast. For example, in just 8 weeks, a psychotherapy platform was launched that’s now the market leader. In banking, many initiatives were launched, including a digital real estate broker "that transformed the Migros bank into the most digital Swiss bank." 💡 Curious about Fabrice's blueprint for diversification? Full interview in the comments 👇 **It doesn't stop there** Now, as CEO of AEVIS VICTORIA SA, Fabrice continues to believe in Stryber and has formally joined as Chairman of the Board! It is an honor to work together and be inspired by his integrity, insight, and genuine concern for the team.

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Teamwork truly makes the dream work. Yesterday, Leon J. Iwanowitsch, Robin Capital's Founders Associate, joined me for coffee at Gipsplatz in Berlin. It's always refreshing to connect in person. At Robin Capital, our leadership operates without ego. We work together as friends, driven by a shared mission—United as one. "People First. We care about building real relationships. Your mission matters — it resonates with us. We trust founders. We're not just financiers; we're participants. One journey, one community. Audacious, Authentic, and Resilient. People First."

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🚀 Excited to share that Dr. Thomas Dübendorfer, Co-founder and President of SICTIC, was interviewed by Felix Niederer, founder of True Wealth. In the interview, Thomas shared his personal journey as a startup founder, discussed the challenges startups face, and highlighted the importance of taking risks as an angel investor. He also shared insights on what could be improved in Switzerland to better support startup founders. Curious about what money means to Thomas? Check it out: https://lnkd.in/dUXiy_jb #StartupStories #AngelInvesting #Entrepreneurship #SICTIC #SwissStartups

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Hi female founders in my network in Switzerland 👋 The SEF. Women Award is accepting applications again. And you should apply today ( 📅 or latest till October 12) 🔗 Where to apply: https://lnkd.in/da69MhSt ⭐️ Where to find more information: https://lnkd.in/deFHsCU9 👥 Who to apply? Company less than 7 years old, have an active/C-level position there and the company headquarters and significant parts of the added value must be located in Switzerland Why should you apply? 👀 Gain visibility for your company (free media) and get recognized for your / your teams work 🤩 Become a role model to inspire other women and help us make a lasting change in the ecosystem (kind of overdue and I wish this wasn't still a topic, but it sadly is) 🗣 Get access to a very relevant network in Switzerland that can actually help you move your company forward ☝️ Know a female founder that should apply here? Tag them in the comments OR just go ahead and nominate them.

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Join our own Nadia Mojahed, an expert in SEO and digital marketing, at today's RiseUp Summit hosted at Google Zurich! Nadia will be sharing insights on online growth strategies for 2025, tailored for Swiss startups. This event is hosted by the Female Founders Initiative Switzerland, an initiative by STARTUP CAMPUS Switzerland, and Impact Hub Zürich. Stay tuned for updates and key takeaways! Nadia Mojahed, Marcela Durand, Ana Davin #RiseUpSummit #Entrepreneurship #FemaleFoundersSwitzerland #RiseUp2024

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Last year, we invested in Viktoria Lindner and Leonie Ellerbrock from Mindsurance through Robin Capital. Today, we are excited to announce our rebranding to Bloom and introduce our product and modules to the global market. The incidence of illness is rising, and we face a workforce shortage. Leave management is becoming increasingly critical, yet Europe lacks a comprehensive solution. While the U.S. has platforms like Cocoon, backed by prominent firms such as Index, Firstmark, and others, Europe has been without a similar innovation—until now. I am thrilled that we are launching this venture, poised to grow into a significant company. Congratulations to Viki, Leonie, and the entire Bloom team! Bloom's commitment to growth, transformation, and nurturing potential sets it apart. Let’s delve deeper into their unique approach: Health Commitment: As global health challenges intensify, Bloom's mission focuses on improving health management systems. Empowerment: Bloom equips organizations and their leaders with the knowledge to understand the impacts of #sickleave and #absenteeism on business performance. They provide tools for enhanced transparency and early predictions, empowering proactive management and instilling confidence in the future. Simplification: Bloom is dedicated to simplifying processes associated with leave, absence, and occupational #health management, ultimately enhancing the employee experience. World-Class EAP: Bloom provides a customizable Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that ensures access to high-quality healthcare services. Compliance and Empowerment: Bloom assists HR professionals and decision-makers keep up-to-date and compliant with labor and safety regulations. Bloom’s initiatives are focused on advancing workplace health management through innovative and supportive solutions.

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Innovation & Entrepreneurship: The Perfect Fusion of Art and Science! 🎨🔬 Inspiring perspectives from Alexander Osterwalder, CEO of Strategyzer! Is innovation more of an art or a science? The answer: It’s both! ✨ Artistic Intuition meets Scientific Rigor to create a powerful formula for success. Strategyzer’s programs blend these elements seamlessly, making world-class innovation and entrepreneurship accessible to all. 🌍 Curious to learn more? Watch the short video for key insights! #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #ArtMeetsScience #Strategyzer #Startup #Business #VIDDAGroup

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Innovation & Entrepreneurship: The Perfect Fusion of Art and Science! 🎨🔬 Inspiring perspectives from Alexander Osterwalder, CEO of Strategyzer! Is innovation more of an art or a science? The answer: It’s both! ✨ Artistic Intuition meets Scientific Rigor to create a powerful formula for success. Strategyzer’s programs blend these elements seamlessly, making world-class innovation and entrepreneurship accessible to all. 🌍 Curious to learn more? Watch the short video for key insights! #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #ArtMeetsScience #Strategyzer #Startup #Business #TradeWithoutBorders

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Starting your own business: preliminary advice . In Switzerland, it is relatively easy to set up your own company. Here are the formalities. What do you need to do to set up a business on Swiss territory? The process is quite easy. Only certain regulated sectors in the Confederation (medical, educational, social professions) or in the cantons (traffic, architecture, legal professions, etc.) require special authorization.

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🌟Introducing Koyo Capital Many of you have been asking about my next steps and plans. Over the past decade, as an active member of the Swiss Venture Ecosystem, I participated in over 100 venture transactions, supported many founders on their journey, co-founded Aare Ventures, by now one of the now largest Swiss business angel clubs, and took part in numerous venture initiatives across Switzerland. This experience allowed me to grow as venture capitalist and to become an entrepreneur myself. I am grateful to everyone who has trusted and continues to trust in me and my capabilities. 🚀 Today, I am thrilled to announce the launch of Koyo Capital, alongside my co-founder Max Meister. We gathered an incredible team of individuals around us including Anna H. Roth-Gardlo, Maximilian Boelck and more tba. Leveraging our extensive knowledge of the VC world and our experience of what works and what clearly doesn’t, we developed our unique investment thesis and strategy that we are executing at koyo. 🍁 Koyo represents the discovery of hidden gems. While Japan is internationally renowned for Sakura, its cherry blossom season, for locals, Koyo, which describes the colourfulness of autumn, is an equally significant event. The diversity of colours and the uniqueness of each leaf mirror the landscape of startups. Each company is unique, with distinct strengths, diverse teams, innovative business ideas & products, and specific areas where targeted support can profoundly influence their chances of success. At koyo, we are passionate about uncovering hidden gems and shaping them into successful ventures with an owner-operator approach. VC is not "one size fits all", it is a craft, requiring a tailored value creation playbook for each team. Therefore, we invest in only a few carefully selected companies with highest conviction, allowing us to dedicate the time necessary to best support the companies on their journey to relevance. With our investment thesis “Fortify and Explore”, we focus on ventures predominantely at the post-seed stage in the sectors: 💻 AI as Infrastructure 🛡️ Cyber Security and Resilience 🔗 Web3 🧬 AI in Life Sciences and Diagnostics 🤖 Robotics and Intelligent Systems, 🚀 Space Technologies ⚛️ Quantum Technologies We hit the ground running, with a first syndicated investment in RAAAM™ Memory Technologies, a potential outlier in the semiconductor space. I am looking forward to continuing collaborating with visionary entrepreneurs and investors and to support our ecosystem in growing to maturity over the next decades.

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The best entrepreneurs do this one thing better than the rest: They are diverse and inclusive. I was privileged to participate in the Swiss Chapter of the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) ANGEL INVESTORS WEEK 2024. We had an overwhelming audience with over 100,000 virtual members from around the world joining us. at the opening ceremony. Thanks to our Chairman Baybars Altuntas for an incredible week of sharing how we can create a more diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. I shared the virtual floor for a panel discussion featuring distinguished colleagues: Moderator: Pascal Marmier, Unlimitrust Campus Director, ex-Executive Director Swissnex China, Switzerland Panelists: Niccolo Somaschi, Co-Founder and CEO of Quandela, Switzerland; Dr. Birgul Cotelli, ImmersiveFinance, Switzerland; Malak Trabelsi Loeb, Founder and CEO of Trabelsi Loeb Legal Consultant FZE and Qinnovision, Switzerland; Dr. Benjamin Delsol, CEO D.E.L.S.O.L. - IP Strategist & Manager, Country Co-Chair and International Partner WBAF, Switzerland My remarks centered around how deep tech can contribute to building more diverse and inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystems. Empowering women in deep tech not only transforms innovation but also boosts global growth and addresses critical societal challenges. Underrepresentation and Barriers Women are underrepresented in deep tech fields, holding only 6% of founder positions in deep tech scaleups in Europe. Barriers include limited access to digital tools, lower digital literacy, socio-cultural norms, economic challenges, and safety concerns. Impact on Entrepreneurship The digital divide disproportionately affects women entrepreneurs, restricting their access to necessary digital tools and limiting their ability to compete globally. Women-led startups receive significantly less investment and face lower chances of successful exits compared to those led by men. Whilst generating higher returns! Educational and Research Foundations Empowering girls early in their educational journey with STEM programs can foster interest and capabilities in deep tech. Initiatives like coding camps supported by UN Women have shown success in engaging young women in tech. Private Sector Involvement Companies and Financial institutions can play a crucial role by including digital education in their services and mobilising capital for women-led enterprises. Addressing the digital divide for women in deep tech requires a multifaceted approach involving education, private sector engagement, and targeted government and non-profit initiatives. By closing this gap, women can significantly contribute to technological innovation and education, ultimately benefiting humanity as a whole. ♻️ REPOST it, to make our world more diverse and inclusive. Follow me for more tech news changing our society. #womenintech #digitaldivide #humanity #innovation

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🇨🇭Application window for Innosuisse Scale-up Coaching Programm is open🇨🇭 Are you a Swiss startup founder and want to implement your growth strategy together with experienced scale-up founders like Kevin Sartori (Auterion), Flavio Pfaffhauser (Beekeeper), Boris Manhart (Numbrs), or myself? 🚀 The program grants a voucher worth up to CHF 75,000 for personalised coaching sessions and targeted networking for up to 24 months. 👉 Check out the link in the comments on how you can apply. Including details like the assessment criteria or the coaching process. #scaleup #startup #innosuisse

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Q1: Why do they fail? Q2: How do you commercialize inventions like that? I asked Sasha Ostojic, Venture Partner at Playground Global VC, known for investing in somewhere between the improbable and the impossible. 😁📍 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Most often, because of the team. - Unwillingness to pivot - Communication problems - Disagreements - Personal lives of team members 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: It’s actually easier than a traditional B2B product! If you have something that everyone needs, and very few people can make it, you don’t have to rely heavily on positioning and marketing. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: C1: Choose your team carefully. Key qualities: loyalty and resilience. C2: If you're not in Deep Tech, focus on standing out and strengthening your tech moat. #silliconvalley #sanfrancisco #tech

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More good vibes during the Leadership Session! Thanks to InnoQube Switzerland with Alexander Fries and Patrick Blumenthal for suppling a great atmosphere at 2000 meters in the Swiss alps and all you guys in the startup program for participating with great and challenging questions! Key take away mantras: 🚀 Managers focus on tasks, Leaders focus on People (getting the tasks done) 🚀 Mindfulness: You either add value or you rob people 🚀 The ability to respond – not to know everything 🚀 Not taking a decision is a decision 🚀 Tell me about your last vacation and I tell you how you act at work 😊 🚀 Motivation comes from motives (there are 6) 🚀 The leadership style needs to vary depending on the situation, not on you or the person 🚀 Worst case scenario: micro manage somebody on auto pilot mode I wish you all best on your endeavors and journeys to greatness!

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Why Serving on a Startup Board in Switzerland is More Challenging Than You Think ? Sitting on the board of a startup is often more demanding than on a larger, well-established company. Paradoxically, it requires even more skills and experience as a board member. Here’s some why: - Conflicts of Interest: Startups frequently face complex dynamics between founders, investors, and other stakeholders, leading to potential conflicts of interest that require careful navigation. - Personal liability: In startups, board members often need to be deeply involved in practical details, ranging from financial oversight to managing legal obligations, and they must do so with fewer resources than larger companies. Even when certain responsibilities are delegated to the management team, board members remain ultimately accountable for ensuring compliance with key legal obligations, such as the timely payment of social charges and taxes. Swiss law applies the same rigorous standards to startups as it does to large corporations. - Higher Risks: The stakes are higher, and the decisions made at the board level can directly impact your personal wealth, given the heightened exposure to risks in early-stage ventures. - If you're looking to sharpen your skills and prepare yourself for these challenges, join our next Startup Board Academy session in Bern in collaboration with Sitem StartUp Club (SSC), where we dive into the challenges of startup governance and arm you with the tools to thrive. Next session: Bern – Oct 16,23,30 and Nov 6 Don’t miss the opportunity to take your board skills to the next level! Enroll here https://lnkd.in/e5BtNvFU Brigitte Baumann Gervais Karim Maizar Etienne Maillefer Dr. Heiko Visarius #BoardAcademy #Governance #Startups #BoardMember #Leadership #SwissStartups #BoardSkills

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To VC or not to VC? Many years ago, my husband Richard Ettl and I attended the ETH Entrepreneur Club events and learned incredibly much from the founders and startups presenting their cases. Two weeks ago, we found ourselves at one of their events again – this time as speakers, to give something back and to support entrepreneurs. We both presented insights to our funding approach – that couldn't be more different! While Richard took the traditional path of raising capital from VCs, I come from a completely bootstrapped environment. But which approach makes more sense? Easy: Circumstances matter! Building a global supply chain company that disrupts pharma logistics (SkyCell AG) requires a lot of capital, while establishing and running data centers (Phoenix Systems) is possible through leasing with banks, as they are established asset backed structures. Both paths have their own advantages and you should carefully consider your choice: ➤ Autonomy & freedom vs. faster growth and more money ➤ No management attention for fundraising needed vs. investors as sparring partners and accelerators ➤ Very small error margin vs. exposures to economic risks #entrepreneurship #ETH #VC #funding

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5 key startup trends to watch #startup  #fundraising  #angelinvestor  #investments  #VentureCapital  #vc #Entrepreneurship  #venturefunding  #investing #TechNews #Innovation #technology  https://lnkd.in/ez3YAVbE

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