Expon Capital

We have a unique setup that combines venture creation and tech investments within a single organization. This advantage enables us to identify new research and deep tech opportunities with both commercial and impact potential, all within Chalmers’ entrepreneurial ecosystem. We are experts in starting up companies based on deep tech and research in the most effective manner possible. This process allows us to cultivate our own high-quality deal flow in which we invest and become active owners. Throughout the entire journey, we function as investors and venture builders until exit. Profits are reinvested through our evergreen model and allocated to Chalmers to support new, groundbreaking research. Our investment processWe identify market potential in research-based tech We match the team We invest in and startup the company We attract competent capital with external VCs We have active ownership until exit Our deal flow criteriaDeep tech / research based tech University spinouts Global commercial and impact potential Our process: from lab to market We use our long experience to create conditions required for a growth company to start up correctly and with the right structural capital. We are then involved in the startup through competence and capital until exit. Simply put: we take groundbreaking research from lab to market. IDENTIFY: We attract, seek out and evaluate research and technology ideas. The technologies with the greatest potential are matched with entrepreneurs. SHAPE AND START: Create the basic conditions to shape companies correctly and build structural capital. We are involved in starting up the companies and provides additional benefits during that first critical period. VALIDATE & VERIFY: Validating business model, working for paying customers and unlocking the business model. Find the right proof points to validate and verify the company’s unique idea to both the market and investors. SCALE: Becoming sustainable growth companies reaching out to an international market. Chalmers Ventures works with its skills as active owners, provides professional governance and syndicates the right growth capital. EXIT: Chalmers Ventures pursues a positive exit strategy at what it feels is the right time. We can focus our resources on those companies with the greatest potential and positive impact on the portfolio.

As Dutch/German scale-up investor we invest since 2006 in European scale-ups across 7 countries. Driven by AI, deep learning, quantum computing and democratized algorithms, we execute on our Intelligent Empowerment thesis. Shift happens; we are supporting those entrepreneurs who drive that change and will shape the future. We have assisted most of our portfolio companies with their Buy & Build based on which 30+ add-on companies have been acquired expending overall into 22 countries. Out of our three homemarkets Germany, The Netherlands and Sweden we invest with our current €303M fund in multiple European countries. We care: entrepreneurs in who we invested for the second time, portfolio entrepreneurs who invested in our own funds, former employees who came back and so on. We strongly believe that growing scale-ups rapidly is all about saying NO to numerous activities. We are PRI signatory and highly value the principles for responsible investments, promoted by the United Nations Endeit Capital stimulates various initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship Based on our ‘Thinking BIC’ philosophy (Believe, Innovate & Internationalise, Collaborate) we stimulate entrepreneurship in numerous ways. Key supporting activities we co-founded are LOEY Foundation (Leading Online Entrepreneur of the Year; co-founded in 2010), Venturepreneurs’ Organisation (serial German entrepreneurs being angel investors; co-founded in 2010) and VEECEE (Young VC professionals; co-founded in 2015). Endeit Capital is also one of the two Founding Partners of ai.nl (making impact disrupting technologies comprehensible). Besides we are involved in various other activities such as Jong Ondernemen (Young Entrepreneurship Foundation), ACE(Amsterdam Centre of Entrepreneurship), #FundRight, Techstars, Accenture Innovation Awards and accelerator programs from Rockstart, Startupbootcamp and Microsoft.

We invest in early seed and pre-seed stages, offering tickets of up to €200k alongside co-investors. Our sector focus is broad, encompassing any industry, with a geographic emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). FAQ At what stage do you invest? What do you mean by pre-seed? Ideally, we want to lead the first investment round in your company. Sometimes this is also referred to as an angel round. As for product development, we will generally want to see the MVP and some go to market story or traction. It is great if you can get those first five clients or sell the very first batch of your product prior to our investment. If getting traction is impossible, you still should have a story of progress and achieving goals in your startup. I feel like my company is too early/too late for you. Can we still talk? Sure, you’re welcome to reach out at any point. A lot of startups that we’ve invested in came to us too early, but because we could start those relationships and develop a mutual understanding, it was a lot easier to make the investment decisions later on. If you are too far down the road for us, but you believe we could add some value, feel free to reach out to us as well. We’ll definitely look into what we can do together. What is your USP?Pre-seed investment focus – we are the biggest pre-seed VC fund in Poland and in the CEE region. Competence Hubs – we provide our portfolio companies an unique model of support in the way of 8 Competence Hubs, which are focusing on the following areas: Marketing, PR & Growth; AI & Technology; Finances & CFO on Demand; Legal; Next Rounds & Co-investors; People & Culture; Grants; Exits. Co-Investors – to every investment round in a seamless, efficient process we add co-investors – business angels with a unique background specifically matched with your needs. 120+ investments – we have the unique experience with the largest amount of investments in the CEE region. 100% private capital – we are fully private VC fund, which gives us and our portfolio companies a lot of flexibility. How are you unique?Timing: we are likely the earliest possible institutional investor due to our focus on pre-seed. Acceleration model, built on four pillars: the in-house team ready to help founders all hands in if needed adding co-investors to every investment round in a seamless, efficient process 8 Competence Hubs unique experience from 120+ investments. You mention co-investors. Are they absolutely necessary? Do we have to bring them, or do you help us connect with prospective investors? We believe that adding co-investors at this stage is super helpful for the startup, and we have got a number of cases to prove it. Co-investors will most often be experienced business angels, and we make sure to find the best possible fit. If you bring someone to the table, that’s great. We are also happy to dig through our network. How do you work with portfolio startups? We believe that adding co-investors at this stage is super helpful for the startup, and we have got a number of cases to prove it. Co-investors will most often be experienced business angels, and we make sure to find the best possible fit. If you bring someone to the table, that’s great. We are also happy to dig through our network. Where do you stand on diversity and inclusion We welcome teams and founders from all backgrounds. AIP Seed has also enjoyed great success with a number of female-led startups like GLOV, SiDLY or EduCat.

Established in 2000 as an early-stage venture capital arm of SoftBank Group, SBVA has a storied history of empowering extraordinary entrepreneurs across the globe. In 2023, we joined forces with The Edgeof, a global startup ecosystem builder founded by Taizo Son, JP Lee, and Atsushi Taira and began our new chapter as an independent entity with a renewed commitment to fostering innovation and technological advancement. Where we investEarly to Growth: We invest in early to growth stage startups. Go Global: We invest and support startups who seek to expand globally. Constant Innovation: We prioritize startups with technology that can transform people’s lives. WHY SBVATechnology Pioneer: Leveraging our expertise and network in the ICT sector, we have invested over $2billion in over 300 startups in the past 20 years. SBVA is committed to working with startups to ensure their innovative technologies are valued greatly in the market. Growth Partner: Our investment team includes a CEO, who is a serial entrepreneur, and technical experts from major IT companies and startups. We support our portfolio companies throughout their growth stages with our expertise and network. Global Partner: We actively support our founders with our global network of experts across various industries. Moreover, we offer networking events and educational sessions, such as Fireside Chat with OpenAI and Portfolio Night.

In addition to capital, the start-ups are supported with simplified market access (world market leaders from the Heilbronn/Southwest Germany region). We support young, innovative technology companies with capital, know-how and contacts in medium-sized industry. With the project "Move2Grow" we enable international startups for the first time to participate in the development of the economic region Heilbronn-Franken beyond our investment horizon and to settle in this highly dynamic environment. Our goal is to further develop Heilbronn into one of the most successful technology locations in Europe.

Coral Capital is a venture capital firm focused on helping build Japan’s next legendary companies. In search of the new generation of Sonys and Toyotas, we invest across all stages and all industries, from SaaS all the way to fusion. With about $300m under management, we have invested in over 100 companies including SmartHR, KAKEHASHI, Kyoto Fusioneering, Kaminashi, Hacomono, Graffer, and GITAI. We launched our first fund in partnership with 500 Startups, a Silicon Valley based firm and one of the most active investors in the world. Given our Silicon Valley roots, we were the first to introduce many concepts in Japan, including convertible equity (J-KISS), and the startup market’s first SPV. Although we are no longer affiliated with 500 Startups, we still maintain a global network of investors, some of which are LPs in our funds. In addition to capital, we manage one of the most engaged communities of founders and startup employees in Japan. We also run the most widely read VC blog and the largest startup career fair in the country, both of which drive thousands of candidates to our portfolio companies to hire each year. We believe that the greatest companies are built by founders, not investors. The founders we invest in are exceptional without our help. Our job is to be their multiplier. We help them go faster and go bigger, while giving them the space to build their companies as they see fit. We are not “hands on” investors nor “hands off” investors. We are “hands-if” investors. As in, “call us IF you need us.” We are there when you need us, and out of your way when you don’t. FAST FACTSJames Riney and Yohei Sawayama closed their first fund in partnership with 500 Startups in February 2016. They closed their second fund in February 2019 under their own brand, Coral Capital. Investors include Mizuho Bank, Mitsubishi Estate, Shinsei Bank, J-Power, Pavilion Capital, GREE, Dai-ichi Insurance, Founders Fund, and undisclosed institutional investors in Japan and the US. The partners have about $300m under management. The partners have invested in over 100 companies. We invest across all industries and all stages, from Seed to Series B and beyond. In April 2016, the partners launched the J-KISS, a financing instrument that has quickly become the standard template for seed-stage companies in Japan.