Christoph Haimberger

Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (AWS) is the Austrian promotional bank, fully controlled by the Government of Austria. Based in Vienna, AWS emerged in 2002 from the merger of several government funding agencies including FGG-Finanzierungsgarantiegesellschaft mbH and BÜRGES Förderungsbank GmbH. The firm later absorbed Innovationsagentur GmbH. The Seed Financing division of AWS manages venture capital investments by way of mezzanine financing. AWS also comprises several divisions not directly involved in investment management, namely Tecma which is specialized in technology marketing support, Tecnet which supplies technology information, i²-Ideas & Investment which is a networking platform for business angels and Biotech, providing business support for biotechnology projects. AWS manages the university spin-off fund Uni Venture, sponsored by BAWAG-Bank für Arbeit und Wirtschaft.

Global Equity Partners Beteiligungs-Management GmbH (GEP) is a venture capital firm which was founded in 1998 as a joint project by Dr. Michael Tojner and Meinl Bank AG. In 2001 GEP began to focus on industrial and small- to medium-size businesses and in 2002 they acquired WertInvest Immobilien AG, adding a property arm to their industry, SME and venture capital activities. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria with partner offices in Lausanne and Munich, the firm has built up a cross-industry network which includes Austrian banks Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH, Erste Bank AG, Meinl Bank AG, and Volksbank Investment Bank AG. In addition to their main activities, GEP manages the Asia Private Equity Beteiligungs AG, L.A.I. Beteiligungs-Invest AG, Private Equity Performance Beteiligungs AG and ETV Holding AG investment firms.

Cycleenergy Holding GmbH is a holding company, which engages in the construction and operation of biomass and biogas combined heat and power plants. It provides services such as operating, financially structuring, and constructing renewable energy power plants. The firm also supplies electric and thermal energy. The company was founded by Stephan Oliver Schuster in 2006 and is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.