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Preserving Purpose. Unlocking Potential.

AION Succession Partners is supporting businesses in their next phase of growth. We focus on preserving the core values of companies while unlocking their full potential.

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10+

Years of
Experience

AION Succession Partners

AION Succession Partners is an investor and operator focused on the technology sector. We offer owners a seamless transition while preserving legacy. AION will drive value creation by focusing on organic and inorganic growth while protecting the unique culture and heritage of businesses.

Our Approach

Our Approach

AION is a long term investor looking to provide a sustainable solution for a succession situation

  • Problem to solve
  • An entire generation of founders and business owners is looking for suitable succession solutions
  • Founders are looking for a safe home for their business
  • New owners and operators are needed to protect the legacy including employees and customers
  • AION Value Proposition
  • AION is investing in businesses and will be operationally involved post transaction
  • We have a long-term focus and extensive experience in operating and growing businesses
  • AION is backed by a large pool of entrepreneurial and institutional investors
Read My Story

Meet The Founder

Wernher Pikali is the Founder and Managing Partner of AION Succession Partners.

An investor and operator with a background in software, Wernher brings over a decade of professional experience in business leadership, value creation and investing.

Before launching AION, Wernher managed a portfolio of software companies at Everfield and was responsible for driving organic growth. Previously, he worked in M&A at Lazard and Barclays where he was involved in more than 20 transactions in a variety of sectors including TMT (technology, media and telecommunication), healthcare, industrials and business services.

Wernher is based in the UK and grew up in Switzerland. Beyond business, Wernher is a devoted husband and a lifelong sports enthusiast — he is a proud finisher of several international marathons and enjoys skiing in the mountains.

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Wernher Pikali

Founder and Managing Partner

Operational Experience

Extensive track record in creating value and accelerating growth in software businesses.

Depotnet

Field management softwarefor the telecom, utilities, andinfrastructure sector

Fitfactory

MRP and ERP software for themanufacturing andengineering sector

KOST

Inventory managementsoftware and point of sale(POS) systems for the care &catering industry

helloTess

POS software for catering,hotel, and restaurant industry

Ondeso

Automated operational technology (OT)

VSX

CPQ software for the fuild hadling industry

Fenz

Inventory management software for the food sector

SoCom

ERP software for the textitle sector

Matrix POS

POS software for the hotel and gastronomy market

ParkHere

Software for smart parking

Meet The Advisory Board

Support from a senior board of advisors with deep sector expertise in the SME market.

Dr. Gernot Eisinger

Founder and Managing Partner

Gernot founded AFINUM Management GmbH in 2000 together with Dr. Thomas Bühler. AFINUM focuses on managing succession issues in SMEs. Gernot has extensive experience with corporate succession planning, business models, and the management of SMEs and has successfully accompanied dozens of young entrepreneurs on their journey to succession.

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Jan Van der Beke

Co-founder of Capforce
Jan co-founded Orion Dynamic, which later evolved into Capforce, an investment holding company focused on long-term growth and operational partnership. He began his career as a strategy consultant at Bain & Company after completing a degree in Civil Engineering Chemistry. His professional experience spans multiple geographies including the UK and Vietnam, with a focus on private equity across sectors such as consumer goods and healthcare.
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Felix Leuschner

Serial Entrepreneur and Investor
He founded Drover, a leading car subscription platform in the UK, which was acquired by Cazoo in 2021. Prior to that, he built Stylistpick, a fashion subscription business backed by international VCs, and GameGoods, a digital currency marketplace. Felix served as Group Business Development Director at Cazoo following Drover’s acquisition and has since supported over 70 startups as an active angel investor. He is a Venture Partner at Target Global and holds a degree from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management.
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Our Investment Criteria

Extensive track record in creating value and accelerating growth in software businesses.

Sector

- Technology and Software
- Tech-enabled Services

Business

- Mature businesses with consistent cash generation
- Mission-critical products and services
- B2B customer focus
- High share of recurring revenue

Geography

We focus on businesses based in the United Kingdom

Financials

- Revenue of £1–50m
- EBITDA of £0.5–5m (min. 10% margin)

Our Value Proposition

A sustainable solution for a succession situation

We provide a long-term solution for succession situations protecting the interests of customers and employees

Profound experience in driving growth and profitability

We have profound experience in professionalize and grow technology businesses through organic and inorganic growth strategies

Flexibility to structure the transaction according to the preferences of the seller

We have a flexible investment approach and can structure transactions to accommodate specific preferences of the seller

Transparency and confidentiality throughout the entire process

We are focused on creating win-win situations and value transparency and confidentiality

Contact Us

Interested to hear more or do you know someone who might be?
We can’t wait to hear from you! Leave us a message and we’ll be in touch shortly.

wernher@aionsuccession.com