NEWS
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July 6, 2020
Estimated impact of COVID-19 on Swiss growth companies
How are Swiss growth-stage companies navigating the COVID-19 crisis? To find out, we conducted a series of interviews with (almost) identical questions throughout May and June 2020. As you would expect, setting up home-office structures, having regular company update calls, arranging structural and organizational changes, adapting your cash management as well as managing customers and investors were among the top ranked measures taken by interviewees. The most interesting part of the interviews concerned the choices of managing long term growth versus short run profitability. Key learnings that were drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic include the importance of leadership, having agile business structures, strong communication skills, understanding the pitfalls and opportunities that markets offer while fine-tuning growth rates and keeping an eye on financial liquidity.
May 26, 2020
Do you hate volatility? Then you will love growth Private Equity!
February 8, 2019
Johann Schneider-Ammann lance un fonds pour les start-up
Le rêve de Johann Schneider-Ammann se concrétise. La Swiss Entrepreneurs Foundation est née et met à disposition des PME un fonds de soutien qui devrait être doté à terme de 500 millions de francs.
https://www.letemps.ch/economie/johann-schneiderammann-lance-un-fonds-startup
This fund works in parallel to a foundation, the Swiss Entrepreneurs Foundation. Its aim is to support start-ups and entrepreneurship within Switzerland and to promote a Swiss innovation ecosystem with improved basic conditions for the commercialisation of innovative technologies.
The foundation pursues both a public and non-profit approach. It does not seek to make a profit and does not represent commercial interests, with the foundation’s profits and capital used exclusively for the purposes mentioned above.
Jean-Philippe Tripet was in the committee leading the structuration of the fund and remains a founding member of the Swiss Entrepreneurs Foundation.
January 30, 2019
Adrian Bührer on the Swiss tech scene
Adrian Bührer was interviewed by the team behind the Unicorn Switzerland Workshop Summit. He speaks about his own experience and his views on the Swiss tech scene. You can find his interview attached as pdf.
Jan Reinhart will also be present at the event. He will be moderator of a panel discussion on the topic “What are the challenges for high-tech investors to be part of large success stories?”.
More info:
October 26, 2018
Aravis Growth I LP receives FINMA approval
We are delighted to announce that we received FINMA approval for Aravis Growth I LP, KmGK, our fifth fund, and are now launching fund raising. Aravis was the first Swiss firm to pioneer the KmGK in 2006 with our first Energy fund. This structure that we have now fully experienced from start to close has proven to hold its promises and has been widely accepted by our international investors. While some Cantons are still reluctant to accept the tax structures of KmGK, we see new important and visible funds such as the Swiss Entrepreneurs Fund or the UBS Clean Energy Fund demonstrating the attractiveness of Swiss structures. We seize the opportunity to thank the FINMA for its speed in turning over a project to an approved fund. Mazars has audited Aravis on behalf of FINMA. Aravis Growth I LP, KmGK: Switzerland has been leading international innovation rankings for years and…
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We are delighted to announce that we received FINMA approval for Aravis Growth I LP, KmGK, our fifth fund, and are now launching fund raising.
Aravis was the first Swiss firm to pioneer the KmGK in 2006 with our first Energy fund. This structure that we have now fully experienced from start to close has proven to hold its promises and has been widely accepted by our international investors. While some Cantons are still reluctant to accept the tax structures of KmGK, we see new important and visible funds such as the Swiss Entrepreneurs Fund or the UBS Clean Energy Fund demonstrating the attractiveness of Swiss structures. We seize the opportunity to thank the FINMA for its speed in turning over a project to an approved fund. Mazars has audited Aravis on behalf of FINMA.
Aravis Growth I LP, KmGK: Switzerland has been leading international innovation rankings for years and its home market is seeing rapid expansion as many companies mature. Demand for capital significantly surpasses local supply. We see potential in this context to work with the best innovation champions and accelerate their growth.
Aravis Growth focuses on investments in established private, innovative Swiss and European companies with growth potential.
The fund will invest in Switzerland and Europe in a variety of sectors, defined as three main categories plus special situations: Biotech, Creative & Digital and Industrial High Tech.
Our goal with Aravis Growth is to offer attractive returns to institutional investors while having a positive impact on the local economy, broadening the offer of private market products to private companies. Our investment approach integrates ESG-criteria to reflect our holistic & long-term view of risks and growth opportunities, addressing 5 out of the 17 UN-SDGs.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Jean-Philippe Tripet, CFA
Founder and Managing Partner
Aravis s.a.
Merkurstrasse 70
8032 Zurich – Switzerland
www.aravis.ch
August 31, 2018
Let’s play: gaming beyond games
We’ve written an article on the topic of gaming and its impact on various industries.
You can read it by clicking on the attached pdf.
July 12, 2018
Startups sehen Geldsegen entgegen
Donnerstag, 12.Juli 2018 Neue Zürcher Zeitung FOKUS DER WIRTSCHAFT 29
Mehrere neue Schweizer Risikokapitalgeber weiten ihr Engagement bei Jungunternehmen langsam, aber stetig aus
Mit viel Getöse sind unlängst neue Risikokapitalfonds angekündigt worden. Während Grossprojekte kaum auf Touren gekommen sind, ist im Kleinen einiges gelaufen.
Lesen Sie den ganzen Artikel in der beigelegten PDF Datei.
February 15, 2018
Rise of the machines
We’ve written an article on the topic of machine learning.
You can read it by clicking on the attached pdf.
January 9, 2018
A punk’s dream in a globalized world: there’s more to bitcoins than meets the eye
We’ve written an article on the topic of blockchain technology.
You can read it by clicking on the attached pdf.
October 10, 2017
Aravis veut combler une grande lacune
START-UP. L’obtention de capital croissance demeure un problème en Suisse. Les moyens existent pour y répondre. Les capitaux ne font pas défaut en Suisse pour des levées de l’ordre d’un à 2 millions de francs s’agissant des start-up. En revanche, l’obtention de 3 millions ou plus n’est pas une sinécure. La croissance est difficile à financer parce qu’il faut de l’argent, à savoir du capital de croissance (capital growth). Or, celui-ci manque encore considérablement. Les caisses de pension sont susceptibles d’apporter une solution mais elles se montrent pour une grande majorité d’entre elles réticentes au private equity et au capital risque en particulier. Les assureurs se révèlent pour le moment plus ouverts que les caisses de pension, bien que celles-ci aient besoin d’une plus grande diversification de leurs placements de capitaux. Aravis, qui a été fondée et est dirigée par Jean-Philippe Tripet, a pour ambition de répondre à la forte…
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START-UP. L’obtention de capital croissance demeure un problème en Suisse. Les moyens existent pour y répondre.
Les capitaux ne font pas défaut en Suisse pour des levées de l’ordre d’un à 2 millions de francs s’agissant des start-up. En revanche, l’obtention de 3 millions ou plus n’est pas une sinécure. La croissance est difficile à financer parce qu’il faut de l’argent, à savoir du capital de croissance (capital growth). Or, celui-ci manque encore considérablement.
Les caisses de pension sont susceptibles d’apporter une solution mais elles se montrent pour une grande majorité d’entre elles réticentes au private equity et au capital risque en particulier. Les assureurs se révèlent pour le moment plus ouverts que les caisses de pension, bien que celles-ci aient besoin d’une plus grande diversification de leurs placements de capitaux.
Aravis, qui a été fondée et est dirigée par Jean-Philippe Tripet, a pour ambition de répondre à la forte demance de capital de croissance en Suisse et en Europe au moyen d’un fonds d’une taille tournant autour de 300 millions de francs et qui procure aux investisseurs l’accès à des entreprises innovantes sans devoir surmonter la complexité des marchés privés. Ce nouveau fonds, qui est en train d’être établi, cherchera à diversifier les domaines dans lesquels il investit, particulièrement ceux dans lesquels la Suisse excelle. Aravis endosse le rôle d’un investisseur actif qui accompagne les entreprises de façon soutenue.
August 12, 2017
Neue Zürcher Zeitung: Aravis Growth is the only direct fund addressing the growth phase of Swiss Startups
Samstag, 12.August 2017 Neue Zürcher Zeitung FOKUS DER WIRTSCHAFT 29
Die Politik sorgt sich um die Finanzierung von Jungunternehmen. Jüngst stellte sich gar ein Bundesrat in den Dienst eines neuen Risikokapitalfonds.
Brauchen die Startup-Investoren tatsächlich so viel Zuneigung?
Lesen Sie den ganzen Artikel in der beigelegten PDF Datei.
March 11, 2016
Jean-Philippe Tripet speaks about the start-up scene in Switzerland
Institutions and Start-ups in Switzerland Filling the Double Gap While Switzerland is very proud of its leading position in innovation ranking, a comparison with peer countries shows that we are poor in commercialising this excellent science (Gap 1). Jean-Philippe Tripet CFA, to discuss Aravis’ research showing that Switzerland invests 3 times less than Sweden and 6 times less than Israel in start-ups. With 200-300 start-ups per year, there is no deal flow issue. However, there is clear evidence that we significantly lack investment in new venture and small companies (Gap 2). Finding the first million from Angels, family friends and fools is relatively easy, but the depth of the Valley of Death (finding the next Fr. 20 million) is much more significant than in other countries. A number of political initiatives to support start-ups have been launched on the last three years, the most prominent being the Motion Graber and…
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Institutions and Start-ups in Switzerland
Filling the Double Gap
While Switzerland is very proud of its leading position in innovation ranking, a comparison with peer countries shows that we are poor in commercialising this excellent science (Gap 1). Jean-Philippe Tripet CFA, to discuss Aravis’ research showing that Switzerland invests 3 times less than Sweden and 6 times less than Israel in start-ups. With 200-300 start-ups per year, there is no deal flow issue. However, there is clear evidence that we significantly lack investment in new venture and small companies (Gap 2).
Finding the first million from Angels, family friends and fools is relatively easy, but the depth of the Valley of Death (finding the next Fr. 20 million) is much more significant than in other countries. A number of political initiatives to support start-ups have been launched on the last three years, the most prominent being the Motion Graber and Postulat Derder. Swiss Parliament as well as the Swiss Federal Government have voted in favour of the motion, however, a year later where are we?
• What initiatives are in discussion
• What have pensions funds done?
• Will Switzerland ever manage to boost investments in small companies to stay competitive.
In an environment where globalisation is here to stay and a country highly dependent on exports with a very strong currency, the metrics of past success will not apply to the future. Old sectors unable to match the new environment will need to make space to new sectors where new global leaders will emerge. Switzerland has the ingredients of a very strong academic backbone, well educated digital-native generation and a liberal environment. We must praise risk-taking entrepreneurs and by that, evolve our culture. Critical to this success will be to address our weaknesses honestly, and build bridges to link capital markets, innovations and entrepreneurs.
Jean-Philippe Tripet CFA
Managing Partner and Founder of Aravis
As a participant in the CFA Institute Approved-Provider Program, the CFA Society Switzerland has determined that this event qualifies for one credit hour of CE. If you are a CFA Institute Member, CE credit for your attendance at this event will be automatically recorded in your CE.