Investing on conviction, not consensus.
Groundshift is a Swiss investment advisor with deep roots in the European financial industry.
We work with discipline and conviction, identifying off-market opportunities through long-standing institutional relationships and proprietary data models. We validate real demand before an investment is made and support portfolio companies well beyond the initial transaction.
Our focus is financial technology, with room to move when we see exceptional opportunities in adjacent sectors. We look for proven, revenue-generating businesses with the foundations in place to scale.
Our Playbook
Demand-driven investing
We don’t guess what the market needs. Through deep relationships with financial institutions and technology partners, we identify real demand and validate companies ahead of any investment decision.
Off-market execution
We’re not bound by conventional deal structures or the traditional VC pipeline. Whether through exclusive primaries, secondaries, carve-outs, or structured transactions, we find the right way into the right companies.
Active value creation
We go beyond capital. We connect portfolio companies to institutional customers, provide strategic guidance through experienced operators, and build clear paths to exit.
Since 2019, Groundshift has arranged 18 investments across two dedicated funds and two syndications. We maintain active partnerships with over 15 Swiss and European financial institutions and technology partners to identify, validate, and support portfolio companies.
Companies we back
Metaco
Metaco provided bank-grade custody infrastructure for digital assets, enabling institutions such as HSBC, Citi and Raiffeisen to securely hold and manage crypto assets. Acquired by Ripple for $250M in 2023.
The people behind the strategy
The people behind the strategy
Alexander Christen
CEO, Partner — LinkedIn
Alexander co-founded Groundshift, formerly known as Avaloq Ventures, in 2019 following a career at SIX, Harcourt, and Partners Group, where he managed open-ended private market funds exceeding CHF 2 billion and advised pension plans on their private market allocation strategies. He has arranged investments in over 10 companies, including Metaco, acquired by Ripple for $250 million. He holds an MSc in Finance from the University of St. Gallen. Outside of work, he spends his time on the water or in the mountains, wing foiling, kitesurfing, hiking, and biking.
Alexandre Moreillon
Investment Director — LinkedIn
Alexandre joined Groundshift at the end of 2024 from a large German fintech venture fund, where he originated and co-led half a dozen Series A and B fintech investments. At Groundshift, he led the investment in Storyline AI, as well as builds and maintains the firm’s proprietary data models, AI-driven sourcing and diligence methodology, drawing on his prior work at Palantir and his engineering background. INSEAD MBA and EPFL alumnus, Alexandre started his career at UBS in Corporate Strategy. Aviation nerd and trained in fluid dynamics, Alexandre spends his time off the desk on the water kitesurfing or wing foiling, and in the mountains on skis.
Daniel Curiger
Partner — LinkedIn
Daniel joined in 2021 and drives Groundshift’s investment activity in digital-asset and blockchain infrastructure. He was previously COO of Fixposition, an ETH Zurich spin-off, and began his career at Goldman Sachs. He holds a BA in Economics from the University of St. Gallen (HSG). Outside the office, he’s most often skiing, kitesurfing, or out running.
Florian Bitterli
Investment Manager — LinkedIn
Florian has been part of Groundshift since 2020, managing fund operations, performance tracking, and reporting across its two funds and select co-investment activities. He has been closely involved in seven investments, particularly those with a blockchain technology angle, and oversees the firm’s technology infrastructure and adoption of new operational tools and workflows. He holds an MSc and a BA in Economics from the University of Basel. Outside of work, he plays unihockey, carves the slopes, rallies on the tennis court, and pulls what the team unanimously agrees is the best espresso in the office.
Extended team
Advisors
The latest from Groundshift
NENNA AI secures seed funding to let European enterprises use AI without exposing sensitive data, backed by Groundshift
FiveT Fintech Rebrands to Groundshift
Groundshift Participates in Follow-On Financing Round for Portfolio Company RAQUEST
