Active ownership

Via Summa

Our ownership approach – Via Summa

Summa’s success is driven by a proven method: focusing on carefully selected investment themes, applying a rigorous methodology to drive impact, and unlocking each assets’ full potential through Summa’s unique ownership approach – Via Summa.

Via Summa represents our commitment to genuine partnership with our portfolio companies. Grounded in mutual trust and shared objectives, we work closely with outstanding management teams, boards, and advisors. Together, we explore and unlock the full potential of each company, providing the support needed to achieve extraordinary success.

Our ownership approach ensures that every investment delivers strong financial performance while contributing meaningfully to environmental and social progress. It is anchored in five core pillars and supported by a dedicated team of experienced operators and industry experts.

Infobric

A successful exit after 4 years with strong M&A, product expansion and commercial excellence

Infobric is a construction software company focused on protecting workers and assets sustainably. Summa invested in Infobric in February 2019, recognizing its potential to drive significant impact and value creation.

Generated SEK 182m in revenues in 2019, but with untapped growth potential within:

  • Product innovation and expansion
  • Buy & build for stronger footprint
  • Organizational platform

Infobric

Why Summa invested in Infobric:

  • Supported by several megatrends
  • Significant impact to do in the sector
  • Resilient business model and strong value creation potential
  • Leading market positioning

During the holding period, Summa took the company to a new level by focusing on our four pillars:

  • Developed a growth plan with focus on:
  • Tools to build a high-performing organization
  • Strong focus on product innovation and go to market
  • Scale the platform through add-ons  

Infobric

In 2022 we did a partial exit, and Stirling Square acquired the company. During the holding period the following was achieved:

  • Transitioned to a hardware-enabled software company with 78% recurring revenues.
  • Set out a clear vision for international growth e.g. entering UK in 2021
  • The organization increased from 73 full time employees to 310 in 2023.

Strengthening organizational platform with key hirings (CFO, CRO, CHRO+)

Read more
1 / 3

Toolbox

Ensure strategic resilience

Across value creation initiatives and operations, Summa focuses on developing a robust vision and strategy to ensure resilience. Resilient businesses are prepared for both opportunities and disruption. Our acquisitions are based on an understanding of the underlying theory of change – after acquisition we help management to develop a robust, future-oriented strategy as a solid foundation for growth based on this understanding. We agree on a strategic plan that addresses the short-, mid- and long-term and which integrates the commercial and impact objectives. This plan will be reviewed and optimized on a regular basis in the board meetings and discussed in portfolio reviews. And very importantly it will be backed up with OKRs to ensure that the strategy is implemented and that the company stays focused. If companies have no experience with OKRs the Summa team supports to train the organization.

People are at the heart of success

Summa places a strong focus on securing strong leadership and culture and invests to build high-performing organizations. For organizations to create a lasting, positive impact, strong leadership and unwavering integrity are essential. Core Via Summa programs are built around this belief – putting people first to cultivate strong executive leadership, thriving organizations, and boards that inspire and engage.

Our programs include:

  • Boards with impact – Building effective boards and providing opportunities to learn and grow as well as network across the portfolio
  • Organizational health surveys – Evaluating organizational effectiveness to identify clear, actionable areas for improvement – empowering portfolio companies to thrive
  • CEO Learning Journey – A dedicated forum where CEOs challenge themselves and their organizations, connect with peers, and gain insights from leading academic minds
  • Leadership trainings – Fostering leadership capabilities at all levels across portfolio companies to build resilient, future-ready organizations
  • Support for management teams – Helping leadership teams align, perform, and evolve through targeted support that drives sustainable growth
  • CXO roundtables – Creating space for open dialogue among C-suite leaders to share experiences, tackle challenges, and grow together

High-grade product and tech

Our companies impact the world through their products and services. By driving R&D velocity, product expansion and digitalization initiatives, Summa aims to high-grade product and tech stake. Companies benefit from focusing on customer needs in their product teams to stay competitive, there is a strong need to help on process and steering to improve velocity and with tapping into digitization and especially AI opportunities. Via Summa supports rigorous R&D, strategic product expansion, and digitization efforts, empowering our businesses to deliver superior products that create lasting positive impact.

  • Tech and AI
  • Product
  • R&D

Boosting the commercial engine

Summa strengthens revenue generation and optimizes go-to-market strategies, helping portfolio companies expand their customer base and impact. With a structured diagnostic we assess the biggest levers for boosting a company’s revenue engine in DD and in a refined version during the first weeks of the partnership. Depending on the findings we very often bring in a specialized advisor to help companies address specifically the focus areas and to efficiently capture opportunities and reach more customers.

  • Value proposition and ICP definition
  • (Re-) branding
  • Lead generation and conversion optimization
  • Customer success, cross- and upselling
  • Churn prevention
  • Sales efficiency
  • Pricing and packaging

Scale the platform

Ambitious impact demands scale. Summa focuses on building robust financial reporting systems, implementing necessary policies to support scalability, and using AI to increase efficiency. This includes ensuring performance and operational excellence by enabling good oversight of both risks and opportunities. Based on scalable core systems, Summa guides portfolio companies in successful international expansion, value-enhancing acquisitions, and synergy realization to amplify their impact.

  • Finance – “Best in class” CFO function
  • Internationalization
  • M&A
  • Post merger integration / reorganisation
  • Lean operations and efficiency programs
1 / 5

Via Summa during the investment life cycle

Via Summa works actively with board and management from due diligence during ownership period to a successful exit.

Team

Does your company solve global challenges

Summa is always on the lookout for innovative organizations that are tackling global challenges and making a positive impact on the world. We are always interested in connecting with like-minded individuals and companies who share our passion for creating a sustainable future.