immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Investor

  • New growth momentum through strategic partnership

    New growth momentum through strategic partnership

    With the strategic participation of an entrepreneurial investor, the company is setting the course for the next stage of growth. The new partnership combines capital strength with technological and operational expertise. The aim is to consolidate the company’s market presence in its home market and expand internationally, particularly in the key areas of digitalisation, sustainability and artificial intelligence.

    Future-oriented strategy with a clear focus
    The new growth strategy focuses on three structural drivers: the digital transformation of the property sector, the industry’s growing role in climate protection and the increasing demand for sustainable, connected living spaces. At the same time, the proven corporate DNA remains intact, with the operational team and all partners staying on board and continuing to run the business.

    Technological scaling and international expansion
    Internationalisation will begin with the existing presence in Germany and will be expanded through targeted acquisitions. At the same time, the digital service portfolio will be expanded through the development of proprietary products, the automation of customer processes with “Agentic AI” and the strengthening of the team. The strategic partnership creates the necessary room for manoeuvre in terms of technology, personnel and geography.

    New opportunities for the German site
    There are also new opportunities for the team in Germany. As an agile location within the Group, it benefits from the stability of the company and the opportunities offered by a strategic growth partner. The combination of a proven structure and fresh dynamism should pave the way for successful expansion in a rapidly changing market environment.

  • Romande Energie invests in the start-up Popety.io

    Romande Energie invests in the start-up Popety.io

    Romande Energie Group is investing in the start-up Popety.io from Plan-les-Ouates, which is active in property acquisition. The Group sees itself as an important player in the decarbonisation of French-speaking Switzerland. According to a press release, this commitment is intended to strengthen the BRM (Building Relationship Management) data processing tool that Romande Energie launched in March 2023 to support the renovation of its property portfolio.

    In a spirit of partnership and support for start-ups, energy supplier Romande Energie is acquiring a 6.45 per cent stake in the start-up Popety.io, which already counts Vaudoise Insurance among its investors. Through its Romande Energie Ventures unit, the Group analyses the market and invests in start-ups that also pursue the goal of contributing to the decarbonisation of French-speaking Switzerland. “We are convinced that data will simplify the decarbonisation of buildings. We are delighted to be driving these developments forward together with Popety.io,” said Géraud de Laval, Head of Strategy & Innovation – Real Estate at Romande Energie Ventures.

    Popety.io can now “count on the expertise of a committed energy provider like Romande Energie to accelerate the renovation of the building stock and accompany us in the development of our start-up”, founder and CEO Thibault Clément is quoted as saying.

    According to the press release, there are hundreds of thousands of buildings in Switzerland that are in need of renovation. Between 30 and 40 per cent of greenhouse gases come from buildings. The renovation rate of the Swiss building stock must therefore be drastically increased in order to fulfil the Energy Strategy 2050 and the Climate Act recently adopted by the Swiss people.

  • Wingtra has new distributor in Taiwan

    Wingtra has new distributor in Taiwan

    Wingtra continues to expand: as the Zurich-based manufacturer of mapping drones announces, it can now also tap into the market potential in Taiwan with its new distribution partner Century Instruments. Based in Taichung City, Taiwan, the company has been focusing on its country’s surveying market for 30 years. According to a company statement, it now offers Wingtra’s drones in addition to expert advice and top-notch equipment.

    The high-precision, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones, which are easy to operate, specialise in GIS, the geographic information system for mapping technology. They were developed by the company, founded in 2016 as a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich(ETH), specifically for aerial surveying and mapping in the construction industry.

    The Wingtra drones provide consistent, high-quality survey data faster and at lower cost than other surveying tools, even for large areas and with high resolution and accuracy, Wyss Zurich says. The foundation supports Wingtra and other translational projects at ETH and the University of Zurich.

    In June and July this year, Wingtra has already announced the establishment of business relationships with two new distribution partners in Mexico and a company in Canada. One of its investors, Seattle-based venture capital firm DiamondStream Partners, had announced in March 2023, following the successful completion of a $22 million Series B financing round, that it would support Wingtra as it enters new markets on the North and South American continents.

  • Innovationspark Dübendorf – Strengthening the shareholder base of IPZ Property AG

    Innovationspark Dübendorf – Strengthening the shareholder base of IPZ Property AG

    The Zurich-based Angst+Pfister Group, a leading developer, manufacturer and global supplier of high-performance components and engineering solutions, has acquired a significant stake in IPZ Property AG. This company is responsible for the planning, development and realisation of the Zurich Innovation Park on the former military airfield in Dübendorf on behalf of the Zurich Innovation Park Foundation (IPZ Foundation).

    “With the new shareholder, we have succeeded in taking a next, strategically very significant step towards strengthening the generation project. For the first time, a well-known industrial partner from Switzerland is participating in the Zurich Innovation Park as an investor,” says Peter Bodmer, President of the IPZ Foundation. A decisive role was played by the fact that over the last two years, thanks to the extremely good cooperation between the Canton of Zurich, the federal government as landowner, the neighbouring communities, the IPZ Foundation, the real estate service provider HRS and other partners, it was possible to set the right legal and political course.

    Switzerland’s most exciting development project
    “For us, the Zurich Innovation Park is by far the most exciting development project in Switzerland,” says Christof Domeisen, CEO and Delegate of the Board of Directors of Angst+Pfister, explaining the group’s investment decision. “As a globally active company with a history going back over 100 years, we are convinced that the close integration of research and development in one place creates an ideal platform to be successful in the future. The Zurich Innovation Park on the site of the Dübendorf airfield fulfils precisely these conditions. This design space makes it possible to successfully transfer knowledge from research into solutions and products. The location is ideally suited for a unique innovative environment and is extremely attractive by international standards.”

    Owner and CEO Martin Kull is confident that HRS, which has been the main investor in the planning and construction of the development, will succeed in bringing other major investors on board over the next few years. “Our goal has always been to make the development of the Innovation Park economically viable within the framework of the very constructive public-private partnership with the Canton of Zurich. The developments of the last two years prove us right that we are on track with this.”

    Political process successfully completed
    Now that the commitment credit approved by a large majority in the Zurich Cantonal Parliament at the end of November 2022 has become legally binding with the expiry of the referendum deadline on 7 February 2023, the political process has been successfully completed. For Andrea Claudio Thöny, as head of IPZ Property AG responsible for the overall development on the site, this paves the way for the prompt implementation of the next phase. “Now that the Cantonal Council’s decision has become legally binding, the Zurich Cantonal Government together with IPZ Property AG can conclude the corresponding building lease contracts. The plan is that ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich will soon be able to take over the existing aircraft hangars. In addition, an architectural competition is currently underway for the new buildings of the first major development phase, in which both internationally renowned architectural firms and young up-and-coming talents from Switzerland are participating. And it is very pleasing that more and more companies are interested in settling on the IPZ. Since the political decisions have been made, things are now moving ahead quickly.”

    Settlement of numerous companies and institutions in the next few years
    Already involved in the project as partners are ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich as well as the Cantonal Bank of Zurich. They have set up research and development laboratories and a start-up hub in the former aircraft hangars and buildings on the periphery of the site, and are thus playing a decisive role in the take-off and rapid development of the Generation Project.

    For industry, the proximity to world-leading universities is a key element in the IPZ’s attractiveness. This dovetailing of university research and industrial development at a location with excellent national and international transport connections and which, thanks to its dimensions, also allows space-intensive tests on the ground and in the air, is rare in a global comparison. Dozens of other companies and institutions are also rented in the IPZ, but not yet housed on the site itself, as the appropriate usable space must first be created for their settlement.

  • Innovation Park Zurich wins Angst+Pfister as investor

    Innovation Park Zurich wins Angst+Pfister as investor

    The Innovation Park Zurich(IPZ) has gained Angst+Pfister as an investor. The globally active Zurich-based manufacturer of high-performance components and engineering solutions has acquired a significant stake in IPZ Property AG, which is responsible for realising the project, the Zurich Innovation Park Foundation informs in a statement. “For the first time, a well-known industrial partner from Switzerland is participating as an investor in the Innovation Park Zurich,” foundation president Peter Bodmer is quoted there.

    For Christof Domeisen, CEO and Delegate of the Board of Directors of Angst+Pfister, the Zurich Innovation Park is “by far the most exciting development project in Switzerland”. His company is convinced “that the close interlocking of research and development in one place creates an ideal platform to be successful in the future”. Domeisen sees precisely these conditions fulfilled at the Zurich Innovation Park on the grounds of the Dübendorf airfield.

    The implementation of the project has successfully completed its political process with the now legally binding approval of the commitment credit by the Zurich Cantonal Council. Next, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the University of Zurich are to take over the existing aircraft hangars on the site. An architectural competition is already underway for the new buildings in the first phase of development. In addition, “more and more companies are interested in locating on the IPZ,” explains Andrea Claudio Thöny, head of IPZ Property AG. “Since the political decisions have been made, things are now moving ahead quickly.”

  • Swiss Marketplace Group combines platforms from TX Group, Ringier and Mobiliar

    Swiss Marketplace Group combines platforms from TX Group, Ringier and Mobiliar

    TX Group , Ringier and Mobiliar as well as the financial investor General Atlantic have founded a joint venture, inform the four partners in a joint announcement . The Swiss Marketplace Group, launched on November 11, is to manage the digital marketplaces of Ringier and Mobiliar as well as TX Group in an independent market presence . The joint venture will be managed by Martin Waeber, Pierre-Alain Regali, Francesco Vass and Boris Gussen under the leadership of Gilles Despas.

    The marketplaces acheter-louer.ch, anibis.ch, AutoScout24, Car For You, FinanceScout24, home.ch, Homegate, icasa.ch, ImmoScout24, ImmoStreet.ch, MotoScout24, Ricardo, tutti.ch and advertising marketing are combined in SMG . TX Group will hold 31 percent, Ringier and Mobiliar 29.5 percent each and General Atlantic 10 percent in the new joint venture, according to the announcement. However, the voting rights in SMG are divided between the partner companies at 25 percent each.

    “Today we are embarking on an exciting journey with a new, forward-thinking and future-oriented company,” Despas is quoted in the press release. According to the CEO of SMG, the new company should strive for sustainability, live “real diversity in an inspiring, multilingual and agile environment” and drive “the digitization of our industries”.