Meet Stephan Kolz, CEO of Yourasset. The Zurich-based startup promises to become the premier technology platform for information and financial exchange in the hard luxury goods market, serving merchants and clients. Merchants can easily integrate the new payment solution into their e-commerce, physical or digital boutique on Yourasset.com.
Name: Stephan Kolz
Location: Zurich
Nationality: German (and soon Swiss as well. I live here since 2012)
Graduated from: University of Applied Sciences in Kufstein. CFA Charterholder since 2015
Job title: CEO & Founder
Number of employees: 5
Money raised: USD 1.3 million (to date and we are currently in our bridge funding round)
“The key principles of Yourasset are built on transparency, honesty, hard work, state-of-the-art technology, and a great team spirit.”
Can you tell us who your product or solution helps, and how?
Yourasset offers platform and payment solutions for the luxury industry. Our payment solution introduces the most popular payment option for cars (to pay monthly), luxury watches, and soon other hard luxury goods like jewellery and bags. Customers can pay for their next luxury watch over 12 to 48 months, for amounts up to CHF 150’000. Merchants can accept the payment solution in-store and online just like with a credit card. The platform provides a digital marketplace with individual digital boutiques and CMS for merchants, while customers can browse for watches, buy, sell, insure, and track their collections.
What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
The luxury watch market and the broader hard luxury goods market. The annual turnover for new and pre-owned luxury watches is CHF 70 billion, while the size of the existing market is likely above CHF 1.000 billion. Luxury watches are assets; therefore, they tend to keep their value over time or even appreciate. Yourasset is among the first actors to address that market with monthly payment options, fully integrated online and in-store. In addition, we will be amongst the first platforms to offer a comprehensive watch price tracking and trading solution so that customers can treat their watches like the assets they are.
How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
In the spring of 2019 in Hongkong when I worked for a Swiss Bank in wealth management. It suddenly occurred to me “Why am I able to finance a car, real estate, or an investment portfolio but not luxury watches despite their shared asset-like characteristics?”
What do you expect from the Venture Leaders Fintech roadshow, and how will it help you achieve your vision?
Growing the network among other Swiss fintech founders, to benefit from each other and to expand the reach of our Startup across the Venture Leaders network in the UK. A valuable network is key to long-term success.
“There is no easy way, but it is rewarding.”
What are your team’s key achievements to date?
The platform of Yourasset.com is live and we are the first to offer fully regulated monthly (financing) payment solutions for luxury watches in Switzerland in collaboration with our Swiss banking partner. We continue to onboard more merchant partners and gain traction with customers.
Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
It’s about you, our customers, our business partners, and your assets. The key principles of our company are built on transparency, honesty, hard work, state-of-the-art technology, and a great team spirit. We provide digital solutions that allow luxury merchants to fully focus on the physical customer experience and the product, while customers manage and own their data.
What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
You must figure out a lot on your own by consulting with your network. There is no easy way, but it is rewarding.
What is your favourite productivity hack/tool and why?
Taking notes and being extremely well documented. This helps to arrange all the to-dos and to tackle tasks one by one. Creative conversations and a lot of reading/research lead to new ideas.
What was your dream job when you were a child?
I wanted to become a stockbroker on Wall Street. The images and movies that showed the action happening on a trading floor completely thrilled me.
Do you recommend a podcast you want to share with us?
I tend to read a lot more than I listen to podcasts. LinkedIn, financial reports, specialized news outlets and my network are my go-to sources.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Venture Leaders Fintech 2023 were chosen from over 60 applications by an expert jury. The roadshow in London will accelerate their ventures’ growth and expand their international presence. Venture Leaders Fintech is organized in partnership with Swissnex, and supported by EPFL, ETH Zürich, Postfinance, and Walder Wyss.
Yourasset AG is a Swiss technology company that provides digital platform and monthly (financing) payment solutions designed for the luxury watch industry.
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