Our Vision
We believe in finding and supporting the best entrepreneurs across the globe that are using cutting edge technology and research to help solve the world's problems.
Global Innovation
In Emerging Markets
Our goal is to work with the brightest emerging enterprises to strengthen innovation and social change across the region and around the world.
Strategic Knowledge
To Solve Social Challenges
We actively support these teams with strategic insights and access to transformative resources, like our 500+ Investor Portfolio and in-depth Research Reports, to enable growth and market expansion.
Entrepreneurial Challenges
To Foster The Next Generation Of Entrepreneurs
We have developed a Practical Ethical Guide to Artificial Intelligence for Founders and Managers of companies in the AI sector and industry guidelines for various ethical challenges. Interested in the long-term impact of your venture? Or how to price your impact into your startup's valuation? Looking to find startups or investors interested in Social RoI along with financial returns? ethicaltech@avestu.com
Catalytic Partnerships
Succeed Faster With The Right Network
With a network of strategic partners strewn between Central Europe, Britain, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, we can assess the regional risks and potentials for your startup and help you map and navigate market entry scenarios effectively.
Meet Our Executive Team
Our multinational team combines experience with passion for entrepreneurship, the creativity to think outside the box, and the dedication to get things done. Our team works from our global offices. But wherever we are in the world - our commitment is to supporting our start-up clients and investors.
Verena A. Sturm
With a background in PPE, International Relations & Political Risk Analysis, Verena combines interest in research with entrepreneurial passion.
After completing her IR degree with Hult International Business School in London with Honours, she developed a method to improve Delphi-based Scenario Analysis in innovation-intense contexts with Prof. Hisham Al Saghbini and went on to found Avestu Institute: a Start-up Strategy Think Tank based in London, Berlin and Munich.
At Avestu Institute, she has been supporting founders throughout the varied strategic challenges that come with life as an entrepreneur. Mixing classic forecasting tools and scenario analysis with semi-quantitative methodology, her focus is on formulating custom solutions to her clients needs. Since 2014, she has been specialising in Investor Relations and fundraising during Seed Stage, Series A and B.
With Avestu Capital she crystalized that vision into a dedicated Investor Readiness & Match-Making service covering the entire company life cycle, from early stage to build & buy strategies or sucession planning in 2018.
She also acts as Lecturer in Venture Capital & Finance at ISM Munich and as Founding Partner of Mandatory Ventures, a FoF that invests in Emerging Managers in VC.
She believes in creating long-standing, high impact societal value via entrepreneurship and supporting investors in taking 'value'-based investment decisions. She has a heart for ethical technological innovation, life science and social ventures.
Verena has always been drawn to entrepreneurial challenges and creating opportunities by bringing together the right parties to help ventures succeed. Her network is fuelled by a genuine interest in establishing cordial & reliable long-term business partnerships.
When she is not out scouting for interesting start-ups, you are most likely to find her in an art gallery, looking at antiques or planning her next trip.
Steven Windmill
Having worked in the consulting industry for over 25 years, Steven has led a major change management programme that saved £4.3 Billion, executed multi-national deals worth over £200 million pa and negotiated contracts on behalf of the UK Government in excess of £600 million.
He is a sophisticated turnaround change strategist with more than two decades of experience in over 23 global markets and across VC, Private Equity, corporate, government, and military sectors. Areas of expertise include: business and revenue improvement; turnaround of at-risk businesses, projects and programmes; stakeholder satisfaction; pre-deal and post-deal M&As; high-stakes multi-million/billion-dollar negotiations (M&A - sell side & buy side), IPOs, Follow-Ons, Convertibles, Debt).
He received his MBA from Henley Business School and completed degrees at the University of London in Philosophy with further studies at The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Military and Strategic Leadership; RMA Sandhurst and the universities of both Durham and Warwick.He acted as a Professor for Consulting and Change Management at Hult International Business School and became a Board Member with Avestu Institute in 2011.
When Steven is not on a turn-around consulting mission for a multi-national, he enjoys guiding the next cohort of entrepreneurs and consultants. Divorced, he has two grown children.In his spare time, he enjoys parachuting, hill walking and racing his collection of Aston Martins.
Christophe C. Meeus
Following his Law Degree in Antwerp and Louvain in Belgium, Christophe gained extensive experience as a lawyer (avocat) in Brussels, Paris, London and Munich.He made the switch to the industry-side in 1994, being invited to assist a German company with its private placement activities in the United States.Since, he was appointed Managing Director of select Private Equity funds concentrated along the economic axis between France, US, Israel and Germany; positions he will continue to honour while being active at Avestu. In parallel, Christophe also managed, advised, restructured and liquidated companies ranging from software to hardware and from real estate to consumer goods.Currently, he is also President of the Supervisory Board of a German software company and of a digital provider company.At Avestu, Christophe will focus on bridging the gap between the investment needs of later stage startups and the operational milestones and benchmarks they have to meet, in order to be considered suitable candidates for acquisition by PE entities or other industry players.A true Art Deco and Modern Art enthusiast and a hockey fiend, Christophe brings a mind set of jovial competition, constant evolution and disruption to Avestu.For Investors
Expertise, Networking and Match-Making
Tune Your Portfolio
Your portfolio companies could need a little 'extra'?
We're happy to help get your portfolio companies up to speed for the next round of investment. To do so, we work with our trusted circle of consultants, entrepreneurs and industry experts specifically assembled to give your portfolio company the edge it may need. This is what we call a 'custom think tank'.
Then, we will continue working with the companies we advise until milestones are reached and critical improvements in core KPIs made.
Match-Making & Scouting
Looking for something specific? Interested in diversifying your startup investments?
We are happy to source the most interesting deals across a variety of industries for you. Our expert pool is filled with professionals with in-depth expertise that give us the insight we need - sector by sector. Wether you are interested in molecular biology, fin tech or regional legal developments, we'll hand pick and prequalify a catalogue of innovative start-ups according to your requirements for you - within a time-frame you specify.
Become A Part of the Avestu Investor Portfolio
We are looking forward to meeting you
Join the 500+ members of our Avestu Investor Portfolio and get 'first look' access to the start-ups Avestu sources across ecosystems. We act as a customised deal-flow funnel. To become a part of the portfolio, you will have to get past a telephone interview session and a personal meeting that helps us understand your background and personality as an investor. Once we know what you are looking for - from industry preferences and ticket sizes to fund stage and diversification needs, we will match with start-ups that fit your criteria.
Reach out to: portfolio@avestu.com
Exclusive Memberships in the AAIC
Our exclusive network for Angels & Investors:
The Avestu Angels' & Investors' Circle
Apply to become a member - or find out more: aaic@avestu.com
For Start-ups
We are NOT for one-size fits all solutions. Can't find what you need? Talk to us!
Investor Readiness
Are your KPIs investor-ready?
We have helped 100+ start-ups improve their investment KPIs during seed stage and series A investment rounds. Working with our close-knit investor community you get feedback directly from the 'mouth of the lion'.
We want our start-ups to enter negotiations from a point of strength. Thus via in-depth feedback, we help you come up with your best pitch and investment strategy.
As your partners, we are by your side throughout the entire process.
Match-Making
What kind of investor is right for you?
We help you identify your essentials and help you identify a target list of potential candidates. We have close personal relationships with the investor community we work with, thus, once a start-up truly is investment ready, we can introduce you to partners that are a good strategic fit.
We also offer support during negotiations and in-depth (de-)briefings before we introduce you, so you can put your best foot forward.
Working with us drastically reduces the time spent on assembling your next financing round - allowing you to focus on your core business instead.
Investor Roadshows
Tap into the wisdom (& financial capability) of crowds
At times, all an early stage start-up needs is a room full of the right people. We'll take the hassle out of getting you in front of these people, prepping and proofing your materials along the way.
We also pre-qualify the attending investors, keeping attendance lists relevant to your financing goals. As we frequently work with deep-tech ventures, we are prepared to work with you during confidential or pre-patent stages.
Our Investor Roadshows can consist of up to five events in different cities throughout Europe or internationally. Our trusted partners, network and contacts in various European start-up ecosystems allow for a quick set-up times whatever your target market.
Intensive Pitch Training Sessions
Are you ready?
Storytelling is an art. The good news is, it can be learned and EVERYONE can get better at it. We help you assess your room for improvement via multiple rounds of feedback, including
- Review & analysis of existing materials, needs. & potentials.
- Refining your elevator pitch, business model & investment ask.
- Insights from the investor perspective.
- Valuation Theory.
- Fundraising Do's & Don'ts.
- Story-telling, presentation flow.
- Review of core KPIS and Benchmarks for your market.
- Positioning, competior landscape & USPs.
- First round design & graphic input where necessary. We are happy to introduce you to our experienced partners on the graphics and text side for more extensive alterations.
- Editioral Feedback & Bullet-proofing your presentation in English & German
- A video-taped pitching session that allows you to reflect on your presentation skills. You may even 'take home' the final video & send it to your shortlist of investors.
- A session with a reknowned voice coach.
- A sounding-board session with one of our 'friendly' investors
Strategy Consulting
& The Sourcing Of Strategic Partners
Get where you want to go.
Building a start-up from scratch can certainly feel like an up-hill battle at times. You don't have to go it alone - get expert support, honest feedback and actionable milestones from our team of experienced entrepreneurs, consultants and the members of our expert pool.
Our expert pool stars distinguished professors, consultants, angel investors, and leading entrepreneurs across a diverse set of industries such as the Life Science industries & MedTech, InsurTech, AI, FinTech, EdTech, logistics, product research & development - and, of course, M & A and Private Equity.
Our network also includes valuable leads to strategic corporate partners such as hidden champions and the automotive and engineering sector.
For Corporates
Custom Technology Sourcing & Training and Consulting for Intrapreneurship Efforts by Established Players
Targeted Tech Info-Sessions
Who are the up-and-coming players in your sector? What concepts & technologies are they working on?
Find out more: corporate@avestu.com
Introductions to Innovators & Enabling of Technology Transfers
Start-ups may already be working on solving your organisation's technological bottle necks - harness their power.
Looking to solve a particular technological challenge? Talk to us.
Innovation & Technology Scouting
Disrupt yourself
We offer a tailored match-making service for 'incumbent' companies such as established corporations and hidden champions.
This includes:
- Sourcing
- Pre-qualification
- Match-making with up-and-coming tech start-ups
- Enabling and implementation of technological transfers
Minimize your risk exposure and stay abreast the latest technological challenges.
Forecasting of Disruptive Technological Challenges
Be ahead of the curve
We offer a tailored match-making service for 'incumbent' companies such as established corporations and hidden champions.
This includes:
- Improved version of the Delphi forecast via expert panels
- Generated 'threat' heat map
No one can see a black swan coming, but you can be prepared for change nonetheless: in a world, where the consequences of progress are not always foreseeable, we help you navigate long-term costs associated with modern technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Virtual Reality.
We also offer Country and Industry Insight Reports: Improve your risk minimisation via expert panels, reports and scenario-based and/or location-based analysis and prepare for the grey areas where tech and country risk intersect.
Business Ethics
Shape the future
Supercharge your CSR efforts by preparing for the world of the future.
Business Ethics - determine the challenges to the core values that your company is working towards.
Take a look at the long-term and short-term ethical implications behind cutting-edge technologies, algorithms and medical developments.
Intrapreneurship Hacks
Hack your way to innovative solutions with custom workshops
Tell us about specific areas of interest - or find out which parts of your company are most likely to be cannibalised by up-and-coming players and/or technologies such as digitisation, dataisation, automatisation, artificial intelligence or virtual reality.
Investor Relations for Corporate Start-ups
Find strategic partners & formulate a professional investor relations strategy
Plug into our ecosystem and source external validation for in-house ventures and find strong partners that help you see your industry anew. Take your innovative ventures and industry know-how to the next level.
Utilise synergies with other established players to leverage collective strengths - or source strategic know-how from our network of experts across industries and our investment community.
More from Avestu...
- PressYou want to feature one of our start-ups, write about Avestu or interview one of our executives?
Apply to register for our next press roundtable or press release mailing lists.
Get in touch with the Avestu Press Desk:
We are happy to send you the Avestu Press Kit upon request, arrange an interview or help you with any questions you might have. Don't hesitate to talk to us!
