Co-Investor and Catagonia agree close partnership

Dr. Ralph Eric Kunz to become new partner at Co-Investor

Berlin, March 5, 2019 – The Co-Investor Group, a mid cap private equity investor based in Zürich and Frankfurt am Main with focus on the DACH region, is announcing its partnership with Berlin-based Catagonia Capital GmbH. In addition, Co-Investor has expanded its group of partners to include Catagonia founder and partner Dr. Ralph Eric Kunz.

The Co-Investor Group has been investing in mid-sized companies in the DACH region for 19 years. It benefits from its stable network of entrepreneurs who, as shareholders of the group and co-investors in the direct investments, provide investment capital. Recent exits include Euroimmun, Casualfood and Amicra.

Catagonia Capital GmbH, founded by Dr. Ralph Eric Kunz in 2008, is an active early-stage investor and company builder headquartered in Berlin. The company invests in start-ups with disruptive business models that have the potential for redefining established markets. It focusses on digital and technology businesses.

Dr. Kunz has more than 20 years of experience as entrepreneur and business angel, as well as in top-level management and strategy consulting on a global scale. He founded CaaS-service provider tyntec Ltd and sold the company to the private equity companies Harbourvest and Cipio. During his time as a manager at Nokia, he founded and headed the mobile maps and navigation service Nokia Maps that was later sold to German premium automotive manufacturers BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz under the name of “Here”. In 2015, he was also involved in the sale of King Digital Entertainment, a mobile games developer based in London and Stockholm, to American console game provider Activision for USD 5.9 billion.

Having conducted direct investments for 19 years supporting mid-sized companies in their growth phases, the partnership will enhance Co-Investor’s competencies in the digital and technology segments, enabling it to expand its portfolio by adding technology transactions. Furthermore, Co-Investor gains access to the Berlin digital and technology scene. For this reason, the company has already expanded to Berlin and has moved into a joint office with Catagonia. In return, Catagonia now has the opportunity to carry out major investments and follow-up financing with the help of the Co-investor and its investor network.

Dr. Ralph Eric Kunz is confident: “The partnership will allow us to bring together the best of traditional later-stage and early-stage investment expertise: Co-Investor will be enhanced by Catagonia’s technology and digital expertise. Catagonia has the opportunity to introduce innovative startups to the Co-Investor entrepreneurial network and secure their growth with additional investments. The group is thus optimally positioned.”

Dr. Farsin Yadegardjam, Managing Partner of the Co-Investor Group: “As a new partner of the Co-Investor Group, Ralph Eric Kunz together with his company Catagonia will offer us great added value. Our goal is to take medium-sized companies with sound core business to the next level of growth with the help of digital and technology know-how.”

About Co-Investor

 The Co-Investor Group is a private equity investor focused on mid-sized companies in German-speaking countries – with offices in Zürich, Frankfurt am Main and Berlin. It has conducted direct investments for the last 19 years, supporting mid-sized companies in growth phases.

Co-Investor benefits from its stable network of entrepreneurs that provide investment capital as shareholders of the Group and co-investors for direct investments, as well as its professional investment team. Co-Investor builds on a wealth of experience from more than 50 private equity investments and currently has 12 active investments under management in various sectors. The most recent exits of the last 24 months include Euroimmun (sold to the US laboratory specialists Perkin-Elmer), Casualfood (partial exit to Orior) and Amicra (sold to the Asian mechanical engineering company ASM Pacific Technology Ltd.)

The group consists of Co-Investor AG, Zürich, as well as its three wholly-owned subsidiaries of Co-Investor Deutschland GmbH, EVP Capital Management AG and Co-Investor Financial Services GmbH headquartered Frankfurt am Main.

About Catagonia

Catagonia Capital GmbH is an early-stage investor and company builder headquartered in Berlin. The company invests in start-ups with disruptive business models that have the potential for redefining established markets. It focusses on digital and technology businesses. Catagonia was founded by Dr. Ralph Eric Kunz in 2008. Exits include tyntec (sold to PE Fonds Harbourvest and Cipio), Deutsche Messe Interactive (sold to Deutsche Messe AG) and TestHub (sold to Applause, Inc).

Contact:

Co-Investor Deutschland GmbH

Bockenheimer Landstr. 51-53
60325 Frankfurt am Main

Dr. Farsin Yadegardjam
Telephone: +49 (0)69-4032597-0
Telefax: +49 (0)69-4032597-49
email: infoDE@co-investor.com

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