VASTAF

What VASTAF does

VASTAF, legally Västkustens Affärsänglar AB, is a privately held Swedish business angel investment group founded in 2011 and headquartered in Gothenburg. The firm invests exclusively in early-stage, unlisted companies headquartered in Western Sweden (Västsverige) with scalable business models, strong founding teams, and identifiable exit pathways. Its stated strategy is active ownership, with members preferably serving on portfolio boards, governed by a board and an operational committee, and with at least two engaged persons assigned per investment.

The group currently holds nine portfolio companies concentrated in three verticals: Medtech (Seaqure Labs, Maranics, Simsen Diagnostics, Kromnigon, Medfilm), Technology (endre, Brinja, Aqua Robur), and Security (TEXRAY). Portfolio investments range from IoT safety sensors (Brinja) and water leakage detection (Aqua Robur) to cancer diagnostics (Simsen Diagnostics), radiation protection textiles (TEXRAY), electrical grid planning software (endre), and a mycelium-based aquaculture feed business (Seaqure Labs). Each portfolio company operates independently with its own product; VASTAF does not develop or distribute its own technology products.

The firm's business model is investment-based: it deploys capital from its 20 business angels and four advisors in exchange for equity, provides hands-on support (capital, competence, and network) in areas including sales, production, R&D, marketing, finance, and supply chain, and realizes returns via IPO or acquisition. The organization explicitly states it does not intend to hold listed stocks. The team is sourced from international backgrounds across IoT, Life Science, Energy, Real Estate, E-Commerce, and Manufacturing, and the firm maintains ecosystem relationships with Chalmers University of Technology, the University of Gothenburg, and AstraZeneca BioVentureHub.

Name

VASTAF

Legal name

Västkustens Affärsänglar AB

Website

https://vastaf.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Västkustens Affärsänglar (VASTAF) is a Gothenburg-based Swedish business angel group, founded in 2011, that actively invests capital and board-level expertise in early-stage unlisted startups headquartered in Western Sweden across Medtech, Technology, and Security.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Göteborg

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns: VASTAF generates returns through equity investments in early-stage companies. The firm invests capital in startups in exchange for equity stakes, with exit strategies including public listing or acquisition. No intention to own listed stocks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

VASTAF is a private business angel investment group that provides growth capital, hands-on board participation, and access to an experienced industrial network to early-stage, unlisted companies headquartered in Western Sweden. The firm focuses on startups in Medtech, Technology, and Security sectors that have a product or service in market, initial paying customers, and a credible exit plan. VASTAF prefers to take board seats and assigns at least two engaged members to oversee each investment.

Product overview

VASTAF (Västkustens Affärsänglar) is a business angel investment company founded in 2011 that invests in and develops western Swedish growth companies. Rather than offering a unified software product, VASTAF operates as an investment services firm providing capital, expertise, and networks to portfolio companies. The portfolio consists of nine active investments across three sectors: Medtech (Seaqure Labs, Maranics, Simsen Diagnostics, Kromnigon, Medfilm), Technology (endre, Brinja, Aqua Robur), and Security (TEXRAY). Each portfolio company develops its own distinct products and services, from biotech solutions and medical platforms to IoT sensors and water monitoring systems. VASTAF serves as an active owner, working in portfolio company boards to build future businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• endre Software company that helps grid operators and property developers plan future electrical grids through energy system analysis and data-driven scenario modeling. Founded in 2022 based on research from Chalmers University of Technology and Berkeley Lab.
• Seaqure Labs Biotech startup using mycelium as a solution for current unsustainable methods in animal feed. Developed a product that partially replaces fishmeal used as feed in fish farms.
• Maranics Platform for processing human data, enabling contribution of human data in real-time with comprehensive metadata required to make data reusable. Bridges the gap between human work and business systems with validations and AI-assisted interfaces.
• Simsen Diagnostics Develops ultra-sensitive DNA analysis methods, primarily for monitoring cancer recurrence. Technology enables detection of very small amounts of tumor DNA in blood samples.
• Kromnigon Biotech company founded in 2015 from research at University of Gothenburg. Developed two technologies that streamline multi-color microscopy, a basic method for cancer treatment research.
• TEXRAY Develops radiation protection textiles for hospital staff. Created thread with associated weaving patterns enabling protective clothing that protects against X-ray radiation while maintaining flexibility and comfort.
• Brinja Manufactures IoT security sensors for construction and industry. Collects data on dust and noise levels for regulatory compliance in occupational health and environmental work. Includes sensors for worker health, humidity, fire, and more.
• Aqua Robur Provides products and services for detecting and reducing leakage in water networks. Products measure when untreated sewage needs to be discharged. Connected to cities' and municipalities' operational systems.
• Medfilm Technical platform for patient information via film. Informs patients about upcoming operations, preparation, and rehabilitation. Reduces cancelled operations through well-informed patients.

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 minor.

• Chalmers University of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndre Technologies, a VASTAF portfolio company, was founded based on research from Chalmers University of Technology and Berkeley Lab in California. The relationship represents a technology transfer and research commercialization partnership for VASTAF's portfolio.
• AstraZeneca BioVentureHubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKromnigon, a VASTAF portfolio company, is established at AstraZeneca's BioVentureHub in Mölndal, providing access to pharmaceutical industry resources and ecosystem for biotech research commercialization.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• GU Ventures: University of Gothenburg's holding company investing in life science and technology spinouts in Västsverige. Closely comparable to VASTAF in regional focus, university-adjacent deal flow, and active ownership approach across medtech and biotech.
• Chalmers Ventures: Chalmers University of Technology's investment arm in Gothenburg, making early-stage equity investments in spinouts and tech startups. Directly comparable as a regional Swedish investor combining academic IP access with active ownership — same Western Sweden footprint and similar deal-flow sources.
• Sting (Stockholm Innovation & Growth): Stockholm-based accelerator and angel investor providing capital and active support to early-stage Swedish tech and life-science startups. Comparable business model — early-stage capital with operational value-add — though concentrated in the Stockholm ecosystem rather than Västsverige.
• KTH Innovation / KTH Holding: KTH Royal Institute of Technology's startup support and investment vehicle in Stockholm, investing in deeptech spinouts. Comparable university-adjacent angel/seed investor model, though focused on the Stockholm ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Almi Invest: State-backed Swedish investor providing early-stage equity and loans to Swedish startups across all regions. Comparable as a Swedish early-stage investor, though larger, nationally distributed, and more institutionalized than VASTAF's regional angel model.
• EQT Ventures: Large Nordic venture fund investing in early-to-growth-stage tech startups across Northern Europe. Comparable as a Nordic venture investor in the same sectors (tech, healthtech, deeptech), though at substantially larger fund size and broader geographic scope.
• Saminvest (formerly Industrifonden): Swedish state-owned investment company making venture and growth investments across sectors including life science and technology. Comparable as a Swedish institutional investor in early-stage companies, though operates at meaningfully larger scale and broader geographic scope than VASTAF.

Regional players

• Connect Sverige: Swedish innovation intermediary connecting early-stage companies with capital, mentors, and networks across Sweden. Comparable in its role supporting startup growth and investor matchmaking, though operates as a network rather than a direct investor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vastaf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about VASTAF