Deep Tech Nation Switzerland: VC in Residence
Switzerland is home to some of the world’s most exciting deep tech founders. From frontier science to category-defining technology companies, the country continues to punch well above its weight on the global innovation stage.
We are proud that ACE Ventures is part of this vibrant ecosystem and honoured to have been selected as VC in Residence by Deep Tech Nation Switzerland.
About the VC in Residence Series
Every month, Deep Tech Nation Switzerland highlights a noteworthy Swiss venture capital firm and dives deep into its past, present, and future through conversations with one of its investment directors.
The platform itself is a curated gateway to Swiss deep tech. Designed for venture capital firms and institutional investors, it brings together exclusive insights, market intelligence, and the people shaping innovation, helping investors navigate this fast-moving ecosystem with clarity and confidence.
As VC in Residence, ACE Ventures shared its long-term mission, investment philosophy, and perspective on why Switzerland is uniquely positioned to produce global category winners.
A 20-Year Commitment to Deep Tech and Entrepreneurship
For more than 20 years, ACE Ventures has partnered with exceptional early-stage teams at the intersection of deep tech, science, and entrepreneurship. Being featured as VC in Residence is a meaningful recognition of this long-standing commitment and an opportunity to contribute to the broader conversation around Swiss innovation.
The ACE Ventures VC in Residence Series
1. ACE Ventures at Face Value
A personal journey from science and commodity trading to venture capital
The first article explores Alessandra Agnello’s unconventional path into venture capital. From a background in energy and nuclear engineering at Politecnico di Torino, to crude oil trading in Zug and Geneva, and ultimately to venture investing, her story is one of conviction, calculated risk-taking, and purpose.
The piece examines how principles learned in trading, cutting losses quickly, doubling down when conviction is strong, and making decisions under uncertainty, now shape her approach to investing in founders and technologies that challenge the status quo.
Read the article: https://deeptechnation.ch/vc-in-residence/ace-ventures-at-face-value/
2. A Matter of Scale
The second article zooms out to examine cultural differences between the Swiss and US startup ecosystems. Drawing on ACE Ventures’ experience backing companies on both sides of the Atlantic, the piece highlights the contrast between Switzerland’s patient capital and the US market’s intensity, urgency, and bias toward action.
It also explores why Swiss founders often excel technically, yet need to develop stronger storytelling and sales instincts to compete globally. The article reflects on what it takes to scale from Switzerland while thinking and acting internationally from day one.
Read the article: https://deeptechnation.ch/vc-in-residence/ace-ventures-a-matter-of-scale/
3. Backed to the Future
The final article dives into ACE Ventures’ investment philosophy through concrete portfolio examples. It challenges traditional venture capital heuristics and makes the case for backing resilience, obsession, and adaptability over “perfect” founding stories.
From backing companies that survived founder breakups, long pivots, or unconventional team dynamics, to investing in founders before the market fully understood the opportunity, the article reinforces a central belief: the founder is the thesis.
Read the article: https://deeptechnation.ch/vc-in-residence/ace-ventures-backed-to-the-future/