One of Leonteq's founders has decided to join Mike Baur's Swiss Start Up Factory as an investor and adviser to companies hoping to establish themselves in the market.

Two years ago, Michael Hartweg gave up his operative role at Leonteq and has since sold his stake in the derivatives specialist.

Today, he's joining the ranks of those who dropped out of the day-to-day finance business: he becomes an investor in the fledgling fintech industry, joining Swiss Start Up Factory (SSUF), the company said in a statement. Hartweg will coach founders and companies in the fintech business.

Selecting the Best

Mike Baur, a former banker at Clariden and Sallfort, founded SSUF with the purpose to support young entrepreneurs specializing in digital technologies.

Hartweg, 44, will invest in carefully selected startups developed from within the «factory», SSUF said. He will earmark those startups with potential for investors, evaluate and coach them during their development.

Accelerator Program

SSUF is planning to launch an accelerator program this summer, focusing on fintech companies. Baur's firm is working hand-in-hand with the Geneva-based fintech-accelerator Fusion.