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.
(died 13 July, 2026)
Mit ihm verliert die Schweizer Private-Equity- und Venture-Capital-Gemeinschaft eine aussergewöhnliche Persönlichkeit, einen visionären Gestalter und einen Menschen, der die Entwicklung dieser Branche über viele Jahre entscheidend geprägt hat. Massimo Lattmann hat die SECA als ehemaliger Chairman mit Weitsicht, Integrität und unermüdlichem Engagement geführt.
(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 founded 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, Stefan Steiner specializes in identifying and nurturing disruptive technologies and startup founders. As Co-Managing Director of Venturelab AG, he supports top Swiss startups, helping them to scale and succeed on a global stage. His journey started with founding his first internet company at the age of 15, and he has 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.
Co-Founder of Young SECA
Cédric Diego Vollmar is a corporate finance and M&A professional based in Lucerne, Switzerland, and Co-Founder of Young SECA. He is Managing Partner and Board Member of Vollmar & Partner Corporate Finance AG, where he advises entrepreneurs and Swiss SMEs on M&A transactions, succession planning, corporate finance, valuations and tax-related matters. Cédric has more than 15 years of experience in corporate finance and has advised on numerous national and international transactions. He holds an MSc in Banking & Finance from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and currently serves on the SECA Board, representing the Corporate Finance chapter.
Co-Founder of Young SECA
Thomas von Hohenhau is an experienced financial-services executive, investor and entrepreneur based in Zug, Switzerland. He is currently active with 1911 Capital Management and also serves as a Senior Advisor to Modus Capital. Previously, he held senior leadership positions at VP Bank, Deposit Solutions and Julius Baer, with a focus on wealth management, digital banking and client solutions. Thomas holds a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from the University of St. Gallen and was a member of the Young SECA Board from its founding period in 2011 until 2024.
