What TiVentures does

TiVentures is a Lugano-based seed-stage investment fund operating in the Italian-speaking Ticino canton of southern Switzerland. Founded in 2016 when BancaStato's Fondazione Centenario acquired 100% of Agire Invest (the investment arm of the regional innovation agency, which began investing in 2012), TiVentures invests in early-stage technology companies with high growth potential across life sciences, medical technology, high-tech, and IT sectors. The fund maintains a portfolio of 15+ companies and co-invests with institutional partners including United Ventures, Helvetica Partners, and Claves Investments.

The fund is managed by two hands-on entrepreneurs: Lorenzo Leoni (PhD biochemistry from University of Lausanne, former Assistant Professor at UCSD, serial biomedical entrepreneur) and Paolo Orsatti (PhD Microelectronics from ETH Zurich, founder of TChip Semiconductors and NemeriX, the latter acquired by Qualcomm in 2009, and founder of Oculox Technologies). Notable portfolio outcomes include Gain Therapeutics' IPO on NASDAQ Global Select Market in 2021 (ticker: GANX), exits from Sailogy (2018), 99 Technologies (2020), and a partial exit from 4BASES (2018). Portfolio companies collectively generate over CHF 35 million in annual revenue with 390+ employees and approximately 30% average annual growth.

TiVentures generates returns through equity investments and exits via IPOs and strategic acquisitions. Its go-to-market is relationship-driven, leveraging the personal networks of its managing partners, the TiVenture Club business angels network (established 2017), institutional co-investors, and collaborations with Agire, the State Government, and local universities. In 2022, parent BancaStato injected an additional CHF 5 million into the fund to support continued investment activity.

Name

TiVentures

Legal name

TiVenture SA

Website

https://tiventures.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

TiVentures is a Lugano-based seed investment fund, wholly owned by Fondazione Centenario Banca Stato, that deploys capital and hands-on mentoring into early-stage technology companies across life sciences, medical, high-tech, and IT sectors in southern Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seed-stage venture capital investing

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds (BPADACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Development Finance & Blended Finance Facilities (BPADAOAD), Independent Venture Debt Funds / Platforms (FSANAIAB)

Keywords

• Seed investment fund
• Early-stage venture capital
• Technology startup funding
• Life sciences investing
• Portfolio company mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Lugano

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns / Fund Management: TiVentures generates returns through equity investments in early-stage companies. The fund is owned by Fondazione Centenario Banca Stato and earns returns through successful exits of portfolio companies, including IPOs (Gain Therapeutics on NASDAQ) and strategic acquisitions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

TiVentures is a privately held seed investment fund that provides equity capital, hands-on coaching, and access to international expert networks to early-stage technology companies in southern Switzerland. Owned by Fondazione Centenario Banca Stato and managed by hands-on entrepreneurs, the fund invests across life sciences, medical technology, high-tech, and IT sectors, primarily in Ticino-based companies, with a portfolio exceeding 15 active investments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TiVentures Seed Investment Fund Privately held seed investment fund that provides equity capital, hands-on coaching, and access to an international expert network to early-stage technology companies in southern Switzerland, with a diversified portfolio in life sciences, medical, high-tech, and IT sectors.
• TiVenture Club (Business Angels Club) Business angels club created by TiVentures that broadens the pool of private co-investors providing additional capital and mentorship to TiVentures' portfolio companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Portfolio companies with aggregate revenues exceeding CHF 35M and 30% average annual growth rate
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Agire (Fondazione Agire)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTiVentures collaborates with Agire, the Innovation Agency of southern Switzerland. Agire Invest was the predecessor of TiVentures, started investing in early innovative companies in 2012. The organizations continue to collaborate on supporting the growth, diversification and innovation of the Ticino economy.
• VelankanistrategicTechnology or IntegrationDelvitech (TiVentures portfolio company) partnered with Velankani for production partnership. The Indian group manufactures the whole machine structure except for the Optical Head, which continues to be produced in Switzerland. This partnership supports Delvitech's global expansion with cost-effective manufacturing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EquityPitcher Ventures: Zurich-based early-stage venture capital firm focused on Swiss technology companies. Comparable as a Swiss regional seed investor pursuing similar deal flow in life sciences, IT and high-tech verticals.
• Btov Partners: European venture capital firm with offices in Zurich, Berlin and Munich, investing at seed and Series A. Comparable as a regional European early-stage investor with similar multi-sector approach.
• Wingman Ventures: Zurich-based pre-seed and seed fund focused on Swiss technology start-ups. Comparable as a Swiss seed investor pursuing similar early-stage opportunities across tech and life science.
• Alpana Ventures: Swiss seed-to-Series A fund investing in technology start-ups. Comparable as a domestic early-stage investor active across similar technology verticals and stages in Switzerland.
• United Ventures: Italy-based early-stage venture capital firm investing in digital and tech-enabled companies. Directly comparable as a regional European seed/Series A investor and co-investor with TiVentures in xFarm.
• Redstone VC: Berlin-based early-stage VC investing across European tech. Comparable as a European regional seed-stage investor targeting similar early-stage technology opportunities across multiple sectors.
• Verve Ventures: Swiss venture investor with broad portfolio of European tech companies. Directly comparable as a Switzerland-based seed-stage investor with a multi-sector investment approach similar to TiVentures.
• Helvetica Partners: Swiss asset management and venture capital firm based in the Zurich area. Directly comparable as a fellow Swiss regional seed/growth investor and co-investor in TiVentures portfolio companies such as Delvitech Series A.

Broad incumbents

• Swisscom Ventures: Corporate venture arm of Swisscom focusing on Swiss and European technology start-ups. Comparable as a large institutional Swiss investor active at seed and growth stages in similar tech verticals.
• Zürcher Kantonalbank Start-up Finance: Cantonal-bank-affiliated venture and start-up finance arm of Zürcher Kantonalbank. Comparable as a Swiss cantonal-bank-backed fund providing regional seed/early-stage capital, similar institutional structure to TiVentures' BancaStato ownership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tiventure
• Xx.com/tiventure

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments20 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TiVentures