The Austrian Oliver Holle is not only a serial entrepreneur with quite a few success stories to tell but is also known as CEO of the Super Angel fund SpeedInvest throughout CEE. While his role as a seed investor means “much more than just money” to him, he regards mutual trust as one of the core requirements for working with startups. Among the SpeedInvest’s portfolio companies are bitmovin, indoo.rs, wikifolio, holvi, kochabo.at, tourradar.
About me.
I earned my first money with…
working as a waterski coach.
If I wouldn’t be an investor I would be…
a startup entrepreneur. I founded my first business SYSIS in 1992 which eventually lead to the formation of several other companies such as mobile service provider 3united in 2004 or The Merger in 2008. I love to build companies and Speedinvest is in many ways my ultimate startup.
We also look for a level of trust and cohesion within the founder team that truly brings their vision to life.”
I get annoyed when …
people only listen to themselves.
You mightnot believe it, but we…
actually really, really like founders.
My favorite movie is …
Memento.
About passion and profession.
My investment fund is focused on startups in…
the digital sector at seed stage. At Speedinvest we are specifically looking for businesses that already have a product and are ready for international markets, specifically the US.
I wouldn’t like to work anywhere else because…
I can chose with whom I work with.
The investment plan for the next years is…
to significantly increase number of our investments in the region. We love to invest in CEE and will double down on this region, both in size and number of investments. At the same time, we will continue to invest also in other regions if there is an excellent fit with our vision and skills
Our business relationship with startups is characterised by…
trust. It’s not only important to see a great product, but – equally important – we also look for a level of trust and cohesion within the founder team that truly brings their vision to life.
Besides money I offer…
seven senior entrepreneurs in Vienna and San Francisco. They support startups with their experience from different fields and work with you side by side to get things done.
It’s all about teamwork; Photo credit: SpeedInvest
About working with startups.
In a startup I am looking for…
a differentiated product and a world class team.
Characteristics a founder team should have are…
energy, integrity and technology skills.
I was most impressed by…
how great the dealflow is in the region. While Silicon Valley or London are surely the hotspots for startups, we see equally great talent and less inflated egos in our region. We like that.
I was least impressed by…
the level of BS that is constantly around in the startup ecosystem – from investors, advisors and entrepreneurs as well.
You get the most out of relationship with me when…
you are quick, honest and to the point.
