Transformative
Growth
We are hands-on investors, taking operational responsibility wherever needed and work closely with our portfolio companies to ensure their success. Our vision is to create lasting and impactful change, not only in the companies we invest in, but in the communities they serve. Join us in shaping the future of technology and business in Central Europe.
About us
approach.
We back established companies with ambitious growth trajectories that employ transformative technologies as part of their business activities or need such technologies to maintain their competitive advantage.
A distinctive approach. With supply chains still largely disrupted after the pandemic, high levels of inflation, increasing interest rates and cautious banks, we see vast potential for private equity to support companies in pursuing their growth trajectories.
We firmly believe, however, that the current market conditions require a non-traditional investment approach. We see ourselves as sparring partners to both, entrepreneurs, and investors, always taking operational responsibility in our investment projects. Furthermore, we strive to align business backgrounds of our investors with the specific needs of the portfolio companies.
Approach
approach.
We are active investors that like to engage on operational level. We see ourselves as well as our investors as active sparring partners for the management teams of our portfolio companies. Our investment focus comprises the following criteria
Transaction Types:
Growth, Buy-and-Builds, Recapitalizations
Technological aspects:
businesses that employ transformative technologies as part of their USP or are in need of such technology to gain competitive advantage
Culture is important. We love to work as a team and value analytical rigor, passion, and integrity. In all our work you will find the effects of these core beliefs:
Integrity:
The news we share with you may not always be good, but you can always be sure to hear the full story. We are committed to transparency, good governance and full alignment of interest. Careers are long and reputation is built over decades.
Collaboration:
We see all the people we work with as sparring partners and want to create an ecosystem that allows for joint growth and development. We like to have “all-hands-on-deck” and every team member has a voice. We appreciate the opinion of a young team member as much as the one of senior management.
Passion:
We love what we do and we are grateful to be working with passionate and highly skilled people, visionary entrepreneurs and professional investors. Life is too short to work with jerks. We work with good people to build great businesses – it’s as simple as that.
Management
Michael Steiner
Michael has been active in Private Equity and Venture Capital for almost two decades overseeing more than 70 investment transactions. His career started in Management Consulting where he was part of the Telecommunication Practice at Arthur D. Little and later joined the Corporate Finance and Private Equity Practice of McKinsey & Company.
Michael founded one of the first business angel funds in Austria and established an industry leading event with the Austria Business Angel Days. He helped build up CUDOS Group, a Vienna-based private equity firm, in which he served as Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer until he founded Sparring Capital Partners.
Michael has been Chairman of the Investment Committee of AWS Gründerfonds for the last 10 years and served in management positions in tech companies in Europe and the United States.
He holds a master’s degree in international business administration from the Economic University in Vienna and Singapore Management University. Michael is passionate about mountaineering, skiing and diving.
Andreas Aschbacher
Andreas is an accomplished CFO with extensive experience in managing financial operations across various industries. He began his career as an auditor and supervisor with KPMG, where he gained valuable insight into the intricacies of financial management. From there, he went on to hold several senior positions in companies across Europe, including Director of Group Finance at AE&E Group and the CFO of globally active environmental technology company Doosan Lentjes Germany.
He has also served as CFO at sports-exhaust group Remus-Sebring and as interim-CFO at Hirsch Armbänder, a global leader in watch straps. He has demonstrated a consistent track record of success in managing complex financial operations and leading teams to achieve business goals.
Andreas holds a master‘s degree in corporate finance and accounting from universities in Austria and the United States. He spends most of his time outside Sparring with his wife and three children. Andreas is a passionate skier and usually does not miss a good hockey game.
Investments
Working with Sparring Capital Partners, you‘ll have access to a diverse network of individuals with a wealth of experience in various industries and investment strategies. Our community includes entrepreneurs who have successfully launched and scaled businesses, experts who have specialized knowledge in their fields, family offices that bring a long-term investment perspective, and professional investors with a track record of identifying and growing successful companies.
We believe that by bringing together such a diverse group of individuals, we can provide unique insights and perspectives that help our portfolio companies overcome challenges and achieve their full potential. We‘re committed to supporting the growth of our portfolio companies, and we work closely with them to provide strategic guidance, operational support, and further access to capital.
At our investment company, we‘re more than just passive investors. We‘re actively engaged in the success of our portfolio companies, and we see ourselves as partners in their journey. We believe that by working together, we can create value and generate long-term returns for our investors.
NEWS
Sparring Capital Partners Lead Series-A Investment in MUSE Electronics to Strengthen Europe’s Cyber Resilience
Sparring capital partners join quantum industries as lead investor in 10mn USD financing round
NielsenIQ and WDL join forces to quantify future demand of GenZ
Contact
office@sparring.capital
Sparring Capital
Management GmbH
Stubenring 24/9
1010 Vienna, Austria
