Alain Rodermann (Expon Capital):
Genes of exponentiality
Alain Rodermann, founding partner, presents Expon Capital, a venture capital company which is active in the sector of technological innovation and whose gene are based on exponential growth. Interview.
What is Expon Capital’s current position?
Our independent management company manages 2 complementary venture capital funds. The first, the Digital Tech Fund, brings together 20 million euros from various economic players in Luxembourg and focuses on promising companies which have been operating in Luxembourg for less than seven years. Among other companies, the fund has invested in the Spanish company Nektria and the German company iTravel.de. Nektria develops and markets yield management software to reduce logistics costs and to improve the experience of online supermarket customers. Prices change depending on the delivery time. Astonishingly, 50% of users accept to change their delivery time in exchange for a small discount. As for iTravel.de, it’s launching its international high-end online travel agent services from Luxembourg. Travel is entirely tailored to customers’ specifications, at prices equivalent to those of standard travel found in catalogues.
What about the second fund?
Primary objective of global fund Expon 1, created in June 2017, consists in investing in ultra-ambitious companies which are having a significant impact on the world and which hope to see their businesses grow exponentially. We ensure that these start-ups show the genes of exponentiality, which enable them to overcome any growth obstacles with ease. Expon Capital offers unique expertise in this field. We have already made several investments in the United States and in France, including Spire Global, an operator of a constellation of microsatellites which is in the process of revolutionising weather forecasts for everyone’s benefit.
What are your plans for 2018?
very high growth potential. To achieve that, we’re travelling around the world and studying thousands of companies. We will then proceed with the second and final closing of the Expon 1 fund in May 2018. Like start-ups, we take the time to present our vision to investors who are interested in the digital revolution, process disrupting all industries and services, creating seismic shifts. We give them the opportunity to build up diversified and balanced investments in companies with very high potential but which appear inaccessible.