Shaping a better future

To us, impact investments are sustainable innovations to create and empower meritocratic organizations, a road less travelled but the best way to develop a better world and fairer society for this & all future generations

Impact Themes

Energy
Transition

Built
Environment

Critical Infrastructure Protection

Energy Transition

The accelerating impacts of climate change and resource scarcity demand a fundamental shift in how the world generates, stores, and consumes energy. The move towards a low-carbon future relies on clean technologies, smart systems, and climate-neutral infrastructure that together drive efficiency and resilience.

We back innovators enabling this transformation, advancing energy storage, optimizing consumption, and integrating renewables at scale. By accelerating decarbonization across industries, we help mitigate environmental pollution and shape a sustainable global energy ecosystem.

Built Environment

The built environment is central to tackling climate change and resource efficiency. We invest in the specialized services that maintain and modernize our infrastructure throughout its lifecycle. Our focus spans Asset & Facility Management, including property services and landscaping, and the Technical Building Equipment that powers modern spaces. By prioritizing Renovation & Repair, from roofing and facades to high-performance insulation, we drive the decarbonization of existing stock. This is complemented by Critical Specialized Services like drainage, pest control, and surveyor inspections. Together, these essential trades ensure long-term value and environmental stewardship.

Critical Infrastructure Protection

As climate volatility, environmental degradation, and geopolitical uncertainty grow, resilient infrastructure is becoming a foundation of stability. Protecting essential systems means anticipating disruption before it strikes.

We support companies that safeguard people and assets through climate monitoring, disaster prevention, maritime innovation, and public safety technologies. By strengthening preparedness and adaptive capacity, we contribute to societies that can withstand shocks while preserving biodiversity and essential resources for future generations.

Maja Meisenberg

Jane S. Hoffman

Jane S. Hoffman is an internationally recognized leader from the United States, a Board Director, and an expert in Corporate Social Responsibility, strategic governance, and large-scale impact projects across both the public and private sectors.

As a Research Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at Harvard Kennedy School, she conducts research on corporate responsibility and the role of business and government in the digital age. Previously, she served as a Senior Fellow and Fellow of the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University.

Jane brings exceptional board expertise. She has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University for over 13 years, serving on the Executive Committee as well as the Governance and Nominating Committee, and chairing the Alumni Relations and Development Committee. She has also served on numerous boards and public commissions, including the Museum of the City of New York, the New York City Cultural Affairs Commission, and several U.S.-based non-profit organizations.

Her career spans senior leadership roles in the public sector at both city and state levels in the United States. She has served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, Commissioner of New York State Public Authority Reform, and Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Commission for United Nations Consular Corps & International Business, where she initiated a nationally recognized study on economic impact. She was also a Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York State and founded the Presidential Forum on Renewable Energy, which hosted the first-ever U.S. presidential debate on energy and climate security.

As the author of two acclaimed books, Jane is a leading voice on digitalization, consumer protection, and sustainability. Her most recent book, Your Data, Their Billions: Unraveling and Simplifying Big Tech, was recognized by Amazon as one of the ten best non-fiction books of the month and chosen as an Editor’s Choice. Her first book, Green: Your Place in the New Energy Revolution, explored global renewable energy resources and proposed new energy policy guidelines for the United States, with excerpts published in Scientific American.

She has appeared as a political and economic expert on numerous U.S. national and regional television programs, has been profiled in The New York Times, and was named one of the leading environmental activists in the United States by Glamour magazine.

Maja Meisenberg

Maja Meisenberg

Maja Meisenberg is an experienced entrepreneur and business development adviser with a broad international background in commodity trading for global corporations.

Her career spans professional roles in Europe, Africa and Asia, combining strategic foresight in marketing, sales, negotiations, logistics and key account management.

Maja gained also experience in the consulting business when she was responsible for the business development of Celerent Consulting (now Hitachi Consulting) in London, covering Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and later for the same area for EFESO Management Consulting in Paris; strengthening her expertise in key-account management.

In addition to her professional career, Maja Meisenberg has always demonstrated a strong commitment to public service and international engagements. Maja is as a native German also fluent in English and French and she has a good knowledge of Spanish and Kisuaheli.

She lived and worked many years with her husband and three children in several countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. During the time in Africa she was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by President Roman Herzog for humanitarian achievements.

Maja Meisenberg is active in political and economic circles in Germany. She is currently an Executive Board member and Deputy Spokesperson of the Aachen Section of the Economic Council of the CDU North-Rhine Westphalia.

Maja stands for entrepreneurial thinking and cross-cultural competence. She is interested in change management as well as in coaching. Her communication skills and ability to motivate others are making her a very inspiring woman.

Thomas Loeser

For more than 20 years Thomas has served as CFO of several European and US biotech companies, where he directed growth and financial strategies with particular emphasis on transatlantic company building and outreach to US capital markets. In his last CFO position at Origenis GmbH / IZB Martinsried, he focused on the commercialization of its IP portfolio by the foundation of US-based Neuron23, Inc. dedicated to precision medicines for neurodegenerative diseases. Since its launch in 2019, the company has raised a total of $ 310 million from Kleiner Perkins, Westlake Village BioPartners, Perceptive Advisors, Softbank Vision Fund 2 and other high-profile VC and cross-over funds.

Prior to Origenis, Thomas directed the financing strategy of ESBATech AG / Zurich, that positioned the company as a leader in its field and attracted a syndicate of top quartile US and European investors (Clarus Ventures, SV Health Investors, HBM Partners, Novartis Venture Fund). ESBATech, now a Novartis company, was recognized for its pioneering role in developing single-chain antibody fragments for ophthalmic indications by the trade sale of its ophthalmology franchise to Alcon, Inc. for $ 589 million in 2009. The most advanced product from the ESBATech platform received market approval by the FDA in October 2019 and shortly thereafter in all major markets.
Thomas´ track record is complemented by numerous transactions (in-/out-licencing, M&A deals and IPOs) that created both equity value and attractive ROIs for investors.

Thomas studied economics and served as an Assistant Lecturer at Ludwig-Maximilian-University (LMU) of Munich, before he started his business life in US investment banking. He further graduated from the Advanced Management Program of Harvard Business School (AMP 166) and is since 2004 a member of Harvard Alumni Association.

Ralf Franz

Ralf Franz is a seasoned entrepreneur and one of the driving forces behind Germany’s engineering services sector. As the founder and long-standing Managing Director of INTEC Industrie-Technik GmbH & Co. KG, he has shaped the company’s development from a small engineering firm into a highly respected provider of advanced technical services for the automotive, aerospace, defense technology and marine industries.

With a clear entrepreneurial vision, Ralf Franz built INTEC into an independent, owner-managed company known for its flexibility, technological neutrality, and commitment to tailor-made engineering solutions. Under his leadership, the company has developed a strong portfolio spanning product design, electrical engineering, simulations, system integration, and technical documentation.

Alongside his co-founders, Ralf Franz not only led INTEC operationally for 25 years, but also instilled a culture of innovation and long-term thinking. His strategic foresight was once again demonstrated in 2024, when he and his partners initiated a successful succession process through the majority acquisition of INTEC by Munich-based Investment Holding Armira. With this step, and the appointment of Christoph Otten as new CEO in October 2024, Ralf Franz transitioned from operational leadership to a more strategic, advisory role - ensuring continuity while positioning the company for future growth.

Following the integration of INTEC into a larger engineering group under INTEC Holding GmbH and the acquisition of additional ARBOR Group companies in 2025, Ralf Franz’s entrepreneurial legacy continues to shape the industry. He stands as a strong example of how visionary leadership, strategic thinking and deep industry expertise can leave a lasting impact far beyond one’s own company.

Ralf Franz represents the best of Germany’s Mittelstand: innovative, future-oriented, and deeply committed to engineering excellence.

Dr. Paul Glenn

Partner

Paul is a partner at Vertevis, bringing over 18 years of experience in private equity, finance, and management. He combines deep expertise in investing, executing transactions, and driving value creation with a comprehensive understanding of corporate leadership and financial strategy.

Paul has held C-level and senior management positions, giving him first-hand experience in the challenges entrepreneurs face when growing and transitioning their businesses. He has extensive industry expertise in technology, B2B services, and manufacturing.

In addition to his leadership roles, Paul successfully led buy-and-build strategies as Portfolio Director at Deutsche Private Equity (DPE), resulting in substantial value creation and growth for portfolio companies. He has worked closely with business owners, structuring tailored solutions to ensure successful ownership transitions and long-term value maximization.

Beyond his professional focus on investing and finance, Paul is passionate about real estate, sailing, and classic cars. He studied Industrial Engineering and Management (Dipl.-Wi.-Ing.) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where he also earned his doctorate (Ph.D.) in economics. Paul has an MBA from the USA, is certified in M&A from the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and in Finance from HBS. Paul remains connected with academia, contributing as a dedicated lecturer at KIT in his free time.

Henrik Buehler

Investment & Operations Professional

Henrik is an investment professional with experience in corporate finance advisory, private equity and family office. Most recently, Henrik worked for the Jacobs Family Office in Zurich where he was responsible for setting up a new entity focused on European mid-market minority investments and co-investments. Prior to that, he spent multiple years in London working for an independent sponsor, responsible for portfolio management / value creation and deal execution, and for a US investment bank focusing on global M&A mandates within the technology space.

Henrik holds a Master of Science degree from Lancaster University with a major in Finance and a dual degree Bachelor of Honours from the Open University and the Hochschule Fresenius University of Applied Science.

Don Holland

Investment & Operations Professional

Don has a broad professional background in strategy consulting, technology, and sales, with an emphasis on operational transformation and strategic development. He began his career at a top management consulting firm, where he supported and led various projects focused on optimizing operational models and supporting executive decision-making predominantly in the financial sector.

More recently, Don set up his own advisory business focusing on advising clients on business strategy, market entry, and operational improvements, while also providing strategic advisory in the residential real estate sector.

He holds a Master of Science in Finance from Lancaster University, which he graduated best in class.

Ukrainischer Verein Frankfurt am Main e.V.

One of our most remarkable achievements so far has been our collaboration with the Ukrainian Association Frankfurt am Main e.V. This esteemed institution provides vital support to approximately 350 Ukrainian children and young adults, offering comprehensive assistance in language enrichment, social integration through recreational activities, and aid in processing the psychological aftermath of conflict.

Thanks to the contribution from PHINEO gAG, we were able to provide brand-new laptops to several students and educators of the Saturday School. These laptops open new avenues for efficient, self-directed learning and research for students. Moreover, they facilitate personal connections with friends and relatives who remain in Ukraine. For teachers, the laptops represent an opportunity to infuse their teaching with innovation, practicality, and vibrancy – offering online lessons and organizing virtual interactions with the students who continue to reside in Ukraine.

Evangelische Gemeinde Ober-Eschbach / Ober-Erlenbach

The Evangelische Kirchengemeinde OBER-ESCHBACH is actively committed to supporting refugees from Ukraine who have had to leave their homeland due to immense hardship. They assist them in finding housing, among other things. Additionally, the community supports Ukrainian children with music lessons and organizes holiday programs and recreational activities to give them a break from the horrors of war. By doing so, they provide Ukrainian families with a welcome respite from the violence and destruction prevailing in their homeland. In 2023, Vertevis Capital Partners financially supported the community in realizing the “timeout" for the children. Sufficient donations have also been collected for 2024.

Nick Parsons

Senior Advisor

Nick Parsons is a seasoned professional with extensive leadership experience in both global Investment Banking and Sustainable Energy Investment. Nick's adeptness shines as he manages teams across diverse jurisdictions and time zones, spanning both Hemispheres.

His profound expertise in global financial markets, particularly in macroeconomics, interest rates, and foreign exchange, positions him as a notable authority in the field. Recently, Nick spearheaded the development of Sustainable Investment Policies, an ESG framework, and PRI reporting for funds under EU SFDR's Article 9.

Nick's impact extends beyond corporate roles; he's an author of influential White Papers and Impact Reports, revealing the socio-economic benefits of Renewable Energy Investments in rapidly growing Asian economies. With a footprint in media, Nick contributes to TV programs and investment trade magazines, cementing his thought leadership.

Notably, Nick is a regular keynote speaker and panellist, sharing insights at conferences and events. His recent contributions at the 2023 Sustainable Investor Summits in Frankfurt, Vienna, and Zurich garnered significant attention.

Timo Hermans

Senior Vice President

Timo has a ranging professional academic experience in corporate venturing, venture capital and M&A with a growing dedication for technology leverage to drive ESG impact. Most recently he engaged in corporate venturing projects concerning topics in industrial automation, big data, and cybersecurity working with publicly listed companies and high-potential tech start-ups. Prior to that he gained strong expertise in deal advisory and commercial company valuation at KPMG. He has also taken roles in financial operations, and strategic development at venture-backed high-tech start-ups in electric mobility, healthcare and AI-SaaS sector. He gained his academic degrees at leading international universities and holds a Master of Science degree, with distinction, from TUM School of Management with a major in Finance and Mechanical Engineering.

Sonja Hager

Hager Executive Consulting | Co-Founder

Sonja Hager owes her flair for intelligent and successful investment decisions to over 20 years of experience at Deutsche Bank with special expertise in Start-ups, sales management and compliance. As Managing Director of KONIGI Ventures GmbH, she manages an interesting portfolio of promising start-up investments.

"We are in an exciting time window of social upheaval, which is about reorientation and new starts and in which completely new impulses are given space. There have never been so many opportunities for ingenious ideas, new products, and new solutions."

Sonja studied business administration at the Philipps University in Marburg (pre-diploma) and at the Georg August University in Göttingen (diploma).

Sonja is a member of German Society for Bipolar Disorders (DGBS) and is committed to the development of alternative living and care concepts in old age.

Martin Krill

Hager Executive Consulting | Co-Founder

He is a seasoned business leader with over 20 years of experience in Executive Search. As the Managing Partner at HAGER Executive Consulting, he is responsible for the Technology Solutions business unit. As a trusted advisor to leading software and technology companies with experience in cloud, software, platforms, IT services, and big data management he fills top-executive positions in IT and other select industries. Under the HAGER umbrella, Martin has also championed support for several diversity & inclusion and digital skills initiatives.

Martin also recently founded a recruiting platform with a focus on developing and placing young IT talent in the German market. Lastly, he is a Supervisory Board member of an IT consulting company.

Stephan Fritsch

Captiva | Advisory Board

Stephan is one of the Founders and Managing Partner of Captiva Investment Management, a leading real estate investment firm based in Hamburg, Germany. Since 2005 he has been involved in transactions with a market value in excess of € 6 bn. which included the setup and IPO of Germany’s first REIT and now MDAX listed alstria office REIT AG. Between 2014 and 2017, when Captiva was part of the global services and advisory firm Alvarez & Marsal, Stephan also lead the group’s European real estate asset management division advising corporate clients in questions of restructuring and performance improvement. Prior to joining Captiva Stephan held various positions in the debt-financing and asset management divisions at Aareal Bank AG. Stephan is an alumnus of European Business School (EBS) in Oestrich Winkel.

Maria Baumgartner

Speedinvest Heroes | Advisory Board

Maria’s diverse and successful professional history has one common denominator: a desire to truly get to know people. This curiosity has driven Maria from her early days as a startup founder and young political activist up until today as general manager of Speedinvest Heroes.

“The moment when you connect with another person and challenge him/her towards a new set of possibilities is what I love the most!”, says Maria.

This social skill set, practiced over many years in various leadership positions and professional training (such as a Master degree in Mediation) is a crucial asset for Speedinvest Heroes. Building out our network of talents and then quickly matching the potential of a given candidate with the right opportunity in our portfolio, is where Maria excels like no one else.

Maria’s personal working history starts 1992 in the early internet area. As the GM of one of the first big dot.com success stories coming out of Austria (Datenwerk/Blue-C), she saw her company grow to an agency group with more than 200 employees across Europe, including an IPO at the “Neue Markt”. Having sold her stake early enough before the bust, Maria continued her entrepreneurial path that included managing a research think tank on Artificial Intelligence (long before the hype), spending time in Silicon Valley and, eventually, helping to found Speedinvest as the first business angel fund in Austria.

For Maria, having gone through many diverse roles and businesses, this approach comes natural, as does her positive attitude towards people in general.

Seva Zakharov

Investment Director

Seva Zakharov holds a venture capital background from the US fund Peak State Ventures where he worked from the first day of the firm and helped develop the thesis, investment process, build the team. Seva invested in more than 50 early and late-stage companies shaping the Future of Work, Education, Healthcare, and PropTech. He has deep expertise both in enterprise and consumer business models.

Prior to that, Seva obtained an operator experience from Apttus, leading CLM software company, where he worked on the projects in strategy, operations, corporate development, and finance. Seva started his career as an equity research analyst at Citigroup.

Seva studied Business & Informatics in the Higher School of Economics and he holds an MBA from INSEAD.

Sheeza Sukhera

HR-/Social Media Manager

Sheeza Sukhera owes more than 10 years professional experience in certification of management system & marketing. She worked mainly in key account management functions with a numerous renowned large scale customers in well known corporate companies like SGS, DQS. Sheeza also gained experience in human resources sector. Being an economic psychology student, she loves to deal with the subjective behaviour of people in business environment as well as the social interrelationships. Sheeza is responsible for HR & Social Media management at Vertevis.

Lina-Eileen Stichnoth

Senior Consultant

Eileen started her career in e-commerce with a focus on luxury fashion and cosmetics. Here she scaled various platforms including the Estée Lauder Companies MAC, Clinique, Origins and La Mer.

Subsequently, as Managing Partner, she was responsible for building up a consulting company for digitalization / tech innovation and transformation. The focus was on the successful implementation of digital initiatives in German SMEs as well as supporting start-ups with their growth strategy/initiatives.

Since 2020, Eileen is sole shareholder and works strongly with PE's and VC's. Here she advises portfolio companies primarily in the areas of digital strategy and growth. As an operational partner, she is also active in the operational execution and implementation in the respective companies after the strategy development.

Eileen studied business administration and entrepreneurship in Hanover and also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Jannis Roser

Senior Advisor

Jannis Roser is a Founder and Manager in the areas of Venture Capital, Private Equity, and eCommerce. In his most recent projects – as Co-Founder of Surplus Invest and Rivus Capital – he has been focused on the realm of Urban Tech, solutions that seek to enable a future-oriented, smarter and more sustainable life in urban spaces. Prior to that, Jannis built a strong track record in the tech sector, especially in the realm of B2B SaaS businesses. In addition, he serves as a Board Member and advisor to serval companies in the Urban Tech and Real Estate Sector.

Jannis studied International Business at the European Management School (EMS) and holds an MBA from the California International Business University / Haas School of Business (Berkeley).

Daniel Onyango

Chief AML-/Compliance Officer

Daniel brings extensive experience in compliance, contract management, and regulatory advisory. In his most recent role, he served as compliance key function for a Cologne-based insurance company, overseeing regulatory affairs, advising the executive board and supervisory board, and leading the development and growth of the compliance department. Prior to this role, Daniel gained significant experience working in the legal departments of global corporations, including Parker Hannifin and one of Germany’s foremost law firms, Hengeler Mueller.

His work at Vertevis focuses on advising both management and Vertevis on legal, regulatory, and finance compliance matters, with a particular emphasis on the implementation and ongoing enhancement of the Compliance Management System. Daniel is responsible for ensuring adherence to anti-money laundering regulations and for overseeing all related monitoring activities. In addition to his legal and compliance responsibilities, he has extensive experience in managing regulatory audits and interactions with supervisory authorities and other external bodies.

Daniel has been a member of the Chief Compliance Officer Leadership Circle at the German Institute for Legal Departments and Corporate Counsel (diruj) since March 2023.

Daniel studied law at the Universities of Würzburg and Bonn. During his legal clerkship, he trained with the German Federal Competition Authority.

Mario Ljubas

Sustainability-/Finance Manager
With more than 7 years of experience as a consultant & advisor Mario Ljubas played strong roles as project manager in banking and insurance sector. Mario took his master of science degree at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences with a focus of big data, Business Intelligence & Risk Management themes. During his project management, Mario worked for leading names like Deutsche Bank. Mario has a strong experience in engineering an implementation of tools needed for regulatory requirements. One of his major projects has been the development of IT based & BaFin compatible processes during the merger of two huge German banks. Mario is taking over the responsibility of ESG management & development at Vertevis.

Pranshu Gupta

Vice President

Pranshu is a seasoned professional with experience in Consulting, Banking and Fintech. During his stint with Ernst & Young, he led digital transformation projects including creation of dashboards, and digitization of processes & systems.  He also executed Sustainable Development Goals mapping and digitization engagements for strategic public sector clients. Before joining Vertevis Capital, at Yes Bank and Paytm, he worked on projects in strategic advisory, corporate development and technology. He was instrumental in forging partnerships and strategic alliances with emerging start-ups to tap synergies in the pay-tech space.
Pranshu holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow.

Peter Bereschka

Investment Director

Peter is a seasoned investment professional with over 14 years of global ESG and impact investment experience in different asset classes. Before joining Vertevis Capital, Peter held positions at development finance institutions and an asset manager focused on impact investments, leading equity, mezzanine capital and private debt transactions in more than 25 countries, including Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. In one of his last positions he was vice president at DEG - Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, where he led deal teams in Africa. He has experience in various sectors, including energy, financial institutions and technology. Prior to his investment career, Peter advised as banking consultant banks in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Peter studied Business Administration at the Ingolstadt School of Management (Germany), SGH Warsaw School of Economics (Poland) and University of Missouri (USA).

Sadia Wern-Sukhera

Founder & CEO

Sadia has over 20 years of professional experience in finance, thereof more than 16 years in the investment sector. She has held several high-ranking positions, such as CFO, COO, Partner and MD, within vast fields of the investment world, winning broad experience in PE, Real Estate & Venture Capital Funds. She has a demonstrable record of having successfully managed closed-ended funds, special AIFs & public funds with a total fund volume ranging from €700m to €2.5bn. She has had the experience of developing and implementing robust risk management frameworks including building risk teams from scratch for large organizations. She considers strong risk management as the heart of the company`s value creation process.

Claudia Batschi

Executive Assistant/Office Management

Claudia is a certified foreign language secretary, and she speaks five languages. Before joining Vertevis, Claudia owed more than 20 years of experience in office management and worked as a stewardess too.

Because of her wide range of experience from small to large firms, she has developed independent office management skills.

She supports Vertevis team in maintaining records and putting the office management process in place.

Oliver Haas

Managing Partner

Oliver is a partner and member of the founding team at Vertevis. He has been instrumental in devising the fund's impact-focused, thematic investment proposition and is responsible for sourcing and executing transactions. As a private equity specialist and technology investor who has been active across Europe, in the US, and in China, he brings vast expertise in developing companies over their lifecycle.

Previously, he was part of the senior management at Hidden Peak Capital, an investment firm focused on special situations and renewable energy. He also played a central role in the takeover of a climate protection business and its realignment into a market and innovation leader with a turnover of over 1 billion euros. He had started his professional life in M&A at Mediobanca, the leading Italian investment bank.

Besides being passionate about sustainability, Oliver is interested in artificial intelligence and successfully completed Oxford University's algorithmic trading program. Furthermore, he has acted as a seed investor for software startups on his own account. He holds a Master's degree in Economic Theory and Econometrics from the Toulouse School of Economics.

Claudia Batschi

Executive Assistant/Office Management

Claudia is a certified foreign language secretary, and she speaks five languages. Before joining Vertevis, Claudia owed more than 20 years of experience in office management and worked as a stewardess too.

Because of her wide range of experience from small to large firms, she has developed independent office management skills.

She supports Vertevis team in maintaining records and putting the office management process in place.

Pranshu Gupta

Investment Associate

Pranshu is a seasoned professional with experience in Consulting, Banking and Fintech. During his stint with Ernst & Young, he led digital transformation projects including creation of dashboards, and digitization of processes & systems.  He also executed Sustainable Development Goals mapping and digitization engagements for strategic public sector clients. Before joining Vertevis Capital, at Yes Bank and Paytm, he worked on projects in strategic advisory, corporate development and technology. He was instrumental in forging partnerships and strategic alliances with emerging start-ups to tap synergies in the pay-tech space.
Pranshu holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow.

Seva Zakharov

Investment Director

Seva Zakharov holds a venture capital background from the US fund Peak State Ventures where he worked from the first day of the firm and helped develop the thesis, investment process, build the team, and raise capital. Seva invested in more than 50 early and late-stage companies shaping the Future of Work, Education, Fintech, and PropTech. He has deep expertise both in enterprise and consumer business models.

Prior to that, Seva obtained an operator experience from Apttus, leading CLM software company, where he worked on the projects in strategy, operations, corporate development, and finance. Seva started his career as an equity research analyst at Citigroup.

Seva studied Business & Informatics in the Higher School of Economics and he holds an MBA from INSEAD.

Peter Bereschka

Investment Director

Peter is a seasoned investment professional with over 14 years of global ESG and impact investment experience in different asset classes. Before joining Vertevis Capital, Peter held positions at development finance institutions and an asset manager focused on impact investments, leading equity, mezzanine capital and private debt transactions in more than 25 countries, including Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. In one of his last positions he was vice president at DEG - Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, where he led deal teams in Africa. He has experience in various sectors, including energy, financial institutions and technology. Prior to his investment career, Peter advised as banking consultant banks in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Peter studied Business Administration at the Ingolstadt School of Management (Germany), SGH Warsaw School of Economics (Poland) and University of Missouri (USA).

Lina-Eileen Stichnoth

Senior Consultant

Eileen started her career in e-commerce with a focus on luxury fashion and cosmetics. Here she scaled various platforms including the Estée Lauder Companies MAC, Clinique, Origins and La Mer.

Subsequently, as Managing Partner, she was responsible for building up a consulting company for digitalization / tech innovation and transformation. The focus was on the successful implementation of digital initiatives in German SMEs as well as supporting start-ups with their growth strategy/initiatives.

Since 2020, Eileen is sole shareholder and works strongly with PE's and VC's. Here she advises portfolio companies primarily in the areas of digital strategy and growth. As an operational partner, she is also active in the operational execution and implementation in the respective companies after the strategy development.

Eileen studied business administration and entrepreneurship in Hanover and also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Oliver Haas

Partner

Oliver is a partner and member of the founding team at Vertevis. He has been instrumental in devising the fund's ESG-centric, thematic investment proposition and is responsible for sourcing and executing transactions. As a private equity specialist and technology investor who has been active across Europe, in the US, and in China, he brings vast expertise in developing companies over their lifecycle.

Previously, he was part of the senior management at Hidden Peak Capital, an investment firm focused on special situations and renewable energy. He also played a central role in the takeover of a climate protection business and its realignment into a market and innovation leader with a turnover of over 1 billion euros. He had started his professional life in M&A at Mediobanca, the leading Italian investment bank.

Besides being passionate about sustainability, Oliver is interested in artificial intelligence and successfully completed Oxford University's algorithmic trading program. Furthermore, he has acted as a seed investor for software startups on his own account. He holds a Master's degree in Economic Theory and Econometrics from the Toulouse School of Economics.

Daniel Onyango

Chief AML-/Compliance Officer

Daniel Onyango‘s experience includes working in contract management for Parker Hannifin, a leading global mechanical engineering company, in the compliance department of a DAX-listed company as well as a legal associate on a major antitrust case for Hengeler Mueller, one of Germany‘s leading law firms.

On his most recent position he worked as compliance key function for a cologne-based insurance company and was responsible for the development and expansion of the compliance department and all regulatory issues.

Daniel Onyango advises board members on regulatory and finance compliance matters. In addition to his compliance practice, he has profund experience in monitoring audits by authorities and other bodies.

His work focuses on the implementation and expansion of the Compliance Management System and requirements for money laundering prevention.

Daniel Onyango studied law at the Universities of Würzburg and Bonn. During his legal clerkship he trained with the German Federal Competition Authority.

Martin Krill

Co-Founder

He is a seasoned business leader with over 20 years of experience in Executive Search. As the Managing Partner at HAGER Executive Consulting, he is responsible for the Technology Solutions business unit. As a trusted advisor to leading software and technology companies with experience in cloud, software, platforms, IT services, and big data management he fills top-executive positions in IT and other select industries. Under the HAGER umbrella, Martin has also championed support for several diversity & inclusion and digital skills initiatives.

Martin also recently founded a recruiting platform with a focus on developing and placing young IT talent in the German market. Lastly, he is a Supervisory Board member of an IT consulting company.

Sonja Hager

Co-Founder

Sonja Hager owes her flair for intelligent and successful investment decisions to over 20 years of experience at Deutsche Bank with special expertise in Start-ups, sales management and compliance. As Managing Director of KONIGI Ventures GmbH, she manages an interesting portfolio of promising start-up investments.

"We are in an exciting time window of social upheaval, which is about reorientation and new starts and in which completely new impulses are given space. There have never been so many opportunities for ingenious ideas, new products, and new solutions."

Sonja studied business administration at the Philipps University in Marburg (pre-diploma) and at the Georg August University in Göttingen (diploma).

Sonja is a member of German Society for Bipolar Disorders (DGBS) and is committed to the development of alternative living and care concepts in old age.

Stephan Fritsch

Advisory Board

Stephan is one of the Founders and Managing Partner of Captiva Investment Management, a leading real estate investment firm based in Hamburg, Germany. Since 2005 he has been involved in transactions with a market value in excess of € 6 bn. which included the setup and IPO of Germany’s first REIT and now MDAX listed alstria office REIT AG. Between 2014 and 2017, when Captiva was part of the global services and advisory firm Alvarez & Marsal, Stephan also lead the group’s European real estate asset management division advising corporate clients in questions of restructuring and performance improvement. Prior to joining Captiva Stephan held various positions in the debt-financing and asset management divisions at Aareal Bank AG. Stephan is an alumnus of European Business School (EBS) in Oestrich Winkel.

Maria Baumgartner

Advisory Board

Maria’s diverse and successful professional history has one common denominator: a desire to truly get to know people. This curiosity has driven Maria from her early days as a startup founder and young political activist up until today as general manager of Speedinvest Heroes.

“The moment when you connect with another person and challenge him/her towards a new set of possibilities is what I love the most!”, says Maria.

This social skill set, practiced over many years in various leadership positions and professional training (such as a Master degree in Mediation) is a crucial asset for Speedinvest Heroes. Building out our network of talents and then quickly matching the potential of a given candidate with the right opportunity in our portfolio, is where Maria excels like no one else.

Maria’s personal working history starts 1992 in the early internet area. As the GM of one of the first big dot.com success stories coming out of Austria (Datenwerk/Blue-C), she saw her company grow to an agency group with more than 200 employees across Europe, including an IPO at the “Neue Markt”. Having sold her stake early enough before the bust, Maria continued her entrepreneurial path that included managing a research think tank on Artificial Intelligence (long before the hype), spending time in Silicon Valley and, eventually, helping to found Speedinvest as the first business angel fund in Austria.

For Maria, having gone through many diverse roles and businesses, this approach comes natural, as does her positive attitude towards people in general.

Sheeza Sukhera

HR-/Social Media Manager

Sheeza Sukhera owes more than 10 years professional experience in certification of management system & marketing. She worked mainly in key account management functions with a numerous renowned large scale customers in well known corporate companies like SGS, DQS. Sheeza also gained experience in human resources sector. Being an economic psychology student, she loves to deal with the subjective behaviour of people in business environment as well as the social interrelationships. Sheeza is responsible for HR & Social Media management at Vertevis.

Mario Ljubas

ESG-/Finance Manager

With more than 7 years of experience as a consultant & advisor Mario Ljubas played strong roles as project manager in banking and insurance sector. Mario took his master of science degree at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences with a focus of Big DATA, Business Intelligence & Risk Management themes.

During his project management, Mario worked for leading names like Deutsche Bank.

Mario has a strong experience in engineering an implementation of tools needed for regulatory requirements. One of his major projects has been the development of IT based & BaFin compatible processes during the merger of two huge German banks.

Mario is taking over the responsibility of ESG management & development at Vertevis.

Sadia Wern-Sukhera

Founding Partner

Vertevis Founder and CEO Sadia Wern-Sukhera represents one of the first generations of female immigrants in Germany to reach C-Level in the Finance sector.

In her more than 20 years of professional experience (thereof 16 years in investment sector), Sadia has held several management positions, such as CFO, CRO, Partner and MD, within a broad spectrum of investment industry, gaining huge experience in PE, Real Estate and Venture Capital Funds.

Jannis Roser

Senior Advisor

Jannis Roser is a Founder and Manager in the areas of Venture Capital, Private Equity, and eCommerce. In his most recent projects – as Co-Founder of Surplus Invest and Rivus Capital – he has been focused on the realm of Urban Tech, solutions that seek to enable a future-oriented, smarter and more sustainable life in urban spaces. Prior to that, Jannis built a strong track record in the tech sector, especially in the realm of B2B SaaS businesses. In addition, he serves as a Board Member and advisor to serval companies in the Urban Tech and Real Estate Sector.

Jannis studied International Business at the European Management School (EMS) and holds an MBA from the California International Business University / Haas School of Business (Berkeley).

Doris Honold

Doris Honold is a highly accomplished strategic leader with over 25 years of C-Suite and Board-level experience in finance, risk, and change management. Her distinguished career in global banking has included senior executive roles such as Chief Risk Officer for Market Risk and Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) at leading institutions like Standard Chartered Bank. 
Honold’s international expertise spans Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, equipping her with a thorough understanding of global financial markets and regulatory landscapes.

Currently, Honold serves on the board of UniCredit Spa, where she leverages her deep knowledge of risk management in both traditional and digital banking environments.She also holds the position of Vice Chair at SEFE Energy, playing a central role in guiding the company’s strategic direction as it drives Germany’s energy transition. In this capacity, she is instrumental in shaping policies and investments that support the shift to a sustainable energy infrastructure.

Driven by a desire to facilitate solutions that mobilize financial resources to address climate change, Honold is also a board member of The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market - an independent governance body dedicated to setting global standards for high-quality carbon credits. Furthermore, Honold chairs the Climate Bonds Initiative, a non-profit organization committed to mobilizing capital for climate action.

Her academic background includes a German Diploma in Mathematics and Economics and a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Southern California, where she was a Fulbright Scholar. Recognized as a Senior Fellow of Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Program, Honold’s commitment to leadership in sustainability and finance is well established.

Through her extensive experience and visionary leadership, Doris Honold is a leading figure in advancing global climate finance and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.