Boris Manhart

Chief Executive Officer

Innosuisse

Startup and Scale-up Coach

Growth Unltd.

After almost 25 years as an entrepreneur and co-founder of five companies - a unicorn and apps with millions of users - I decided to change my focus and advise other founders and leaders together with a team of experienced business leaders and specialists.
As an entrepreneur, it always made me happy to have an impact. Now, it makes me incredibly happy when I see how entrepreneurs become more comfortable and practical as a result of our collaboration.

Founder

Career coaching to executive MBA students who want to enter an entrepreneurial career path.

Startup Strategist

Guest Speaker

Peakora

Product-Market Fit Expert & Coach

TRIQ Triathlon

TRIQ is a revolutionary, dynamic app for triathlon training plans.
It combines the latest knowledge of renowned coaching scientists with an intelligent algorithm that constantly adjusts the plan to fit the athlete. TRIQ saves time and adapts on its own to ensure you’re fresh and motivated enough to keep training hard.

CodeCheck

CodeCheck is the first shopping matchmaker. It matches consumers with the right products, retailers with the right customers and brands with the right insights.

Numbrs

Numbrs Personal Finance is a financial technology company based in Switzerland. The company offers an app called Numbrs that aggregates bank account and credit card information and facilitates mobile banking and personal financial planning.

Co-Founder and Managing Partner

Y&R Group Switzerland

Group Account Director

Compresso AG

Compresso is a communication and promotion agency with a broad portfolio of well-known clients and a wide variety of projects.

Co-Founder

As the founder of Growth Unltd., I've dedicated my career to helping startups reach product-market fit. With a proven track record of co-founding five ventures, including a unicorn, I understand the intricacies of startup success.

At Growth Unltd., we're redefining the startup journey. We provide invaluable guidance to entrepreneurs, leveraging our years of entrepreneurial expertise and a proven success formula. Our mission is clear: to accelerate your startup's path to Product-Market Fit, saving you time and money.

In addition to my role at Growth Unltd., I am a startup strategist at IMD Lausanne, one of the world's top business schools. I've also been a guest speaker at Stanford, where I've shared insights with the next generation of entrepreneurs.

I'm honored to have been recognized as one of Switzerland's 100 Digital Shapers by Bilanz, and I'm passionate about making a lasting impact in the digital landscape.

Join me on this exciting journey of growth and innovation. Let's connect and explore how to work together to take your startup to the next level.

Besso

• Pioneering Besso Ltd., a platform aimed at automating trade compliance, with the goal of enhancing cross-border value chain resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability. 
• Orchestrating strategic planning, including designing the business model, building team, conducting customer discovery, and guiding technical feasibility studies.
• Recognized through the selection as finalist in leading startup competitions including >>venture.ch>> and F&A Next Heroes, as well as through the award of grant support from Innosuisse and the selection for collaboration with the entrepreneurship program of the IMD Business School executive development program.

Founder & CEO

Obviam

•  Co-built the pioneering impact investment firm Obviam as Partner, Executive Committee Member, and Investment Committee member, overseeing USD >1bn in assets under management invested in private equity and private debt, delivering robust 14% IRR on fully realized deals. 
• Oversaw the origination, due diligence, and execution of numerous deals across Asia, directing Obviam's investment programme and team in Southeast Asia over eight years.
• Secured and held board and advisory positions, including Chair positions, on portfolio investment funds, demonstrating trusted leadership and strategic acumen.
• Successfully navigated complex restructuring processes, leveraging negotiation skills and business acumen.
• Drove the establishment of SIFEM, the Swiss government-owned Development Finance Institution, setting up the policy and procedure framework and coordinating board activities.
• Consistently achieved over 90% of strategic objectives (>95% since 2012) set by the Swiss government, demonstrating effective strategic planning and implementation.
• Led Obviam's transformation from an unregulated investment advisor to a FINMA-regulated asset manager, significantly boosting compliance and operational efficiency.
• Achieved top rating in operational due diligence conducted by Mercer, reflecting a commitment to operational excellence.
• Streamlined corporate policies, processes, and infrastructure, further increasing efficiency and productivity.
• Managed cross-functional teams, overseeing policy, procedures, legal, compliance, communication, public affairs, HR, IT, data analysis, and infrastructure.

Partner | Managing Director | ExCo Member

SECO Economic Cooperation and Development 

• Orchestrated the successful establishment of the Swiss Development Finance Institution, SIFEM, showcasing the ability to lead influential projects and navigate strategic decisions.
• Actively contributed to the corporate governance design for this newly-formed state-owned enterprise, underscoring a deep understanding of corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
• Led the detailed planning for reorganization, coordinating with external consultants to ensure smooth transition and operational efficiency.
• Designed a Technical Assistance Facility aimed at enhancing capacity building in investee companies, reflecting a proactive approach towards investment support.
• Conducted in-depth research in value chain finance and catastrophic risk protection, contributing valuable insights for risk mitigation and financial stability.
(fixed-term assignment)

Private Sector Development

Nordkap Bank AG

• Analysed and reviewed all project finance and structured finance transactions across emerging and frontier markets, reinforcing competency in financial assessment and risk evaluation.
• Spearheaded a project finance transaction in the infrastructure sector in Eastern Europe, underlining a robust skill set in leadership and project management.
• Conducted comprehensive macro research and monitored political and economic risks, contributing to effective risk mitigation strategies.
• Regularly reported on commodities and foreign exchange market developments, providing critical insights for decision-making.
• Optimized the bank's commodity and foreign exchange risk management system using visual basic programming, enhancing risk tracking efficiency.
• Initiated and completed a study on the potential application of credit derivatives at the bank, demonstrating forward-thinking and innovation.
(fixed-term assignment)

Risk Management

PHILITICS Consulting 

• Operated as a self-employed political consultant, advising high-level Swiss politicians on policy-making, economics, politics, and development assistance, demonstrating proficiency in diverse aspects of political consultancy.
• Successfully advised a main client who later ascended to the Chairperson of the Swiss National Assembly, illustrating significant impact on client's career trajectory.
• Actively participated in the work of various parliamentary commissions, contributing to key decisions and policy development.
• Authored numerous speeches, showcasing exceptional written communication and persuasion skills.
• Guided political career and campaign choices strategically, reflecting a comprehensive understanding of political dynamics and decision-making.
• Facilitated back-office functions, enhancing operational efficiency and support.

Consultant

As the Founder and CEO of Besso, I am on a mission to automate trade compliance and enable international businesses to strengthen their value chains while making them more sustainable and inclusive. Besso is an innovative platform that leverages cutting-edge technology and data to streamline and simplify the complex and costly process of cross-border trade. With over 20 years of experience in building impactful businesses and organizations, I am passionate about creating systemic change for the benefit of society and the environment.

Prior to launching Besso, I co-built Obviam, a pioneering impact investment firm that managed over USD 1 billion in assets and delivered a robust 14% IRR on fully realized deals. As a Partner, Executive Committee Member, and Investment Committee Member, I oversaw the origination, execution, and governance of numerous deals across Asia, demonstrating trusted leadership and strategic acumen. I also spearheaded Obviam's transformation from an advisory firm to a regulated asset manager, a key milestone that was followed by the successful sale of the business. I hold an Executive MBA from IMD Business School and a MSc in Development Finance from the University of Manchester. 

In addition to my entrepreneurial endeavours, I am keen to leverage my experience, skills, and passion in Board or Investment Committee positions. I also seek to forge meaningful partnerships with other allies who share the commitment to driving positive change through business. Thank you for your interest in my profile. If my journey resonates with your goals, or you are interested in exploring synergies, please feel free to reach out.

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The Battle

Boris Manhart

Philip Sieber-Gasser

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