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Marco Valta

Europe, Zurich, Switzerland, Zürich

Description

Marco Valta is a prominent entrepreneur and angel investor based in Zürich, Switzerland, known for his deep operational expertise in the tech and web industry. With a career spanning over 15 years, he co-founded and led successful internet ventures such as Local.ch and search.ch, both of which were later acquired by Swisscom Directories AG. This hands-on experience in building, scaling, and exiting companies provides him with a unique perspective and valuable insights that he brings to his investment activities. His transition into angel investing leverages this rich background to support the next generation of tech innovators.

As an investor, Marco Valta primarily focuses on early-stage, seed-round technology companies, particularly within the Swiss ecosystem. His investment thesis often gravitates towards B2B SaaS, fintech, adtech, and marketplace models, reflecting his prior entrepreneurial successes. He is known for being a hands-on investor, offering strategic guidance and leveraging his extensive network to help portfolio companies navigate growth challenges. His typical first check size for these early-stage ventures generally falls within the range of $100,000 to $500,000, aiming to provide crucial initial capital for product development and market entry.

Valta has built a diverse portfolio of at least 11 known angel investments, showcasing his commitment to fostering innovation. Notable companies in his portfolio include Avrios, Frontify, Starmind, and Contovista, the latter of which was acquired by Aduno Group. Another significant exit from his early investments was DeinDeal, which was acquired by Ringier. These successful exits underscore his ability to identify promising ventures with strong growth potential and viable exit strategies. His investment approach is characterized by a long-term view, seeking to partner with founders who demonstrate strong leadership and a clear vision for their market.

In essence, Marco Valta is more than just a capital provider; he acts as a strategic partner for founders. His extensive operational background, coupled with a proven track record of successful investments and exits, positions him as a highly sought-after angel investor in the Swiss tech scene. He is particularly valuable to founders who can benefit from mentorship and guidance from someone who has successfully navigated the entrepreneurial journey multiple times.

Investor Profile

Marco Valta has backed more than 46 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 0 rounds, about 0% of its total and boasts 18 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Secondary Market rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, Germany, United Kingdom.
  • Strong thematic focus on E-Commerce, Internet, Marketplace.
  • Typical check size: $100K – $500K.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (52%)
  • Series A (15%)
  • Secondary Market (13%)
  • Series B (7%)
  • Series D (4%)
  • Equity Crowdfunding (2%)
  • Series F (2%)
  • Angel (2%)
  • Pre Seed (2%)

Country Focus

  • United States (41%)
  • Germany (17%)
  • United Kingdom (11%)
  • Italy (9%)
  • Russian Federation (4%)
  • Spain (4%)
  • Brazil (2%)
  • Switzerland (2%)
  • Japan (2%)
  • France (2%)

Industry Focus

  • E-commerce
  • Internet
  • Marketplace
  • Automotive
  • Software
  • Fashion
  • Retail
  • Fintech
  • Mobile
  • Payments
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Marco Valta frequently co-invest with?

Assurity Ventures
North America, Nebraska, United States, Lincoln
Co-Investments: 1
Activant Capital
North America, Connecticut, United States, Greenwich
Co-Investments: 1
FJ Labs
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 2
Rough Draft Ventures
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Cambridge
Co-Investments: 2
General Catalyst
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Cambridge
Co-Investments: 3
Blockchain Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 1
Headline
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 2
Brainchild Holdings
North America, Pennsylvania, United States, Newtown
Co-Investments: 1
TA Ventures
Europe, Hessen, Germany, Frankfurt
Co-Investments: 7
RRE Ventures
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 2

Which angels does Marco Valta often collaborate with?

Güimar Vaca Sittic
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 3
Joey Krug
North America, NA - Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, San Juan
Shared Deals: 1
FG
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 6
JM
Europe, Madrid, Spain, Madrid
Shared Deals: 6
TD
Europe, Switzerland
Shared Deals: 9
JS
North America, California, United States, San Mateo
Shared Deals: 1
JB
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
JF
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
CZ
Europe, Berlin, Germany, Berlin
Shared Deals: 2
Chris Sang
Oceania, New South Wales, Australia, Sydney
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Marco Valta?

Salty.

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Salty Dot, Inc. is the Embedded Insurance® technology company

InsuranceInsurTechSaaSUX Design
SeedMay 8, 2020
SmartPrice

Moscow, Moscow City, Russian Federation

A Russian online platform selling used mobile phones .

E-CommerceElectronicsMobile
Series AJun 2, 2019
Amount Raised: $2,500,000
MIRA BEAUTY™

San Francisco, California, United States

MIRA BEAUTY is the world’s first universal store and collaborative library for makeup and skincare.

BeautyCosmeticsE-CommerceE-Commerce PlatformsInternetPersonal HealthRetailShoppingSocial Shopping
SeedMar 4, 2019
Upgraded

San Francisco, California, United States

Operator of Circular Economy platform for electronics retailers and OEMs. US customers can visit getupgraded.com to see active programs.

E-CommerceFinTechHardwareInternetRetail TechnologyShopping
SeedDec 11, 2018
Amount Raised: $2,000,000
The Ticket Fairy

San Francisco, California, United States

The Ticket Fairy is an event ticketing, marketing, management, and revenue acceleration platform.

Event ManagementEventsMarketingMarketing AutomationTicketing
SeedSep 28, 2018
itravel

Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

itravel provides customized online mobile leisure booking.

TourismTransportationTravel Agency
Secondary MarketJun 20, 2018
Coinbase

San Francisco, California, United States

Coinbase is a cryptocurrency exchange and cryptocurrency wallet platform that allows users to buy, sell, and store various cryptocurrencies.

BitcoinBlockchainCryptocurrencyFinTechTrading Platform
Series DJun 3, 2018
Bolt

San Francisco, California, United States

Bolt is a fintech company that facilitates one-click online checkouts.

E-CommerceFraud DetectionMobile PaymentsPayments
Series BJun 1, 2018
Amount Raised: $22,000,000
Curio

London, England, United Kingdom

Curio is a platform that allows individuals to stay informed by listening to human-narrated news from reliable publications.

AppsAudioContentDigital MediaNewsPublishing
SeedMar 21, 2018
Merlin

New York, New York, United States

Merlin is an internet company that specializes in the fields of the marketplace, consumer software, delivery, and human resources.

Consumer SoftwareDeliveryHuman ResourcesInternetMarketplaceRecruitingSoftware
Series ANov 1, 2017
Amount Raised: $24,000,000