Schulthess Forum

Venture Capital 2023

DeepTech Startups on the Rise

Wirtschaftsrecht | Tagungen | Dienstag, 28.11.2023

DeepTech Startups on the Rise

Gain an in-depth insight in successful fundraising and equity financing rounds with experienced professionals at Schulthess Forum Venture Capital 2023. Delve into the latest developments in the startup and venture capital world, where the rise of deep tech startups has been capturing the imagination of investors worldwide. These cutting-edge ventures, leveraging revolutionary technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and biotech, are reshaping entire industries and pioneering advancements that seemed once impossible.

Experienced professionals will shed light on the current deal terms and trends in equity financing rounds, equipping you with the knowledge to navigate this thriving sector. Dive into captivating discussions on venture debt, pooling minority shareholders, liquidation preferences revisited, and explore the intricacies of tech transfer with policy considerations and current best practices.

Expand your network over coffee breaks and lunch, where you will have the opportunity to connect with experienced lawyers, seasoned investors, and forward-thinking professionals. Discover how the venture capital landscape is evolving to embrace these emerging deep tech start-ups.

Don’t miss this chance to mingle with prominent investors and like-minded colleagues. Prepare for a day of learning, growth, challenges and opportunities in the world of Deep Tech Startups on the Rise.

This event addresses in particular:

  • Lawyers and consultants in
    • Business
    • M&A
    • capital markets & stock exchange law
    • corporate governance
    • IP
    • VC
    • tax law
  • Universities
  • Technology transfer offices
  • Start-ups and investors
  • Corporate, Family Office
  • Business Angels

Programme items

  • State of Fundraising
  • Current Deal Terms and Trends in Equity Financing Rounds
  • Alternatives to Equity Funding and Convertibles
  • Pooling of Minority Shareholders
  • Liquidation Preferences Revisited
  • Tech Transfer: Policy Considerations
  • Tech Transfer: Current Trends and Best Practices
  • Recap and Outlook

Detailprogramm öffnen

08:30 - 09:00 Registration and Coffee
09:0009:05

Welcome Note
09:0509:30

Deeptech Nation Switzerland

Dominique Mégret
09:3010:15
Panel

State of Fundraising

  • Short Overview about fundraising and investments in Startups in Europe and Switzerland
  • Development of VC fundraising in Europe with a particular focus on Switzerland
  • Key conclusions of the Swiss VC survey mid-July 2023
10:15 - 10:45 Coffee Break
10:4511:45
Panel

Current Deal Terms and Trends in Equity Financing Rounds
11:4512:30
Presentation

Alternatives to Equity Funding and Convertibles

  • Venture debt as an alternative means of financings
  • Trends, main features/deal terms, supplier landscape
  • Legal aspects
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break
13:3014:15
Presentation

Pooling of Minority Shareholders

  • Why should startups and their shareholders consider pooling arrangements?
  • How can pooling arrangements among minority shareholders be structured?
  • What are frequent challenges and pitfalls of pooling arrangements?

Margrit Marti
14:1515:00
Presentation

Liquidation Preferences Revisited

  • When you draft terms with liquidation preference, do you exactly know the consequences?
  • Should the terms be “founder-friendly” or “investor-friendly”? How can they be balanced?
  • Do the parties put emphasis on downside-protection or on maximizing upsides?

Ruedi Gygax
15:00 - 15:30 Coffee Break
15:3015:50
Presentation

Tech Transfer: Policy Considerations

  • Technology transfer via spinoffs: Evolution and current status in Switzerland
  • Main characteristics of outlicensing IP
  • Framework for policy considerations: Trends and Current Research

Prof. Dr. Dirk Schäfer
15:5016:35
Panel

Tech Transfer: Current Trends and Best Practices

Dr. Stefan Lux, Adrian Sigrist and Andrea Crottini, presented by Dr. Karim Maizar

16:3517:15

Recap and Outlook
17:15 - 18:30 Apéro
Referierende

Tagungsleitung
Karim Maizar

Dr. Karim Maizar

Dr. iur., Start-up and venture capital attorney, Partner Kellerhals Carrard

Karim is a partner in our Zurich office with a passion for start-ups. As co-founder and head of the firm’s Startup Desk, he led the firm’s efforts to establish itself as one of the leading Swiss law firms for entrepreneurs and its investors who push the boundaries of technology and drive market-changing innovations. In his role, Karim works with many of Switzerland’s most promising technology and life sciences start-ups during all phases of their growth, from university spin-offs and initial seed rounds to growth financing rounds and exit transactions. He also has extensive experience in advising VCs, strategic investors (including CVCs) and business angels as part of their engagement with Swiss high-tech startups. He is a regular speaker in his field and holds workshops for founders throughout Switzerland. He is closely associated with the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and acts as a coach for the BioEntrepreneurship & Innovation Program at the University of Zurich. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Swiss Entrepreneurs & Startup Association (SWESA), a member of the Legal & Tax Chapter of the Swiss Private Equity and Corporate Finance Association (SECA) and a member of the jury of the annual Swiss Top100 Startup Awards. His unswerving commitment to start-ups and venture capital transactions and his enthusiasm for the Swiss start-up ecosystem have earned him considerable recognition in the market for his practice. In 2019 he was named one of Switzerland’s “Top 100 Digital Shapers” by Bilanz/Handelszeitung/Le Temps.

Tagungsleitung

Dr. Nicolas Mosimann

Dr. iur., LL.M., Partner, Kellerhals Carrard

Nicolas Mosimann's practice focuses on M&A, technology and intellectual property law. He advises both Swiss and international companies and institutions on transactions (acquisitions, joint ventures, financing rounds, licenses and outsourcing) and technology projects (e.g. IoT and blockchain based platforms), research and cooperation agreements, commercial contracts and data protection (including the EU GDPR). In addition to which, Nicolas specializes in advising both providers and customers on software (from development to protection and licensing, including SaaS and open source software) and cloud projects. Moreover, as a founding member and co-head of the Startup Desk of Kellerhals Carrard, Nicolas knows the needs of founders and their companies in the seed and growth phases. Nicolas has an excellent international network, and advises clients across a range of industries and sectors, such as life sciences, IT, technology, advertising and arts and entertainment, throughout the world.

Michael Baier

Dr. iur. Michael Baier

LL.M., Attorney at law, Civil Law Notary of the Canton of Zug, Partner Wenger Vieli

Michael is a Partner at Wenger Vieli, focusing on venture capital and private equity transactions. He leads the law firm’s Start-up Desk and supports tech-based start-ups through all of their growth stages, in particular in relation to spin-offs, financing rounds, exit transactions, and the structuring of employee incentive programs. Michael worked at Wenger Vieli as a lawyer and civil law notary from 2014 to 2016 and rejoined the firm in 2018 after receiving an LL.M. from UCLA and a PHD from the University of Berne; he became a Partner in 2022. Michael holds a master’s degree in Law from the University of Lucerne and was admitted to the bar in 2014.

Andrea Crottini

Andrea Crottini

PhD Physics, LL.M. IP, Head of the Technology Transfer Office EPFL

Andrea Crottini leads the Technology Transfer Office of EPFL, the team of intellectual property and licensing professionals overseeing EPFL intellectual property portfolio and negotiating industrial contracts. Previously, Andrea was R&D Manager at Hach-Lange (Danaher Corporation). He graduated with a PhD in Physics and a Master of Intellectual Property and Management (LL.M. IP).

Andreas Göldi

Andreas Göldi

lic. oec. MSc. MIT HSG, Partner b2venture

Andreas Goeldi is an Internet technologist, serial entrepreneur and startup investor with over 25 years of experience. He joined b2venture in 2019 as a partner. Previously, he co-founded and helped build several successful technology startups in e-business services, social media analytics, video marketing and online content in both Europe and the United States. Most recently he was the Chief Technology and Strategy Officer at video marketing AI start-up Pixability in Boston. His past job roles include developer, CTO, board member and CEO. He has also been an active angel investor for over 20 years. Andreas holds masters degrees in technology management from MIT and the University of St.Gallen, Switzerland, as well as four U.S. patents.

Florian Gunz Niedermann

Florian Gunz Niedermann

lic. iur. LL.M., Attorney at Law, Partner Walder Wyss

Florian Gunz Niedermann is a partner at Walder Wyss. He specializes in international and domestic M&A transactions (mainly private equity) as well as transactions in the growth and venture capital industry. In this regard, he has broad experience particularly in the sectors technology, Fintech/InsurTech, e-commerce, food, healthcare and life sciences as well as corporate venturing. As co-founder of Walder Wyss’ startup desk, he is an experienced and passionate advisor of start‐ups on their entire journey of implementing and financing their business models, with a focus on spin-offs from universities and corporates, financing rounds and exits as well as incentive schemes for employees.

Ruedi Gygax

Ruedi Gygax

Ph.D., Start-up coach, Chairman Oncobit

Ruedi Gygax, has been involved with start-ups for more than 25 years. He was a managing director at the Novartis Venture Fund for 12 years, for 6 years he acted as a part time partner at a financial venture fund, and since about 2008 he has been a business angel as well as coach and expert for start-ups in support of start-ups – among others at CTI/Innosuisse. He has served on many boards of Swiss and foreign companies. His education comprises studies of physical chemistry at the University of Basel and Stanford University. He had started his career at Ciba-Geigy in the fields of process safety and materials research.

Thomas Heimann

Thomas Heimann

MSc., Head Seed Money & Venture Capital Chapter SECA

10+ years experience in Investment Research, Analysis, FINMA Risk Mgmt. and client services in institutional asset management & venture capital. Master and Bachelor of Science in Banking & Finance from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Previously worked in investment analysis and valuation and in client advisory at a Swiss bank. Author, editor and (co-) founder of various well-known industry reports and educational platforms in the VC industry (eg Swiss Venture Capital Report, Swiss VC workshops, VCs on Stage). Visiting lecturer at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Henri B. Meier Unternehmerschule St. Gallen. He is Member of the Board of SECA (Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance Association). At HBM Partners AG, Thomas is Head Operations & Investment Solutions. HBM Partners, founded in 2001, is a leading investment advisor in Healthcare with around $2.4 billion under management, based in Zug.

Michael Hengartner

Prof. Dr. Michael Hengartner

President ETH-Rat ETH Zurich

Michael Hengartner is president of the ETH Board since February 2020. Before that, he served as Rector of the University of Zurich (UZH) from 2014 to January 2020. From 2016 until January 2020, he also served as President of swissuniversities. Michael has dual Swiss and Canadian citizenship. Born in St. Gallen, he grew up in Quebec City where he studied biochemistry at the Université Laval. In 1994 he was awarded his doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate H. Robert Horvitz. After that, he headed a research group at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the USA. In 2001, he was appointed to the newly established Ernst Hadorn Endowed Professorship at the Institute of Molecular Biology at the UZH. From 2009 to 2014, he was Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the UZH. Michael completed an Executive MBA at IMD Lausanne and has been honoured with numerous awards for his ground-breaking research on the molecular basis of apoptosis, including the Swiss National Latsis Prize in 2006. In 2010, he received the Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching from the University of Zurich. Michael was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Sorbonne University in 2016 in recognition of his research in molecular biology and his services to society.

Michel Jaccard

Dr. iur. Michel Jaccard

Attorney, Partner id est avocats

Michel Jaccard is a partner at id est avocats, a B Corp certified law firm based in Lausanne advocating sustainable and responsible business practices. Michel holds a JD and PhD from the University of Lausanne and an LLM from Columbia Law School (Stone Scholar, Fulbright grantee). He is admitted to practice in Switzerland and New York, and a lecturer in the Master in Sustainable Management and Technology (SMT) managed by the Enterprise for Society Center (E4S) of the University of Lausanne, IMD and EPFL. He further teaches a class on innovation, technology transfer, intellectual property and new business models in the Master program of the University of Neuchâtel. For the past 25 years, Michel has acted for entrepreneurs, buyers, owners and investors in technology and life sciences deals. He regularly advises on growth, governance and sustainability issues, and is a co-creator of the Impact Term Sheet published in 2022 by the Dutch non for profit Legal Innovation for Sustainable Investments (LISI). Michel further helps clients navigate the world of innovation, technologies, data protection and cybersecurity, and assists in complex business projects requiring an understanding of advanced technologies and intellectual property licensing, in particular open source and open access strategies. He is a certified ITDR and CEDR mediator and part of the WIPO List of Neutrals.

Olya Klueppel

Olya Klueppel

MBA, Partner, Head of Credit GP Bullhound Investment Management

Olya Klueppel is a Partner in GP Bullhound Investment Management, focusing on debt investments into digital economy and technology companies. Prior to joining GP Bullhound in 2021, Olya was a co-founding partner of Global Growth Capital which provided growth debt and fintech facilities to European technology champions. Between 2010 and 2017, Olya was a partner at ESO Capital, a special situations investment manager providing debt solutions to European SMEs. She managed ESO’s Zurich office. From 2006 till 2010, Olya was a portfolio manager for fixed income strategies at Harcourt, a diversified FoF now part of Vontobel. Olya began her career in 1997 in the Leverage Finance Group at Salomon Smith Barney in New York and has executed public and private debt offerings for corporate and sovereign clients in the US, Europe (London) and Asia (Tokyo). Olya received an MBA, Harvard Business School and a BA (Honors) Economics / Government & Law, Lafayette College. She is fluent in German, English, Ukrainian and Russian.

Stefan Lux

Dr. ing. Stefan Lux

MBA, Head of Intellectual Property Group ETH transfer ETH Zurich

Stefan Lux studied mechanical engineering at the RWTH Aachen University. He worked as research assistant at the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) in the field of gear manufacturing technologies. After obtaining his Ph.D. in 1997 he worked 11 years in a Swiss company (production and distribution of cutting tools) as head of product development and custom tools department, from 2004 to 2009 Stefan was a member of the board. In 2008 he obtained an "Executive MBA for Technology Managers"-degree from RWTH Aachen University and University of St. Gallen (HSG). Stefan joined ETH transfer in September 2009 as Technology and Licensing Manager and heads today the Intellectual Property group. He is member of the board of swiTT (Swiss Technology Transfer Association) since 2017, member of ASTP (Association of European Science & Technology Transfer Professionals) and member of the advisory committee of inspire AG (competence center for production technology).

Margrit Marti

Margrit Marti

M.A. HSG in Law LL.M., Attorney-at-law Homburger

Margrit Marti's practice focuses on mergers & acquisitions, private equity and venture capital. She also advises on equity capital markets transactions (incl. IPOs) and in matters of corporate governance, corporate law and securities regulation. She has been an associate in the Corporate / M&A team at Homburger since 2016. She is also a member of the Technology and Digitalization, Healthcare / Life Sciences and Capital Markets groups. Prior to joining Homburger, she worked as legal advisor at Golden Gate Capital, a private equity firm in San Francisco, and as a foreign associate at Fenwick & West LLP in the Silicon Valley.

Dominique Mégret

Dominique Mégret

BA EPBS, MBA INSEAD, Head of Swisscom Ventures Swisscom

Dominique Mégret is head of Swisscom Ventures, which he started in 2007. He joined Swisscom in 2002 as head of the Group Strategy unit. Previously, Dominique Mégret was an entrepreneur in the United Kingdom, a strategy consultant in the European telecom industry and country manager for an IT company in Germany. He is the author of the book Deeptech Nation published on September 3rd 2021 by Éditions Slatkine.

Dirk Schäfer

Prof. Dr. oec. Dirk Schäfer

Exec. Director Master's Program in Accounting and Corporate Finance (MACFin) University of St. Gallen

Dirk Schäfer is a lecturer in financial management at the University of St.Gallen, where he is responsible for the Master's Program in Accounting and Corporate Finance (MACFin). He started his professional career after completing his PhD at the University of St.Gallen in strategic management consulting. He then spent many years in the management of a group following a buy-and-build model and specialising in the acquisition and development of SME companies. In recent years he has turned to the financial management of startups, also as an investor. In addition, he is engaged as a coach for entrepreneurs and as a supervisory board member.

Michael Sidler

Michael Sidler

PhD Life Sciences, Co-Founding Partner Redalpine

Michael Sidler has co-founded Redalpine in 2006 and acts as General Partner for the Redalpine funds. Before Redalpine, Michael was responsible for corporate investments and M&A at Prionics AG, a Swiss Diagnostics / Biotech Startup in Schlieren, Switzerland, where under his guidance several acquisitions have been completed. From 1998 to 2003, Michael was with The Boston Consulting Group in Zürich and Toronto in several different industries and roles. Michael Sidler holds a PhD in Life Sciences from University of Zürich. He is a passionate angel investor, coach and supporter of startups and the whole ecosystem and is a member of several organizations, juries and boards.

Adrian Sigrist

Adrian Sigrist

dipl. Biochem., Managing Director Unitectra

Adrian Sigrist is managing director and co-founder of Unitectra, the technology transfer office of the Universities of Basel, Berne and Zurich. He's been with Unitectra since its inception in 1999. Previously Adrian worked in sales and technical support at Millipore and as a product manager at Rhône-Poulenc Rorer. He holds a master degree in Biochemistry from the University of Zurich.

Christian Wyss

Christian Wyss

lic. iur. LL.M., Attorney at Law, Partner VISCHER

Christian Wyss is a Partner with the law firm VISCHER and Co-Head of the VISCHER Startup Desk. With a focus on venture capital and technology transactions, he has guided numerous startups and investor syndicates through the legal complexities of equity and debt financing rounds, including drafting and negotiating term sheets, investment and shareholders agreements, and bridge loans. Christian also brings a wealth of experience with technology transfer and license agreements. Christian received his law degree from the University of Basel, and his LL.M. from Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was admitted to the bar in Switzerland in 2002.

Chair

Nicolas Mosimann and Karim Maizar will present the program of the Schulthess Forum Venture Capital 2023.

Kooperationspartner
The Swiss ICT Investor Club
Swiss Entrepreneurs Foundation
Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance Association (SECA)
Swiss Startup Association
venturelab
Startupticker
Impressionen
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