We create shared value bringing entrepreneurs and private investors together, generating economic value that also produces wider societal benefits while redefining business models through technology and innovation.
Successful exits
For twenty years we have been successfully investing in the “next big thing”: internet, mobile, genomics, breakthrough oncology, digital health, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, etc.
Advanced Accelerator Applications develops and manufactures diagnostic and therapeutic products. The company offers radio-pharmaceuticals, molecules and drugs for clinical oncology, cardiology, inflammatory diseases and neurology. Advanced Accelerator Applications serves patients and medical professionals worldwide. AAA was listed at the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in November 2015 and trades with ticker AAAP US. In October 2017 Novartis announced its intention to acquire AAA for $3.9b in cash.
Next Games is a mobile game developer and publisher based in Helsinki, Finland, and is specializing in games based on entertainment franchises, such as movies, TV series or books. The company was successfully listed at Nasdaq First North Helsinki in March 2017, the first Finnish gaming company to be listed in a stock exchange. Next Games was sold to Netflix for approximately €65 million (or about $72 million) in March 2022.
IObox was a Finnish mobile and web portal operator founded in 1999 by Jari Ovaskainen and Henry Nilert having millions of users. In addition the company operated branded portal sites for customers such as the Swedish communications company Telia. In July 2000 (19 moths after founding), the company was sold to Terra Mobile for EUR 230M, representing the largest venture capital exit in Finland at the time.
Supercell is a mobile game development company founded in June 2010 in Helsinki, Finland. The company’s debut game was the browser game Gunshine.net, and after its release in 2011, Supercell started developing games for mobile devices. Since then, the company has fully released four mobile games: Hay Day, Clash of Clans, Boom Beach, and Clash Royale. The company was sold to Softbank in 2015. It has then been acquired by Tencent for 10.3$b.
Our People
Jari had his first unicorn in 1999 with Iobox, sold to Telefonica one year later for €230m in cash - the largest Finnish VC exit at the time. His fame reached planetary level when he seeded the gaming firm Supercell that was acquired by Tencent in 2016 at the stellar valuation of $10.3b.
In 2014 Jari invested in Advanced Accelerator Applications (AAA), a nuclear-medicine spinoff from CERN, acquired in 2017 by Novartis for $3.9b in cash. In the same year he had his most recent exit with the Finnish gaming company Next Games, which completed an highly successful IPO at Nasdaq FNH in 2017, and was sold to Netflix in March 2022.
Jari was named Finland’s Business Angel of the Year in 2013 and Europe’s Business Angel of the Year in 2014.
Jari is Preon Capital's principal.
Alberto started his career in academic research where he covered team-leading roles at CERN and professorship positions in physics at the University of Padua, Politecnico di Milano and EPF Lausanne. In finance he worked for Index Ventures, Strategic Investment Advisors Group and Lombard Odier Investment Managers. Prior to founding Preon, he co-founded APM Technologies and SpinX-Technologies. Today he sits in the board of several technology startups and is member of the Swiss Venture Kick Jury.
Alberto holds a MSc Degree in Physics with honors from the University of Milano, a PhD in Nuclear and Sub-nuclear Physics from the University of Milano and a MBA in Management and Corporate Finance with honors from HEC Lausanne.
Alberto holds a MSc Degree in Physics with honors from the University of Milano, a PhD in Nuclear and Sub-nuclear Physics from the University of Milano and a MBA in Management and Corporate Finance with honors from HEC Lausanne.
Erkki studied Computer Science at the University of Helsinki, Finland and specialized in general computer science and computer graphics. He has worked at Telecom Finland (TeliaSonera), a nordic telecommunication operator, and Datex-Ohmeda (GE Healthcare), a global leader in anesthesia, respiratory, and monitoring equipment. Later, Erkki has worked in various technology startup companies, including iobox and CRF Health. He is a board member or observer in numerous nordic and international startups. Erkki has extensive experience in the software and technology development and management, with an ability to utilize new technologies for developing novel applications and products. He has been named as an inventor in various patents and patent applications.
Zhi started his career in Goldman Sachs in London in 2008. He then worked for Bloomberg and Credit Suisse before joining Preon Capital in 2015 as a partner. Zhi holds a Bachelor degree in French Literature from Beijing Language and Culture University, a Master degree in Management from Reims Management School.
Valeria's career started at Pambianco News business magazine in Milan where she had various roles, latest as Senior Editor. She then joined Geneva-based luxury mobile devices start-up Savelli Genève, overlooking PR, events and digital marketing. Throughout her career, she consulted for communications & branding agencies such as Gaultier-Collette and Digital Luxury Group, and she is a freelance contributor of Italian newspaper La Repubblica. At Preon Capital Valeria is in charge of internal and external communications, relationships development and compliance with AML procedures and policies. She also supports portfolio start-ups' marketing functions and assists Preon Capital's CEO in various projects and admin tasks.
Member of the Italian Journalist Association since 2012, Valeria holds an MBA from the University of Geneva and an MA with Honors in Business Communications from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan.
Member of the Italian Journalist Association since 2012, Valeria holds an MBA from the University of Geneva and an MA with Honors in Business Communications from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan.
Pietro was born in Turin in 1973. After classical studies, he graduated in Physics. While still a student, he founded Petersoft Computing, an individual IT consulting firm. During more than twenty years of activity, he carried out various collaborations with public institutions and private companies. At first oriented to the world-wide web with specific knowledge of scripting languages, from 2003 he specialized in the field of databases with specific attention to Oracle and obtained official certifications. He worked in Italy and abroad, in particular at CERN in Switzerland, France, Russia, the United States. Fond of astrophysics and mathematics, he really likes swimming. Fluent in Italian, French, English, Spanish, Russian, he is the father of an eight-year-old girl.
