Available as Hardcover and eBook
294 pages | English
Hardcover - ISBN: 9783819243981
Switzerland: Exlibris, Orell Füssli, BoD, Stämpfli Verlag
eBook - ISBN: 9783769382440
Switzerland: Exlibris, Orell Füssli, BoD, Stämpfli Verlag
Tension is natural
Tension is built into every venture - by design. The book SYNERGY5 VENTURES - From Tension to Traction shows you how to turn that tension into traction, using synergetic WIN5 Actions that systematically align what matters: founders, employees, customers, markets & investors and the core problem-solution fit.
Whether you're a founder trying to keep vision, funding, burn rate, and team aligned; an early employee pushing for clarity in the chaos; an innovation lead navigating project speed within corporate silos; a senior executive caught between strategic vision and quarterly bottom line results; an investor trying to read between polished decks and KPIs; or an ecosystem builder working to connect capital, ideas, and people - this book gives you a clear method to deal with the tensions that decide whether a venture gains real traction or burns resources without progress.
Multiperspective
For founders, employees, executives, investors, and ecosystem builders alike: Learn how to align what truly matters – founders, employees, customers, markets & investors and the problem/solution fit– with the SYNERGY5 Model and WIN5 Actions. No buzzwords. No theory slides.
Packed with actionable tools to save years of effort and millions in misaligned investment.
SYNERGY5: Not a typical Venture Book
This book distills 30 years of experience, 50+ ventures, and 100+ field-tested lessons into a clear, actionable execution guide. It not only deals with startup development and financing, but also examines the topic from multiple perspectives, focusing on the tensions between the central problem-solution fit and founders, employees, customers, markets & investors. The key point is that you learn how to transform these tensions into real traction through synergistic actions in the five perspectives; in a very concrete and practical way.
You'll learn with SYNERGY5:
Perform WIN5 Actions that turn tension into traction – across validation, execution, and growth.
In Part A: Understand the goals and tensions of all key players – as the basis for sharper investment judgment.
In Part B: See how WIN5 moves drive validation, launch, and scaling – and where execution goes off-track.
In Part C: Solve critical challenges in pricing, equity, planning, funding, and delivery – the root of many post-investment headaches.
In Part D: Apply real-world growth hacks on retention, monetization, and product-led scaling.
In Part E: Identify emerging venture models and learn when a studio setup makes sense.
50+
30
Co-Created Ventures
Years of
Experience
100+
Field tested lessons
About the Author Peach Zwyssig
Peach Zwyssig is an entrepreneur and venture builder with 30 years of experience, often described as a «positive energy bomb.» He began his career in 1995 as an apprentice in computer science, and by 1997, he had already founded his first company offering internet services and websites. Later, he joined Accenture before growing foryouandyourcustomers into an organization of over 130 employees with 14 branches by 2019.
Eight years later, he co-founded Axelra, Switzerland's leading tech venture builder, scaling it from scratch to more than 25 employees with consistently profitability. Axelra has accelerated over 45 ventures, creating more than 250 jobs and securing a strong reputation in the European startup ecosystem. The Financial Times recognized Axelra in 2024 as Switzerland's top startup hub and acceleration program.
He has co-built 10 ventures in which he held significant stakes and raised over CHF 100 million in funding and sales. Throughout his career, he has played multiple roles, each offering valuable lessons:
As an entrepreneur, he discovered that building ventures is tough, demanding relentless energy - but it's also deeply rewarding and exciting.
As a consultant, he found he could help others grow, but was somewhat insulated from real accountability and the harsh conflicts of startup life.
As a venture builder, he was right in the middle, experiencing tension from every angle: founder, investor, employee, market, and customer. In over 50 ventures, he witnessed firsthand how the same conflicts and tensions arose repeatedly.
As a board member, he worked across his own and external ventures with diverse board setups, governance models, and maturity stages - each bringing its own challenges and dynamics.
As an investor, he learned to balance conviction with timing - investing his own money, time, and others' capital into ventures where he could actively contribute, not just financially but with insight, access, and real belief.
To broaden the perspectives and enhance the practical relevance of this book, i've invited a diverse group of experienced professionals to share their views and lessons learned. Their guest comments, cases, and reflections add valuable depth and real-world perspective:
Dr. Jan Kraner
It’s All About the Cheese: Finding Purpose Beyond Linear Success
Manuel Hartmann
Scale Sales or Die Trying: From Message-Market Fit to Repeatable B2B Revenue
Josef Stadler
What Endures: Inner Maturity, the Right Partner & Meaningful Rules
Martina Waser
No Pink Tax, Just Sharp Ideas – Listening Closely to Customers
Dominique Rey
From Audit Trails to Tech Trails: Why Friction Fuels the Real Journey
Thierry Barbey
Aligning Stakes & Spirits: Why a Balanced Captable Is a Strategic Asset
Executive Board Axelra
Personal lessons learnt from Building at Axelra with Lucas Pelloni, Sacha Uhlmann, Severin Wullschleger, Dr. Thomas Bocek.
Dr. Teddy Amberg
From Sparring to Scaling: How Founder-Investor Tensions fuel Ventures Success
About the Guest Contributors
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