Experts-in-Residence Program
One of the key strengths of being a corporate venture capital investor is the large network of business experts, which we have access to through our corporate sponsors, namely: Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), Raiffeisen-Holding Niederösterreich-Wien and Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark. Embracing this tradition, we recently concluded the next round of our Experts-in-Residence (EiR) program, welcoming four experts from our sponsors for a 1-week-long intensive Venture Capital experience.
The EiR program is designed to bridge the gap between venture capital and core banking operations. By immersing participants in the day-to-day activities of Elevator Ventures, we provide them with real-life insights into the latest developments in venture capital and fintech & beyond banking investments.
As Elevator Ventures has recently launched EV II, our new VC fund, we have crafted a fresh corporate program structure aimed at fostering synergies, rapid learning and valuable knowledge exchange among participants. This July, we welcomed in our office four experts for a week full of insightful workshops, learning sessions and meaningful connections: Vladimir Grudev, from RBI, Christoph Keidel, from Raiffeisen-Holding Niederösterreich-Wien and Fabian Kaufmann & Markus Meister, from Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark.
Throughout the week, the experts participated in a series of targeted sessions designed to equip them with transferable skills essential for business model evaluation. They became part of our day-to-day processes and investment activities. Hence, their expertise from the banks provided valuable contributions and depth to the discussions.
The Experts-in-Residence Program was an invaluable experience to learn more about the areas of Venture Capital. I really enjoyed the discussions as well as the structured workshops and sessions. Thanks to the entire Elevator Ventures team for a week full of interesting insights!
The program also featured a visit to Austria’s largest VC fund, Speedinvest. Here, the experts had the chance to exchange on latest insights with Oliver Holle, Co-Founder, CEO & Managing Partner of Speedinvest as well as other investment managers. Elevator Ventures, Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark and Raiffeisen-Holding Niederösterreich-Wien are proud investors in the latest Speedinvest fund, that you can read about here.
Being part of the 1-week 'Experts-in-Residence' program hosted by Elevator Ventures was a unique and exciting experience. The program provided valuable insights into the world of venture capital, especially in the Fintech & Beyond Banking area, covering the investment process and valuation approaches. Thanks to the fantastic team of Elevator Ventures experts, who were eager to share their know-how and experience, I gained invaluable knowledge and connections.
The highlight of the week was a real-life case study of startup valuation and cap table analysis. This task provided the experts with hands-on experience in applying the venture capital valuation method in valuation and managing cap tables.
Networking was a cornerstone of the Experts-in-Residence program. Informal events, such as the afterwork pizza mingling, allowed the experts to build connections within the Elevator Ventures team, strengthening the synergies among us.
The EiR program was very interesting for me for it gave us an insight into how a venture capital fund works as well as how to evaluate start-ups. The discussions about possible investments were also very interesting as well as the insights from the investors. Additionally, I found the structured design of the fact sheets very useful, and we plan to adopt it for our future use.
The week concluded with final presentations by the participants showcasing the results of their team work on the startup case studies. The presentations opened the floor for Q&A, feedback from the EV team and further discussions.
Running the EiR program has highlighted the great advantage of being close to highly experienced talents with unique insights and experiences. Experts from Strategy, M&A, Risk and Investment Management divisions brought extensive knowledge about their respective markets, business practices and emerging technologies to the table all while immersing themselves into the VC world and learning about our investment strategy.
The EiR provided me with an insight into the doing and mechanics of EV as well as the exchange with colleagues from LPs. I hope we could bring some insight into requirements or preferences from our organization to EV, personally I enjoyed the exchange about VC and the field of start-ups.
By working closely with Raiffeisen Bank International, Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark and Raiffeisen-Holding Niederösterreich-Wien, we can identify emerging trends, capitalize on new opportunities and benefit from firsthand expert input. This synergy not only enhances our investment strategies but also fosters a culture of continuous learning between Elevator Ventures and the banks.
Given the positive feedback we have received, we are excited to continue this program and look forward to welcoming many more participants in future editions of the Experts-in-Residence!
For more information about the past EiR programs, read one of our blog articles.