Alexander Hübner, partner at Moonshot.ch, and Axel Cavin, responsible for the French-speaking part of Switzerland, provide the opportunity to invest in private equity on a subscription basis.
Moonshot, a global investor network based in Switzerland, offers investors the opportunity to invest in private markets by committing a certain amount each month on a subscription-like basis. Why should investors choose this form of investment? Interview with Alexander Hübner (A.H.), partner and co-founder of Moonshot Investor Network, and Axel Cavin (A.C.), responsible for business development in French-speaking Switzerland at Moonshot.ch, who boasts nearly 10 years of experience in wealth management and consulting.
What was the inspiration for creating the Moonshot.ch platform, which allows investors to have easier access to private market investments such as private equity, venture capital, or technology-enabled real estate?
Alexander Hübner: The development of Moonshot.ch has been a gradual process. In the context of our activities related to Le Bijou, a Swiss aparthotel operator, we were regularly seeking capital and were often in contact with both private and institutional investors. We did a lot of fundraising work. In the end, we recognized the power of joining forces with other companies to raise funds.
We also found that fundraising was a job itself and we set up Moonshot for that purpose. Additionally, we observed that many private market investments, whether private equity or venture capital, are still difficult to access for investors, even wealthy ones. Our idea was to offer a point of entry that is open to smaller-sized “tickets.” Traditionally, many private equity funds provided access to invest only starting from several million dollars or francs. On our end, we aim to break down barriers by making private market investments accessible to a wider range of accredited investors through our platform.
Many private market investments, whether in private equity or venture capital, remain difficult to access for investors, even when they are high-net-worth individuals.
What is the minimum amount required to invest with Moonshot?
Axel Cavin: This largely depends on the chosen investment offer. If clients want to invest in specific companies, generally those with a strong technological component, the minimum amount is often USD 25’000. However, if they opt for a portfolio strategy focused on a specific area such as artificial intelligence (AI), cleantech, or real estate, it's possible to do so starting from just CHF 10’000.
Is the investment required in a single lump sum?
A.C.: No, and that's also one of Moonshot's innovations. We offer the chance to invest a modest amount each month in the form of a subscription, namely a minimum monthly investment of CHF 300 for a three-year term. Of course, if investors want to invest more, they can subscribe to multiple offers, either by opting for different strategies – for example, cleantech after already being invested in an AI-focused portfolio – or by staggering their investment over time. An investor can start by paying a tranche of CHF 300 per month in January, then continue with a second investment line a few months later, for example. In the future, we plan to offer investors the flexibility to invest any amount they choose each month.
If investors have no preference for a specific strategy but still want exposure to private market investments, do you also offer opportunities that mix these different strategies?
A.C.: Yes, we do this as part of our offer called “Infinity.” With this, investors have access to by far the most diversified investment solution among our various offerings.
The gap between the phase when startups start their operations and grow, and the moment they decide to go public, tends to lengthen.
Other than the areas you've already mentioned, such as AI, cleantech, or real estate, will you expand your offerings to others?
A.H.: This is already happening. For example, we are developing an offer in the field of “tangible assets.” This includes investments in rare watches, classic cars, or even works of art. This category of assets has consistently outperformed most other asset classes. Here too, the idea is to facilitate access to these investments for more investors and to provide an additional element of diversification.
What is the typical profile of investments in individual companies?
A.H.: The focus is on companies with a strong technological component. These include well-known companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and SpaceX, to name a few. We regularly add up to 2 to 3 new deals per month to this list. The idea is to provide investors with investment opportunities they wouldn't have access to through traditional public markets.
In today's market, we are seeing that the gap between the phase when startups start their operations and grow, and the moment they decide to go public, tends to lengthen. We provide the opportunity to invest in companies during the “sweet spot” phase – the time when they are already growing rapidly but not yet ready for an IPO. And that's if they opt for an IPO – which is by no means always the case.