At the beginning of 2020, all was still right with the world. Crypto Valley Week was taking place during the World Economic Forum in Davos, where entrepreneurs, investors and academics from Europe, the US, Africa, the Middle East and Asia were coming together and making plans for collaborations, projects and the further development of blockchain technology. Then the Covid 19 virus infected the world and abruptly put the brakes on the spirit of optimism. Crypto Valley was paralyzed for the first moment. Would investment in startups dry up? Would projects be postponed or even stopped? …
When the Corona pandemic hit Europe in the spring of 2020, the entire startup scene drew gloomy scenarios that have not yet materialized, at least in Crypto Valley. The launch of our inaugural Blockchain investment certificate and the establishment of our Advisory Board are just two of this year’s highlights.
The total of seven events during the World Economic Forum in Davos was behind us when we set about implementing three major milestones this spring: the appointment of former Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann to the Board of Directors, the launch of our Investment Certificate and the opening of our CV Labs hub in Dubai. Then the Corona pandemic hit Europe, forcing us to adjust plans. Across Europe, startup ecosystems found themselves threatened, investors kept their powder dry, and governments bridged corporate liquidity shortages with loans and guarantees.
Mandate for the Canton of Zug
For our ecosystem business CV Labs this meant that all conferences and meetups…
Following the official appointment of Philipp Rösler, former German Federal Minister of Health (2009 to 2011) and of Economics and Technology (2011 to 2013), Vice Chancellor, FDP Federal Chairman and Managing Director of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Vasily Suvorov and Kristian Bader join the Advisory Board of CV VC.
In his role as President of the Advisory Board, Philipp is committed to build a bridge to Asia and to be a door opener for CV VC and the Blockchain Nation Switzerland.
Vasily Suvorov (Technology)
Vasily Suvorov is a seasoned Technology Strategist and R&D Leader. As CTO with a history at public, private…
As a venture capitalist, I spend my time doing two things — looking at our next potential investments and liaising with our investors. Both tasks are challenging. Of over 1,500 startup applications we reviewed in one year, we only made 26 investments. The competition in the startup space is fierce. The same applies to building relationships with our investors, who are family offices, accredited investors, and high-net-worth individuals. It is our turn to compete within the alternative investment asset class with other venture capitalists, private equity shops, hedge funds, real estate investments, commodities, arts, and other collectibles to secure a…
The lockdown was a special time of uncertainty for everyone, especially for the Crypto Valley. How will the blockchain ecosystem, which is still in its early stages, develop? Will the money tap dry up? Will the Crypto Valley become a «Death Valley», as certain critics and pessimists predicted?
Today we know: The Crypto Valley has mastered the crisis well is very much alive. Our latest CV VC Top 50 Report shows that in the first half of 2020 all indicators were positive: the number of companies (919, plus 8.4%), jobs (over 4780, plus 8.6%) and the market capitalization ($35.5B, plus…
This is a big step for CV VC and the Crypto Valley. Two successful entrepreneurs and former members of governments have decided in these difficult times for startups to become members of the Board of Directors of CV CV: Anne Berner, who we have already introduced here, and Johann Schneider-Ammann, the former Swiss President and Minister of Economic Affairs. …
We live in extraordinary times. The coronavirus caught us on the wrong foot. The pandemic is severely disrupting the global economy and the financial markets, paralyzing cities and countries and forcing us to keep a physical distance. Home office, long a hip lifestyle of digital nomads, has now become a compulsion. …
Blockchain technology is on the advance. Of course, as founder and CEO of Crypto Valley Venture Capital (CV VC), I am not entirely unbiased by the revolutionary potential of the technology. But the many conversations I have had with entrepreneurs, founders, investors, regulators, central bankers and politicians at Crypto Valley Week in Davos and the Crypto Finance Conference in St. Moritz show: Distributed Ledger Technology has arrived in reality — big time.
First of all, I was once again impressed by China’s speed and assertiveness. The country is in the process of connecting 70 Smart Cities in the Blockchain, which…
The World Economic Forum in Davos is one of the most important economic policy platforms in the world. Not only do many of the most important politicians, business leaders and academics meet, new trends are also identified and discussed. For years, the World Economic Forum has been dealing with new technologies, most recently with blockchain. An expression of this is the platform Shaping the Future of Technology Governance: Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies.
Last year we were present with our CV Labs Davos Pop-Up during the whole WEF week in Davos, organized panels…
Although the trip to Mauritius was short, the experience is still alive and left a lasting impression on me. Through my visit as part of the delegation led by the Swiss Blockchain Federation and organised by the Swiss Embassy, I had the chance to meet many inspiring people, who are willing to use technology as a driving force for progress. For me, it became crystal clear that Mauritius has the potential to emerge as a leading hub in Africa for the development of a blockchain ecosystem.
Seeing this high potential, CV VC has started to evaluate the possible creation of…
Mathias Ruch
CEO & Founder of CV VC
