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Pina Capital proves the Search Fund model is going strong in Europe. Within one year, founding partners Dr Thomas Wetzer and Antonius von Salis assembled a strong investor base, partnered with more than 10 searchers across Europe, and teamed up with renowned market experts and senior advisors.
Their approach reflects what matters most to searchers and investors alike. Weathering the storm of global economic uncertainty by tapping into the market of resilient, regionally anchored SMEs. The key to Pina’s success lies in the professional and personal backgrounds of the two founders. Thomas spent 15 years as a private equity investor and board member across Europe and Asia with a Danish-HK family office and with McKinsey. Antonius brings almost 20 years of experience as a growth and private equity investor, as well as an SME and startup operator, including leading buy-and-build and digitalization programs. Their shared family-business background shapes Pina’s cultural and practical approach. Together they form a lean, partner-led setup that allows for fast and clear decision-making.
In addition, Pina relies on a strong permanent team of advisors and industry experts: Karl Joseph Seilern joined as Strategic Partner, adding more than 15 years of investing and company-building experience in VC, growth and Search Funds. Jürgen von Wendorff has more than 25 years of private equity experience in the German Mittelstand. For more than 10 years, he has also been one of the pioneering Search Fund investors in Germany, actively contributing to the strong development of the asset class. Philipp Freyschlag is a seasoned small-cap investor with extensive succession and growth experience, and Sebastian Johnston comes with an SME-focused digital transformation and AI background. The extended team adds experience in transactions, SME operations and digital topics. Their combined expertise is key to Pina’s ability to assess opportunities and support searchers through every step.
Reflecting on the year, Dr Thomas Wetzer notes: ‘We are inspired by the entrepreneurial talent we have met over the past months. Strong partnerships between investors and operators will lift the European Search Fund ecosystem to its next level. We look forward to contributing with Mittelstand-driven investment experience and long-term commitment.’
Pina Fund 1 will have its second closing at the end of 2025. The investor base includes entrepreneurs, family offices and individual professional investors.
