VNTR | Innovation & Venturing

What VNTR | Innovation & Venturing does

VNTR is the branded innovation and venturing unit of PostFinance AG, which is itself a subsidiary of state-owned Swiss Post AG. Originally established as PFLab around 2013 and rebranded to VNTR (build. partner. invest.) in 2021, the unit operates three functions: Build (developing internal innovations for PostFinance), Partner (structured Build-Partner-Connect-Support collaborations with startups, universities and corporates), and Invest (minority venture capital co-investments in early-stage European fintech startups at the Pre-Series A and Series A stages, with ticket sizes of CHF 0.5m–2m). It is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, employs 11–50 people, and is led by Mathias Strazza. Externally it appears as an independent brand, but legally it has no separate corporate form.

The unit's core outputs fall into three buckets. First, internal innovations absorbed by or distributed through PostFinance include Bankident (digital identity verification), TWINT (Swiss mobile payments, launched 2014), CO2 Calculator (transaction-based emissions estimation), Tilbago (automated debt collection), Cardossier (vehicle lifecycle platform), and TONI Digital (white-label insurance-as-a-service). Second, a disclosed venture portfolio of 12+ European fintechs (Bling, Wyden, amnis, Rivero, Pliant, Properti, Doconomy, Outfund, LEND, wikifolio, Token, RaiseNow), of which Bling alone reportedly serves 300,000+ active family members in DACH. Third, knowledge and merchandise products sold via the VNTR shop, including Failbook and Successbook innovation books (CHF 19 each, DE/EN), Token Economy The Game (CHF 45), and VNTR branded socks (CHF 8).

VNTR's revenue model is hybrid but not standalone-reportable. External income derives from low-volume direct-to-consumer sales of publications and merchandise (CHF 8–45 per unit) and long-dated returns from minority venture investments. The unit itself does not publish revenue, and its financial flows are consolidated within PostFinance AG; effectively, PostFinance is both the strategic sponsor and the primary beneficiary of the Build function. Go-to-market combines enterprise partnership development, structured co-investment, thought-leadership publishing (PostFinance Podcast, LinkedIn, Future Reviews, TNW/VIVA Technology events), and a small e-commerce channel.

Name

VNTR | Innovation & Venturing

Legal name

VNTR is not a separate legal entity; it represents the innovation and venturing initiatives of PostFinance AG and is not an independent company with its own legal form

Website

https://vntr.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VNTR is the innovation and venturing unit of PostFinance AG (Swiss Post subsidiary), operating three functions: internal innovation build-out, structured startup and university partnerships, and minority venture capital co-investments in early-stage European fintech startups. It also sells innovation books and a board game via a small online shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Innovation and Fintech Venture Capital

NAICS

Other Financial Vehicles (52599)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

SME Credit Risk, Underwriting & Financial Data (B2B Fintech Data/Decisioning) (FSAGAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

SME Banking Suite (Business Accounts, Invoicing, Payroll Integrations) (FSAGAAAI), Vertical-Specific POS Financing (e.g., Healthcare, Auto, Home Improvement) (FSAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Corporate venture capital
• Fintech innovation
• Venture capital investing
• Innovation management
• Digital banking innovation

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Publications Sales: Sale of innovation books (Failbook, Successbook) and educational games (Token Economy The Game) and branded merchandise (VNTR socks). Prices range from CHF 8.00 to CHF 45.00 including VAT.
2. Venture Capital Returns: Returns from minority investments in early-stage European fintech startups through co-investment model. Ticket sizes CHF 0.5m to CHF 2m.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VNTR is the innovation and venturing arm of PostFinance AG, structured around three pillars: Build (developing internal innovations such as Bankident and CO2 Calculator for PostFinance), Partner (structured collaboration with startups, universities and corporates via a Build-Partner-Connect-Support model), and Invest (minority venture capital investments of CHF 0.5m–CHF 2m in early-stage European fintech startups at Pre-Series A and Series A). It also sells branded innovation publications and merchandise through its online shop.

Product overview

VNTR (build. partner. invest.) is the innovation and venturing unit of PostFinance, operating as an internal innovation accelerator, strategic partner, and venture capital investor in the fintech space. The offering consists of three pillars: (1) Internal Innovations including Bankident (digital identity verification), Cardossier (vehicle lifecycle ecosystem), TWINT (mobile payments), Tilbago (automated debt collection), CO₂ Calculator (sustainability tool), and TONI Digital (insurance-as-a-service); (2) Venture Capital investments in European fintech startups including Wyden, Bling, amnis, Rivero, Pliant, Properti, Doconomy, Outfund, LEND, wikifolio, Token, and RaiseNow; and (3) Publications and educational products including the Failbook and Successbook (innovation learning books), Token Economy The Game (financial literacy game), and VNTR Socks (merchandise).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bankident Digital identity verification service developed for PostFinance business customers, allowing reuse of existing customer identification with consent to accelerate digitization of business processes.
• CO2 Calculator Sustainability tool that estimates CO2 emissions caused by a customer's consumption based on card transaction data from PostFinance, credit card and TWINT, helping users reduce and offset emissions.
• Failbook

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000+ family members served through Bling portfolio company
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kickstart ProgramcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVNTR is a Global Partner of the Kickstart Program, which connects corporations and startups. Mathias Strazza, Head of VNTR, discusses VNTR's challenges, projects, and milestones in PostFinance Podcast Episode 24 as part of Kickstart activities.
• Infront Consulting & Management GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted the 'Corporations on the Trail of Startups 2023' study on digital innovation units. Collaborated with Capital Magazin to analyze how digital innovation units generate sustainable added value in People, Planet, Profit dimensions.
• Capital MagazinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Infront Consulting to publish the 'Corporations on the Trail of Startups 2023' study ranking leading innovation units in DACH region.
• The Next Web (TNW)minorOthersVNTR shared insights and learnings from their visit to TNW Amsterdam conference as part of their Future Review #002 trend analysis.
• VIVA TechnologyminorOthersVNTR shared insights and learnings from their visit to VIVA Technology in Paris as part of their Future Review #002 trend analysis.
• StartupscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVNTR partners with startups through Build-Partner-Connect-Support model for collaborative innovation. Portfolio includes Wyden, Bling, amnis, Rivero, Pliant, Properti, Doconomy, Outfund, LEND, wikifolio, Token, RaiseNow and others.
• UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVNTR collaborates with universities for research and development of innovations. Universities are listed as key collaborators in their partnership approach.
• Damir Kusar (Head Group Innovation, Axpo Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in VNTR Future Review #002 discussing trends that Head Group Innovation at Axpo Group is addressing. Represents cross-industry innovation knowledge sharing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Finch Capital: European fintech-focused VC investing at Seed and Series A in payment, lending, and embedded finance. Comparable as a directly competing fintech investor operating in similar geography and stage.
• CommerzVentures: CVC of Commerzbank investing in early- and growth-stage European fintechs. Comparable as a German bank CVC operating in the same DACH fintech market with similar ticket sizes and minority-stake model.
• Speedinvest: European early-stage VC with a dedicated fintech vertical, investing Pre-Seed and Seed rounds across Europe. Comparable as a competing European fintech investor with similar early-stage focus.
• Anthemis: Independent venture firm investing in early-stage financial services and fintech startups. Comparable as a European fintech-focused investor with similar ticket sizes and founder-support model, though independent rather than bank-affiliated.
• BBVA Spark: BBVA's corporate venture arm investing in early-stage fintech startups globally with similar build/partner/invest pillars. Comparable as a bank-affiliated CVC with embedded distribution to a major retail bank.
• UBS Next: Innovation and venturing arm of UBS focused on fintech, digital assets, and emerging tech. Highly comparable as a Swiss bank's CVC operating in the same domestic market with similar strategic objectives.

Others

• Plug and Play Fintech: Global innovation platform and accelerator with a dedicated fintech vertical. Comparable as a startup-engagement and partnership platform, though operates as an ecosystem builder rather than a balance-sheet CVC.
• 11:FS: Financial services consultancy and venture builder focused on fintech strategy, embedded finance, and innovation. Comparable as an adjacent innovation-services provider in the European fintech ecosystem, though consulting-led rather than VC-led.

Broad incumbents

• Barclays Eagle Labs: Barclays' innovation and startup-engagement arm combining ecosystem building with selective fintech investments. Comparable as a major bank's innovation platform with broader scope including accelerators beyond pure VC.

Regional players

• SIX FinTech Ventures: Fintech-focused investment vehicle of SIX Group (Swiss exchange and financial infrastructure). Comparable as a Switzerland-domiciled fintech investor with similar geographic focus and financial services orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vntr-postfinance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about VNTR | Innovation & Venturing