Vi Partners is the longest-established venture capital firm in Switzerland, founded in 2001 to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial success. Headquartered in Altendorf, the firm was originally initiated by ETH Zurich and McKinsey & Company, with backing from a prestigious group of Swiss blue-chip corporations. Vi Partners is recognized for its "smart money" approach, providing early-stage technology and healthcare ventures with deep operational expertise and access to a global network of industrial partners. Over its 25-year history, the firm has evolved from a local incubator into a premier European venture platform that supports innovative founders from initial technical validation through global scaling.
In January 2026, marking its 25th anniversary, Vi Partners announced the first close of its latest venture capital fund with a target of 150 million Swiss francs. The vehicle received robust support from its existing limited partner base, including iconic Swiss institutions like Nestlé, ABB, UBS, and ETH Zurich. This fund is specifically designed to target Series A and early-growth opportunities, allowing the firm to provide more significant follow-on capital to its high-performing startups.
Deployment from this fund began immediately following the first close, with a mandate to support European deeptech and life sciences founders who are addressing material systemic needs in their fields.
Leadership
The firm is led by a team of veteran Managing Partners including Gaetano Zanon, Diego Braguglia, and Olivier Laplace. The leadership team is characterized by its long-standing stability and combined expertise across finance, science, and engineering. Diego Braguglia is particularly noted for his focus on the healthcare and life sciences portfolio, while Gaetano Zanon and Olivier Laplace drive the firm's technology and industrial software investments. Their collective track record spans over two decades of navigating multiple market cycles within the European innovation ecosystem.
Investment Strategy
Vi Partners employs a disciplined, research-driven investment strategy that favors teams with a strong scientific or technological foundation. They typically enter as an early institutional partner at the Seed or Series A stage, offering initial checks while maintaining significant reserves for subsequent rounds. The firm is known for its hands-on collaboration, often taking board seats to provide strategic guidance on international expansion and corporate governance.
Their unique relationship with Swiss academic institutions and industrial giants provides their portfolio companies with a distinct advantage in technical validation and business development.
Notable Investments
The firm has supported a wide range of category-defining companies including:
Notable Exits
Vi Partners has a consistent history of high-value liquidity events through both strategic acquisitions and public listings. Notable exits include the billion-dollar acquisition of Nexthink in 2025, the acquisition of Araris Biotech by a major pharmaceutical player, the sale of AMAL Therapeutics to Boehringer Ingelheim, and the public listing of Oculis Holding on the NASDAQ.
Other
Vi Partners acts as a strategic gatekeeper to the Swiss industrial elite. Their investor base includes the leadership of companies like Bühler, Hilti, Schindler, and Sulzer, which can be invaluable for industrial tech startups seeking pilots or distribution.
While they are rooted in Switzerland, their mandate is pan-European, and they are increasingly active in the UK, Benelux, and Nordic markets.
They are particularly attracted to "indispensable" technologies—solutions that are mission-critical rather than optional—and they value founders who demonstrate deep domain expertise and a long-term vision for institutional building.
Switzerland
