EP #310 - Philippe Teissonniere: Startups as an Asset Class

Philippe Teissonniere is a co-founder and COO at Leva, the tech stack for the venture capital industry. He holds a MA in Law & Economics from HSG and previously worked at companies like db-Legal and Bleuer & Kleger, before starting Leva in 2019.

Leva offers a full range product suite to launch and run your syndicate easily from your laptop, allowing you to set up and manage investment vehicles to pool co-investors in a few clicks, fully digitally, and at a fraction of the cost. From his time spent at Leva, Philippe has gained insight into the world of startup investing, and kindly shared some tips with us.

How much of your investment portfolio should consist of startups? For European investors, Philippe recommends that 5-20% of their portfolio consist in alternative asset classes (including, but not limited to, startups).

How much money should you invest in startups? The golden rule is to never invest more than you can afford to lose. Philippe recommends you start with CHF 5K distributed among several startups (preferably from different industries). You need to keep in mind that 90% of startups fail, so a good way to increase your chances of seeing a return on your investments is to invest in at least 10 startups.

How should you define your investment strategy?

Your strategy should be defined according to your risk tolerance and your personal financial situation.
You should invest in startups you’re genuinely interested in, and whose products you understand.
Geography-wise, you should pay attention to the regulations of different countries. When in doubt, ask for help from your peers!

How can you get access to a good deal flow? Go to startup events, accelerator events, and in general networking events. Browse crowdfunding platforms. Join syndicates or investment clubs, and, once again, connect with your peers! Good luck.

To listen to the other episode in our startup days 2023 bonus series, check out our conversations with Christoph Bertschi, Arman Anatürk and Fajer Mushtaq.

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