Job

Via Venture Partners is looking for a high caliber ambitious individual to the investment team. We offer a unique opportunity to work with financial, operational and strategic issues in a professional environment. You will join a high performing team of experienced and skilled individuals. The team tasks are among others general fund profiling, deal origination, screening, due diligence, negotiation of terms and conditions, portfolio management and leading exit processes. The position will be in the Copenhagen office, however supporting both investment teams in Stockholm and Copenhagen and will include travelling in primarily the Nordic countries.

Candidate

The ideal candidate is graduating with a master’s degree (financial) or another similar degree from business school or university, and is willing to work out of Copenhagen. Having a Swedish-speaking background will be a strong plus. If the candidate has had relevant part-time work experience during his or hers studies in business school or at the university this would be a further qualification.

Candidates must have a personal drive, be highly motivated, analytical and ideally possess an international orientation via the candidate’s education or prior part-time work experience. Furthermore, the ideal candidate has the ability to work independently as well as in teams and appreciates an informal working environment. Working language is “Nordic” or English. English skills verbally and in writing at business level are compulsory.

General Information

Please forward your CV and an introductory letter as soon as possible to: . For further information please contact Benjamin Kramarz, – telephone: 3977 5060 or look at the websites www.viaventurepartners.com and www.atp.dk.

Following its success in the Red Herring Top 100 Europe challenge earlier this year, Beneq has now been named as a Red Herring Global 100 Winner. The Red Herring Global Top 100 prize is an award in recognition of the leading private companies from North America, Europe, and Asia.
The prize celebrates the innovations and technologies of these start-ups across their respective industries.

Red Herring’s Global 100 list has become a mark of distinction for identifying promising companies and entrepreneurs. Red Herring editors were among the first to recognize that companies such as Google, Skype, Baidu, YouTube and eBay would change the way we live and work.

“Choosing the best out of the previous two years was by no means a small feat,” said Alex Vieux, Chairman of Red Herring. “After rigorous contemplation and discussion, we narrowed down our list from 1,100 potential companies to 100 winners. It was an extremely difficult process. Beneq should be extremely proud of its achievement, the competition for the Top 100 was fierce. The Top 100 Global are truly the best of the best.”

Mr Sampo Ahonen, Beneq CEO, says: “We are naturally honored by being selected a Red Herring Global 100 Winner. For an achievement of this size and quality, I would like to thank the judges of Red Herring for recognizing the credibility our entire customer base has granted us. Furthermore, I would like to extend a special acknowledgement to our staff, which has from the very start of Beneq shown incredible skills, motivation and perseverance. In short, we truly believe in what we are doing, and we are proud of it.”

Red Herring’s editorial staff evaluated the companies on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, such as financial performance, technology innovation, management quality, strategy, and market penetration. This assessment of potential is complemented by a review of the track record and standing of startups relative to their sector peers, allowing Red Herring to see past the “buzz” and make the list an invaluable instrument of discovery and advocacy for the greatest business opportunities from around the world.

For more information, please contact:
Mr Sampo Ahonen, CEO, Beneq Oy
Tel: +358 40 520 1090
e-mail: sampo.ahonen(at)beneq.com

Global Cleantech Cluster Association 2011 Finalist

Beneq has the pleasure to announce that it has been chosen by the Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA) as a 2011 Later Stage Award Top 30 finalist. Inclusion in the GCCA Global Top 30 reflects the strong business and market position of the company in the category sector, and signifies its innovative approaches and technologies are gaining a foothold in the new global green economy. Beneq was nominated for the GCCA Later Stage Award by the Finnish Cleantech Cluster in May 2011. The company’s business model, market position, profitability and potential at creating and capturing market share (among other criteria) have subsequentlyqualified it to be a GCCA Later Stage Award 2011 Global Top 30 Finalist.

“Narrowing down 185 nominations from cleantech clusters all over the world down to 30 was a very competitive process,” says Ben Taube, Chairman of the GCCA. “These Top 30 Finalists are the rising stars of the world’s clean technology sector.”

“These companies, with their customers and revenue, are building significant green collar economies in the regions where they operate,” said Shawn Lesser Co-Founder of the GCCA. “For the health of the planet, both economically and environmentally, we are committed to spotlighting these game-changing companies on the world stage.”

The GCCA Later Stage Award Global Top 30 Finalists were selected out of the 4000 companies represented by the GCCA’s 30 member clusters, ranging from North America and Europe to Asia. Each cluster conducted internal evaluations to nominate up to 10 companies in 10 categories, including solar, wind, energy storage, green buildings, water and more. In total, these member clusters nominated 185 companies for the 2011 Later Stage Award.

2011 Millennium Distinction Award for excellence and growth in photovoltaics

Beneq has been presented with the Millennium Distinction Award, an accolade presentedby Technology Academy Finland (TAF) to Finnish scientists and growth companies foroutstanding technological achievements in the field of the most recent Millennium Technology Prize Winner.

The 2010 Millennium Technology Prize was won by Professor Michael Grätzel for his invention of dye-sensitized solar cells, and hence, the 2011 Millennium Distinction Awards were presented to scientists and companies working in the solar energy sector.

The Millennium Distinction Awards celebrate Finnish innovations and technological achievements. The selection process involves several criteria including pioneering work in research or business activities, distinguished contributions to higher education and significant achievements in the commercialization of innovations based on new technologies.

Says Beneq CTO Tommi Vainio: “This prize is a great honor and we are grateful to Technology Academy Finland for being acknowledged in this way. The award itself serves two causes for Beneq. On the one hand it confirms that the hard work we have behind us, six incredible years of growth, innovation and discovery, have been successful. On the other hand, it is a promise for the future, a definite piece of evidence that the route we have chosen is the right one.”

Ainomaija Haarla, President and CEO of Technology Academy Finland comments: “The selection committee analyzed information on both researchers and companies from all over Finland, and I was happy to discover that there were so many good candidates. The winners represent a truecross-section of expertise in Finland’s solar energy sector.”

For more information, please contact:

Mr Sampo Ahonen, CEO, Beneq Oy

Tel: +358 40 520 1090e-mail: sampo.ahonen(at)beneq.com

Adform has been awarded with the 2011 White Bull Award for its contribution to innovation  and excellence in the TMT sector.

See more on White Bull’s website:

http://www.whitebull.com/latest/2011-bully-award-winners

As of Jan 31st, 2012, Partner Ander Grånäs will leave Via Venture Partners to become CEO of Dalarnas Försäkringsbolag.

Dalarnas Försäkringsbolag is a regional mutual insurance company in the Länsförsäkringar group in Sweden. Headquartered in Falun, Dalarnas has 250 employees, a yearly income of SEK 1 billion and is known for it’s financial strength with 5 billion in assets.

For more information:

http://www.cisionwire.se/dalarnas-forsakringsbolag/r/anders-granas-blir-ny-vd-for-dalarnas-forsakringsbolag,c9167614

On 5 September, Martin Thunman (42) took up his position as the new CEO and Country Manager for Sweden at the IT company Adra Match. Martin’s background lies within international sales and growth and his previous employers include the technology company PacketFront, where he was MD and co-founder.

“Adra Match offers fantastic products and solutions which really simplify the everyday lives of our customers. I see it as our responsibility to spread the word about this and we will be investing heavily in marketing and sales,” says Martin Thunman.

Adra Match offers software for automatic transaction and account reconciliation. Account reconciliation in particular is a task that many companies spend days on processing manually every month. Using Adra Match’s solutions, the job takes just a few hours.

“It’s a question of simplifying everyday life for thousands of people working within finance departments. Account reconciliations are something that every company wrestles with each month. Adra Match’s system makes the job is easier, faster and more secure.”

When Martin Thunman takes over as CEO and Country Manager for Sweden, his key challenge will be to succeed within sales and marketing.

“Martin’s profile is ideally suited to the phase that Adra Match is now entering,” says Tom Nyman, Chairman of the Board at Adra Match. The aim is further strong growth within sales over a period of several years and Martin’s experience within sales and marketing were a decisive factor when we appointed him,” concludes Tom Nyman.

Martin Thunman was MD and a co-founder of the technology company PacketFront, which expanded rapidly during Martin’s tenure as MD. With an MBA from Lund, Martin has also had a successful sales career at Cisco Systems. For the past three years, he has been running his own consultancy business aimed at international sales and marketing.

Martin Thunman sees Adra Match as a company which has fantastic solutions, a long-term product strategy and satisfied customers. The company is also expanding rapidly in the growth markets. In Sweden, sales have increased by 52% since 2008.

“On our customer list, we have 38 of the 100 largest listed companies in Sweden. Within certain sectors, we are completely dominant and the response we’re getting from our customers is just amazing. This company has enormous international potential. We must raise our profile and tell the market all about the good things that we can do.”

For more information, contact: Martin Thunman, CEO and Country Manager for Sweden, Adra Match Tel: +46(0)73 383 96 11 / martin.

Tom Nyman, Chairman of the Board, Adra Match, Partner Pod Venture Partners Tel: +46(0)70 747 25 19 / tom.

Norwegian company Dolphin, which delivers customer service systems and consultancy, has been acquired by Via Venture Partners and Verdane Capital VI & VII (Verdane). With new owners onboard, the company is poised for expansion in the Nordic market.

The sale of Dolphin was formalised on 4 August with the private equity funds Verdane and Via Venture Partners each taking out a 48 per cent stake in the company. The remaining four per cent shareholding is owned by the company’s management.

“Dolphin represents an extremely exciting investment for Verdane. The aim is to take this strong Norwegian company to the rest of the Nordic market. Since 1985 we have helped a significant number of Norwegian companies to establish themselves in new markets and are confident that Dolphin will enjoy considerable success in other countries,” comments Arne Simensen, Senior Associate at Verdane Capital Advisors’ Oslo office.

Jakob Rybak-Andersen, Partner at Danish-based Via Venture Partners explained: “Dolphin is an exciting business in a small niche, with cutting-edge expertise, a highly accomplished management team and a strong position in Norway. We are looking forward to playing an active role on the board together with Verdane Capital and generating further growth, both organically and through consolidations in Norway and internationally.”

The team at Dolphin is also thrilled with the sale and the new owners: “With their expertise and financial strength, Verdane Capital Advisors and Via Venture Partners will help us to further develop the company and position ourselves for further growth. We are delighted to welcome expert professional investors onboard as owners,” commented CEO Smeby.

In recent years Dolphin’s 30 employees have generated steady and healthy growth, and the company posted sales of NOK 48 million in 2010. Over the last year the portfolio has been expanded to include companies such as Sparebank 1 Alliansen, Eidsiva Energi and Viking Redningstjeneste.

Dolphin has several product launches in the pipeline, including “SocialCRM” a customer service solution for social media, a market Smeby believes is overdue for such a professional solution. The company is also launching a new customer service solution based on Microsoft Lync aimed at the SMB market, a move that represents a strategic expansion for the company that had previously concentrated on the high-end market

Dolphin Software was established in 1989 as a publisher of Norsk Data. It was owned by Telenor from 1994 until 2003 when it was bought out by Finn Haadem, Arne Blystad and four of the company’s executive managers. Verdane purchased Blystad’s shareholding in 2009 and has now built its stake up to 48 per cent.

Idag tillträder Johan Zetterström som ny VD för Projectplace International i syfte att driva bolagets europeiska expansion och därmed ytterligare stärka bolagets ledande position inom onlinesamarbete. Johan Zetterström kommer närmast från Salesforce.com och har lång erfarenhet av expansion och försäljning inom mjukvara och molntjänster.

– Det är en fantastisk möjlighet att gå in som VD på ett bolag som Projectplace, ett spännande, ledande företag inom det snabbväxande området ”project collaboration”. Jag ser fram emot att bidra med min samlade kunskap och tillsammans med teamet ta onlinetjänsten och bolaget till nästa nivå ute i Europa, säger Johan Zetterström, nytillträdd VD.

Johan Zetterström kommer närmast från Salesforce.com där han som Nordenchef startade upp verksamheten i Norden och även var ansvarig för Beneluxländerna och Ryssland. Dessförinnan har Johan varit Nordenchef för andra framgångsrika företag såsom Broadvision, ATG (Art Technology Group) samt VD för Mac Support.

– Johan har en gedigen bakgrund inom snabbväxande internationella bolag och han har även en profil som en stark ledare. Hans erfarenhet att driva internationellt framgångsrika företag som den världsledande molntjänsten Salesforce.com kommer ytterligare att stärka vår position i Europa, säger Peter Lövgren,
styrelseordförande i Projectplace.

KMD har indgået aftale om køb af Rambøll Informatik for at styrke sin position på markedet for velfærdsteknologi og det statslige område. Aftalen understreger KMD’s ambitiøse vækststrategi.

​KMD sætter nu streg under virksomhedens ambitioner om at vokse inden for velfærdsteknologi, især på pleje-, sundheds og undervisningsområdet. KMD har netop indgået aftale om køb af Rambøll Informatik, der er en betydelig kapacitet på området. Samtidig får KMD med købet et endnu bedre fodfæste på det statslige marked.

Rambøll Informatik generede i 2010 en omsætning på 259 mio. kr. og har 250 medarbejdere, der overgår til KMD, når handlen er endelig på plads inden for de kommende par måneder.

Vækst på velfærdsteknologi
”Vi er meget tilfredse med opkøbet af Rambøll Informatik. Markedet for velfærdsteknologi vil uden tvivl vokse i de kommende år. Det offentlige har i det seneste år fået et markant fokus på digitalisering af de borgernære serviceområder som eksempelvis pleje-, sundheds- og skoleområdet. Rambøll Informatik har i dag en række løsninger, der er et særdeles glimrende supplement til vores løsninger og ambitioner på området,” siger KMD’s administrerende direktør, Lars Monrad-Gylling.

Han fremhæver bl.a. synergien mellem Rambøll Care og KMDs nye løsning Online Omsorg, der netop er præsenteret for markedet, og som skal være med til at digitalisere bl.a. ældreplejen og sundhedsområdet. Rambøll CARE er et digitalt sundhedssystem målrettet sundheds- og omsorgsområdet. Systemet sikrer effektiv styring af aktiviteterne i hjemmepleje, sygepleje og sundhedscentre.

”Samspillet mellem KMD Online Omsorg og Rambøll Care vil give kunderne nogle helt nye muligheder inden for ældre- og sundhedsplejen,” siger Lars Monrad-Gylling.

Opkøb styrker position på statsmarkedet
Selvom KMD i dag er stærkest positioneret i det kommunale marked, har virksomheden gennem en årrække vist, at den også kan begå sig på erhvervs- og statsmarkedet. Med opkøbet af Rambøll Informatik understreger KMD også vækstambitionerne på det statslige marked.

”KMD har i forvejen en fornuftig forretning inden for Application Management til især det statslige segment. Med opkøbet af Rambøll Informatik vil dette område blive styrket”, forklarer Lars Monrad-Gylling.

Et stærkt hold
”Vi glæder os rigtig meget til at tage imod Rambøll Informatiks kompetente medarbejdere. Den solide og brede domæneviden, de blandt andet besidder inden for omsorg og skoleområdet, er en af de væsentligste årsager til, at vi har valgt at købe virksomheden. Sammen med KMD’s nuværende medarbejdere skaber vi et unikt hold, der skal være med til at indfri vores ambitioner om at være landets bedste it-leverandør og samtidig en spændende og udviklende arbejdsplads, siger Lars Monrad-Gylling, der fortæller, at de nye medarbejdere vil flytte til KMD’s lokationer.

“Vi har i Rambøll vurderet, at det fremadrettet vil være den bedste løsning for Rambøll Informatiks kunder og medarbejdere at blive en del af en virksomhed, som har it som hovedaktivitet. KMD opfylder de kriterier, vi lagde til grund i salgsprocessen, herunder at den nye ejer viste vilje til at sikre gode vilkår for kunder og medarbejdere, og vi er derfor meget tilfredse med den aftale, der er indgået”, udtaler Søren Holm Johansen, koncerndirektør i Rambøll.

Med købet af Rambøll Informatik følger også det svenske datterselskab Ramböll Informatik.

Beneq has been chosen a Winner of Red Herring’s Top 100 Europe prize, an award in recognition of the leading private companies from Europe, celebrating these startups’ innovations and technologies across their respective industries.

Red Herring’s Top 100 Europe list has become a mark of distinction for identifying promising new companies and entrepreneurs. Red Herring editors were among the first to recognize that companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, Skype, YouTube, and eBay would change the way we live and work.
“Choosing the companies with the strongest potential was by no means a small feat,” said Alex Vieux, publisher and CEO of Red Herring. “After rigorous contemplation and discussion, we narrowed our list down from hundreds of candidates from across Europe to the Top 100 Winners. We believe Beneq embodies the vision, drive and innovation that define a successful entrepreneurial venture. Beneq should be proud of its accomplishment, as the competition was very strong.”

Mr Sampo Ahonen, Beneq CEO, comments: “To rise from Finalist to Winner in Red Herring’s challenge is an honor we acknowledge and value highly. My personal thanks for having achieved this award of recognition go to everyone at Beneq, our partners and our customers, all of which bear a critical role in building success and profit for our business.

For more information, please contact:
Mr Sampo Ahonen, CEO, Beneq Oy
Tel: +358 40 520 1090
e-mail: sampo.ahonen(at)beneq.com