Flatz Hoffmann

Flatz Hoffmann

Flatz Hoffmann operates under the brand Direttissima Growth Partners, a European growth-equity vehicle built around the partners' thesis that the region's scaling companies need concentrated capital and active operational support more than spreadsheet diversification. Founded by Alois Flatz and Christopher Hoffmann, the firm raises its fund from accomplished European entrepreneurs and business operators, then channels that capital into a deliberately compact portfolio — they call it the "direct path" and back it with hands-on company-building work rather than passive monitoring. Their target is the post-venture, pre-buyout band where companies have product-market fit and at least €5M in revenue but lack the internal tooling to scale internationally. The strategy spans mobility, industrial software, robotics and cybersecurity. Direttissima's known positions include Zeelo, the smart-commuting platform that raised $14M in 2023 and later acquired Kura (per TechCrunch, August 2023); Hololight, a $12M XR-streaming raise (per VentureBeat, November 2023); Unchained Robotics, which drew €8.5M in growth funding led by Direttissima in mid-2025 (per tech.eu, June 2025); Boost Inc., whose €16M Series B Direttissima led in June 2025 (per EU-Startups, June 2025); and Bug Bounty Switzerland, which secured CHF 12M in Series A funding led by the firm in April 2026. Geographic coverage is pan-European, with portfolio companies commercializing into the US market as well. The firm structures investments primarily as direct growth rounds and prefers leading or co-leading deals. Direttissima runs a lean team from its Zurich base, with named partners Alois Flatz, Christopher Hoffmann and Philipp Bolliger supported by Analyst Ben Keller. The firm does not publicly disclose overall AUM, but its disclosed check-writing power ranges from €5 million to €15 million per company. In April 2026, the firm led the CHF 12 million Series A round of Bug Bounty Switzerland, adding continuous security testing to a portfolio already heavy in industrial and mobility tech. What distinguishes Direttissima is a fund-backing model built on an ecosystem of experienced European founders rather than institutional LP committees. The firm explicitly ties its capital to operating know-how, describing backers as "accomplished entrepreneurs, founders, business people" whose experience is deployed alongside the GP to accelerate portfolio companies. This hybrid of growth equity and founder-operated mentorship creates a sourcing and value-creation architecture that does not resemble a standard institutional fund of funds or a pure direct-investment shop.