Team
Investing in technology companies requires a deep knowledge and network. From correctly identifying the long-term trends that can trigger explosive growth, to picking the companies best positioned to leverage these secular trends, to navigating the various relationships in order to access the cap table of these tech leaders – you need to be playing in traffic to successfully invest in the tech space.
TOP has assembled a team of seasoned professionals with extensive experience assessing, investing, and exiting private tech companies. The individuals have been active in technology since the early 90’s, building deep-rooted relationships with key stakeholders (founders and executives, top-decile VC’s, angel investors and board members). Over the years, members of the team have invested in/advised on several billion dollars-worth of tech investments.
Richard Rimer
Richard has been working in partnership with Bedrock since 2013. In 2014, Richard launched TOP-Direct to invest in iconic, blue-chip, private, internet-related companies. In 2018, he launched TOP-Venture to allocate capital to best-in-class Venture GPs. Richard has had primary responsibility for deploying c. $1B of equity for the TOP family of funds. Before TOP, Richard was an active direct investor in both early- and late-stage technology businesses. He joined Index Ventures in 2001 where he was a partner in the life science practice. Prior to Index, Richard built Europe’s largest specialty pharmacy – MediService – which was acquired by Galenica (GALE.SW) and has become a pillar of its retail business. From 1990 to 1993 Richard worked in Zurich for McKinsey & Co.. He graduated from Stanford University with B.A.’s in Economics, and History and an MA in International Policy Studies.
Salman Farmanfarmaian
Salman joined TOP in 2014. He has been an entrepreneur and venture capitalist for the past 20 years. He co-founded ZEM, which pioneered the use of lithium-ion batteries in the maritime industry and was acquired by Volvo. Previously he had worked at Index Ventures, where he focused on clean-technology investments. Salman started his post-MBA career as an investment banker with Barclays and then a VC at SCP Partners. He received a BA in Computer Science from Harvard University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Raphaëlle Aubert
Raphaëlle joined TOP in 2018. She began her career working as an analyst for a fund management company, where she was responsible for analysing market and macroeconomic activity, as well as sourcing new investments. She then went on to work for a consulting firm, specialising in restructuring and fundraising, and was involved with developing the financial, strategic and marketing plans for Banks and Investors. Raphaëlle graduated top of her class in 2013, earning a masters degree in macroeconomics from Panthéon-Assas University, Paris.
Advisory Board
TOP has assembled an advisory board composed of 5 reference tech executives. These are leaders in their respective spaces, who are defining the future of technology and are a critical part of the TOP value proposition.