Serpentine Ventures has created a dedicated Portfolio Management team. While this function is quite common for investors dealing with liquid asset classes, it is significantly less often to be found in illiquid asset classes such as Venture Capital. Then why this choice?
Why did we create Portfolio Management at Serpentine Ventures, in the first place?
We strive to be a value-creating asset manager, leveraging our direct experience, expertise and network to the service of our founders and investors on a daily basis. Therefore, it felt quite intuitive to create a fully dedicated team, to concretely execute on this fundamental mission.
Ever since its launch, the team has been focused on professionalizing all processes related to portfolio company engagement, internal communication, networking, performance monitoring, valuation & reporting, etc. There is an incredible amount of dots to connect among venture investees and investors, and we strongly believe that full focus is key to finding them all.
To top it off, our vision to be a leading venture asset manager prompted us to build a highly consistent and scalable set-up (processes, tools, resources), that can be rolled quickly across funds and stakeholders. Ultimately, we want to empower superior platform and network effects among all of our portfolio companies, Limited Partners and other partners.
We know the journey alongside our founders and investors will be long and intense, and we want to be there at each winding curve of the way.
What is Portfolio Management?
Borrowing the words of others:
“Portfolio management is the art and science of selecting and overseeing a group of investments that meet the long-term financial objectives and risk tolerance of a client, a company, or an institution.” [cit. Investopedia]
“Portfolio Management in Venture Capital is a process used by VC investors with the ultimate goal of protecting and increasing the value of their investments.” [cit. Visible]
These two statements are quite reflective of our fundamental mission:
- On one side we are planning and overseeing the composition of Serpentine Ventures’ investment portfolios, to ensure our funds are fulfilling the investing principles and long-term return objectives underwritten by their respective Limited Partners, at all times.
- On the other side, we run all the processes intended to increase value for our investments – including, inter alia, direct & continued support to our portfolio companies, nurturing portfolio synergies and executing follow-on investments
Who is responsible for Portfolio Management at Serpentine Ventures?
Portfolio Management is led by Emanuele Larocca and Sebastien Marang, under the close guidance of Max Meister and Mike Baur, our General Partners.
Where is the team based?
We are usually operating out of the amazing Zürich, yet ready to move nation-wide and internationally as required by our portfolio companies and investors.
When did the Portfolio Management team start?
The Portfolio Management practice became fully operational at the start of 2022.
