Smart investors
A little helping hand
Thomas Billeter
Thomas is the founder of Tecstra Consulting, which supports investors, entrepreneurs and senior executives with setting and implementing the strategic agenda of their business. Thomas has Many years of line experience as business-unit manager at Ascom, CEO at ISMM Interactive, various management and board functions of start-up technology companies, 6 years consulting with McKinsey & Co.
Andy Honess
Andy has a passion for building and guiding startups and small companies into high speed growth and market leadership positions. Andy has held senior sales and executive leadership positions in IBM, Siebel and small/medium startups. Most recently he was a managing director and vice president of QlikTech (NASDAQ: QLIK). Andy is now a investor in, and advisor to, the hi-tech sector. He holds a honours degree in Business Information Systems.
Måns Hultman
Måns Hultman is the founder of Tassaka, which he uses as a management company for his investments. He was CEO of QlikTech International AB, later Qlik Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ "QLIK"), between 2000 and late 2007. He continued as Qlik's Chairman of the Board until late 2009. He is now helping other technology companies achieve similar success as QlikTech did, through the design of power offers, great execution teams and sustainable market momentum.
Alex Ott
Alex Ott is Founder of CrossContinentalVentures and has operational and board level experience on four continents. He has been partnering with many entrepreneurs in the US, Europe and Israel in building thought leading technology enterprises that seek to make a difference. He has held executive management positions at Siebel Systems and SAP and was an early investor in QlikTech (NASDAQ “QLIK”). Alex serves as board member of Squirro.
Raúl Véjar
Raúl Véjar is a seasoned executive in the enterprise software industry, with broad experience in strategic, operational and managerial topics. Until May 2010, he served as the EVP and COO of the Business Objects division of SAP. Previously, Véjar served as EVP of Corporate Strategy at SAP.
Paul Wahl
Paul Wahl is a proven visionary and strategic leader who translates market opportunities and business strategies into high performing organizations. He was CEO of SAP Americas and later COO and President of Siebel Systems. Today he is executive in residence with Accel Partners in London.
Ecosystem Ventures
Ecosystem Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital and strategy consulting firm, based in Silicon Valley and focused on commercializing companies with European ties that are interested in expanding into markets in the U.S. and India. Through our offices in Zurich, Switzerland and New Delhi, India, we maintain a global ecosystem of industry and investment contacts through which we provide sustained, transatlantic support and services to all client and portfolio companies.
Formula VC
Formula VC is a new generation transatlantic venture capital investor formed to help build world-class global companies, mostly developing B2B solutions in information technology and communication sectors. Beyond cash, Formula VC offers active support without trying to drive and connectivity to strong networks world-wide.
The team behind Formula VC has completed over 200 investments as investors and investees and has multiple exits, including IPOs and M&A transactions, under its belt. All team members have founded and built startups. The fund has offices in the US (Silicon Valley) and Europe (Cambridge/London).
Hasler Foundation
The Hasler Foundation promotes information and communications technology (ICT) for the well-being and benefit of Switzerland as an intellectual and industrial center. The Foundation provides its support by financing or co-financing selected educational, research and innovation projects and undertakings in the field of ICT.
W.A. de Vigier Foundation
The W.A. de Vigier Foundation sponsors innovative and future-looking business ideas with a development award of CHF 100,000 per idea. Nektoon AG (The legal entity behind Squirro) won the prize in 2010 considered the Rolls Royce of Swiss Startup Prizes.
ZKB
The Zürcher Kantonalbank is the leading universal bank in the Zurich region, focusing on the national market. The Bank invests through its bank-owned Venture-Fund PIONIER every year risk capital in about 20 start-up companies in the Zurich economic area.
