Philosophy
To keep our approach focused we look for user-centric products and services - those that interface directly with users and that have the most measurable impact on the user experience. We generally try to making a difference in how people engage with the world of information, entertainment and communication. Our initial analysis of any investment proposition focuses on assessing the customer perspective and experience. If we are satisfied at this level, we assess other areas such as the team, market opportunity, strategic landscape and technology.
Mission
- To provide superior returns to investors in the funds we advise
- To build global companies that are innovative and defensible and offer their customers a compelling user experience
- To be the partner of choice for Europe's most talented entrepreneurs by providing added-value services, access and advice that make a difference
- To manage an alliance of companies that benefit from their relationship to both Arts Alliance and to each other.
History
Arts Alliance was founded by Thomas Høegh in 1996, at which time it was one of the first investment advisory organisations to be both trans-Atlantic and focused exclusively on early-stage Internet and new media companies. Arts Alliance is based in London with all its new investment activity focused on Europe and Israel, targeting opportunities in private companies at both an early and later stage. Although not pursuing new investments in the US at this time, we continue to provide excellent service to our US Portfolio Companies. Successes among Arts Alliance's growing portfolio in the US and Europe, include: Firefly (acquired by Microsoft), Planet All (acquired by Amazon), Spinner.com (acquired by AOL), Launch Media Network (acquired by Yahoo!), Interactive Investor (acquired by AMP Limited), the IPO of lastminute.com (traded on NASDAQ and the London Stock Exchange) and the sale of Propertyfinder to News Corporation.
Arts Alliance has advised on investments of approximately $200 million to date in over 40 Portfolio Companies.
Arts Alliance is motivated by the challenge of delivering on the promises of online media, and we are compelled to develop the vast and uncharted territory of new experiences that those media will make possible. We are deeply committed to developing new individual and social experiences online, and to the family of companies making that happen. As Arts Alliance grows, it will remain loyal to this original vision.
Investment Focus
We believe that the advantage gained by leveraging a focused portfolio is in the long run the most effective way to maximise value for our investors and entrepreneurs. We only do a few deals each year. We limit our portfolio to companies that are well positioned to benefit from our skills, experience and network. To that end, we look for a number of qualities in our potential Portfolio Companies: exemplary management, innovation, unique advantage, and a balance of creativity and discipline.
We have a well-defined yet flexible set of criteria for making investments. These criteria serve as guidelines, not absolute rules. Please visit the Process section of this website.
Advantage
Like all venture capital organisations, Arts Alliance strives to build sustainable, high quality companies and deliver superior rates of return to our investors. But we feel that the art to successful venture funding is as much in the process as it is in the product. To that end, we have a relatively high degree of participation in our Portfolio Companies, and we concentrate on leveraging the strengths of Portfolio Companies across our entire portfolio. We are as much a service provider as an investment advisor. Our key areas of advantage are our experience, our network, our intra-portfolio synergies and our commitment to developing talent. The art in this alliance creates a partnership for success that far exceeds the capital investment.