Virtual Network SA
Swiss evergreen investment holding founded in 1997, investing in digital assets and founders.
Last updated September 29, 2026
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Overview
Virtual Network SA is a Swiss private investment holding company that has been active since 1997 in developing and financing technology companies. It describes itself as an evergreen investment holding that invests in digital assets and founders, with a 360-degree approach driven by curiosity, passion and strong convictions. The company is majority owned by Stéphane Pictet, with the Swiss public company TX Group holding a minority stake of 25.15%. Over its history, Virtual Network has built and backed a range of technology ventures. Its past ventures include Zong (seed investment, later sold to PayPal), Metaco (Series A, sold to Ripple), Dossier (seed, sold to American Pacific Group), Jeux.com (incubated, sold to Actiplay), Invibes (seed, IPO), Vidcoin (seed, sold to Voodoo), Devis.ch (incubated, sold to Baloise Group), Brain.com (sold to a private company) and Youdera (seed, partial sale to Amundi). The company has also held a portfolio of around thirty participations in high-growth unlisted companies. In addition to its investment activities, Virtual Network has operated in the Swiss and French internet advertising and portal markets through subsidiaries and joint ventures such as Romandie Online SA and Romandie Network SA. It has supported environmental and humanitarian associations, including planting more than 10,000 trees in the Amazon via Aquaverde.org. The company remains active as an investment holding, focusing on scalable business models with strong competitive advantages.
History
Virtual Network SA is a Swiss holding company active since 1997 in the development and financing of technology companies. In 2007, the Edipresse group acquired a 20% stake in the company. The two entities founded Romandie Online SA, a 50-50 joint venture aimed at jointly marketing their respective internet advertising offerings. That same year, Virtual Network's network of websites reached 8th place in the CybereStat ranking by Médiamétrie in France, with more than 28 million monthly visits, ahead of groups such as Le Figaro, France Télévisions and M6. In 2010, its subsidiary Romandie Online SA obtained the advertising representation for Yahoo! in Switzerland. In 2011, Virtual Network made a strategic shift, selling the Jeux.com portal to the ConcoursMania group for an undisclosed amount. Virtual Network SA also remained active in taking stakes in private and public companies. It notably financed and actively participated since 2003 in the development of Zong, a mobile payment company acquired by eBay in August 2011 for USD 240 million. As its joint venture with Edipresse came to an end, Virtual Network launched its subsidiary Romandie Network SA in January 2012, an advertising sales house active in the Swiss internet advertising market, representing around thirty publishers including Le Figaro, L'Equipe and Vogue. In 2014, the company launched the Devis.ch website in Switzerland through its subsidiary Devis.ch SA and acquired Brain.com for an undisclosed amount. In 2016, Invibes went public on Euronext Growth. In 2018, Virtual Network took a 10% stake in Younergy Solar SA and completed several exits, notably in Dreicom and Vidcoin. In 2019, Virtual Network sold its majority stake in Devis.ch SA to the Baloise group and ceded 50% of its subsidiary Romandie Network SA in a partial MBO. That same year, the group took stakes in about ten startups and positioned itself increasingly actively in venture capital. In 2020, Virtual Network further expanded its portfolio with investments in Swiss fintechs Foxstone, Metaco and Resolve. In 2021, Virtual Network participated in the financing of Swiss company AELER Technologies. It currently holds around thirty participations in high-growth unlisted companies. In 2022, its subsidiary Romandie Network SA sold its activities to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung group, including the exclusive marketing of the Le Figaro website in Switzerland. In 2023, Virtual Network sold its stake in Metaco to Ripple. In 2026, Virtual Network sold a large part of its stake in Dossier to American Pacific Group as well as part of its investment in Youdera to Amundi. Outside its operational activities, Virtual Network SA supports various ecological and humanitarian associations. More than 10,000 trees have been planted in the Amazon via the Aquaverde.org association. Its capital remains majority owned by Stéphane Pictet and 25.15% by TX Group.
- 2026
Sells large part of stake in Dossier to American Pacific Group and part of Youdera investment to Amundi.
- 2023
Sells stake in Metaco to Ripple.
- 2022
Romandie Network SA sells activities to Neue Zürcher Zeitung group.
- 2021
Participates in financing of AELER Technologies.
- 2020
Invests in Swiss fintechs Foxstone, Metaco and Resolve.
- 2019
Sells majority stake in Devis.ch SA to Baloise group; cedes 50% of Romandie Network SA in partial MBO.
- 2018
Takes 10% stake in Younergy Solar SA; exits from Dreicom and Vidcoin.
- 2016
Invibes goes public on Euronext Growth.
- 2014
Devis.ch launched in Switzerland; Brain.com acquired.
- 2012
Romandie Network SA launched as advertising sales house in Switzerland.
Products and positioning
Evergreen investment holding investing in digital assets and founders with discipline, curiosity, passion and strong convictions.
Product categories. Investment holding · Venture capital · Private equity
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