Fields of business

All

Size of the companies

At the time of investment: start-ups with

• less than 50 FTE and
• less than  EUR 10 million turnover

Development phase

• Start-up phase: up to 6 years after foundation of the enterprise

Requirements

• Company location is Austria.
• The product is ready for the market.
• The business model is scalable and has a recognizable customer benefit and proof of concept/proof of market.
• Market size and market volume: The company has plausible growth prospects for the next 2-3 years.
• The management team has relevant experience or training and is strong in implementation.
• Silent participations: The company is already generating sales in its core business.

Success rate

1 - 3 %

Type of investment

Equity investments or silent partnerships with

• flexible contract structures and
• market conditions.

Amount of investment

• Flexible – normally around EUR 500,000 up to EUR 5 million

Investment purpose

• Market launch of an innovative product or an innovative service
• Internationalization
• Acquisition of new markets
• Production transfer of R & D results
• Sales Development
• Investments in production facilities
• Investments in working capital

Term

Up to 10 years

Payout

Flexible – as defined in the investment agreement

Cost

Share in the profit and/or the value of the enterprise as defined in the investment agreement

Additional support

• aws Guarantee
• aws erp-loan
• aws Seedfinancing
• aws Founder Funds

No investment avaiable

• Companies that are not based in Austria
• Companies whose product is not yet ready for the market
• Companies. whose business model is not scalable and has no identifiable customer benefit and no proof of concept/proof of market
• Companies whose management has no relevant experience or training
• Companies that - in the case of silent partnerships - still do not generate revenues in their core business

From first contact to exit

1. Meet us: We invite you to share your plans with us. For preparation please send us
   • a short introduction of your company,
   • the shareholder structure,
   • the last two financial statements - if available,
   • your medium-term planning,
   • your capital requirements and
   • a plan for which you want to use the capital.
2. Preliminary contract: Together we work out important cornerstones for our collaboration, which we include in a letter of intent.
3. Due Diligence: Together with external experts, we analyze economic, legal and ecological aspects.
4. Investment agreement: By signing, we begin our cooperation - based on shared goals, professionalism and partnership.
5. Participation phase: We are always happy to advise you - without interfering with our daily business: with our first-class network, our market expertise and our funding and financing knowledge.
6. Exit: After 10 years at the latest we retire – in close coordination with you. How? You can read this below under «Exit».

Duration of the Due Diligence

2 - 4 month

Exit

• Silent Partnerships: Payback, in most cases beginning from year 3 of the term
• Equity Investments: sale of the shares, in most cases to third parties
• Other Scenarios: e.g. conversion to other financial instruments, merger, IPO