Honorary Members are recognized for their outstanding achievements and influence. Through their work, they have left a lasting impact and significantly supported our mission.
Ulrich Geilinger (1955) studied natural sciences and industrial engineering at ETH Zurich. After his Ph.D., he worked in IT at Metro International and as a strategy consultant at Ernst & Young. In 1987, he started his career in venture capital and private equity, joining Innoventure, Zurich, as a Partner. He then worked as a private equity manager at Credit Suisse, Apax Partners and Bank Vontobel. In 2001, he was a founding team member of HBM Partners and currently is Head Private Equity and a Member of the Executive Committee at HBM Partners.
As a Past President of the SECA he was instrumental in repositioning and broadening the “old” Swiss Venture Capital Association into SECA. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of EVCA. He has been and is a board member of a number of early-stage, small and medium-sized companies.
Nach dem Studium und Dissertation an der ETH Zürich verfolgte Massimo S. Lattmann zunächst eine Karriere in der Industrie und war zuletzt Mitglied der Direktion in der Contraves-Gruppe. Danach gründete er die Instrumatic AG; diese auf Entwicklungsworkstations für die Elektronik- und Softwareindustrie spezialisierte Gruppe entwickelte sich bis 1991 auf rund 270 Mitarbeiter und einem Umsatz von CHF 80 Mio.
Nach dem Verkauf derselben widmete er sich seit 1993 dem Venture Capital. 1996 gründete er Venture Partners AG, die erste bedeutende, auf Hightech fokussierte VC-Firma in der Schweiz, wo er als Chairman fungiert.
Massimo S. Lattmann war von 1992 bis 1996 Präsident des Schweizerischen Verbandes für Automation Elektronik und Informatik und war Vorstandsmitglied der Schweizerischen Venture Capital und Private Equity Association (SECA) und deren Präsident. Er ist Dozent an der ETH zum Thema "Gründung, Aufbau und Führung innovativer Unternehmen" und aktiv im Verwaltungsrat mehrer privater und kotierter Unternehmen.
(died October 31, 2010)
Branco Weiss, founder in 1984, first chairman and honorary member of the Swiss Venture Capital Association (which evolved later into SECA) left us on the last day of October 2010. His involvement into promotion of entrepreneurship and innovation in Switzerland was seminal.
Hugo Wyss (1941 - Como/Italy) earned his M.S. in Physics 1964 at ETHZ and started thereafter his international engineering career at ASEA's (now ABB) Central Labs in Västeraas, Sweden. Since 1969 he worked in the field of microelectronics, first at FAVAG Microelectronics, Bevaix/NE and in 1975 at ASUAG/Ebauches (now SWATCH-Group) in Biel/Neuchâtel/USA. 1982 he left electronic watchmaking and started his own consulting firm in high-tech investments and innovation (Y-Parc SA, Technology Park Yverdon 1987-2004 - Technopark Zürich, 1989-2005).
1984 he was co-founder of SVCA with Branco Weiss and served as its Secretary until 1992. He is Life Senior Member of IEEE (currently Chair of Life Members Group, www.ieee.ch ), Alumnus of both ETHZ-Zürich and Stanford Graduate School of Business, Palo Alto, USA.
Young SECA is a Chapter of SECA which has the mission to organise networking events and connect Young SECA Members with more senior members of SECA. The young SECA was foundet in 2011.
Co-Founder of Young SECA
Alan Frei is a life hacker, entrepreneur, and aspiring Olympic curler. Based in Zurich, Switzerland, he studied Economics and Sinology at the University of Zurich and in Nanjing, China. Alan started 51 projects before co-founding the multi-million dollar business Amorana.ch. In 2022, he successfully sold it to the UK-based Lovehoney Group. Following Amorana, he created the Alan Frei Company, focusing on optimization through content, community and products.
Co-Founder of Young SECA
With over two decades of experience in entrepreneurship and innovation, I specialize in identifying and nurturing disruptive technologies and startup founders. As Co-Managing Director of Venturelab AG, I support top Swiss startups, helping them to scale and succeed on a global stage. My journey started with founding my first internet company at the age of 15, and I've been dedicated to innovation and venture capital ever since.
Co-Founder of Young SECA
Marc P. Bernegger is a serial entrepreneur who builds companies in
emerging industries since more than two decades. Besides founding the longevity company-builder Maximon and the event platforms Longevity Investors and CfC St. Moritz, he is in the board of several companies.
