“The unique eyeball ecosystem, signed Custos, not only enables Brands to digitally reach the relevant worldwide audience, but also unleashes a powerful connectivity with eyeball engagement and the ability to transact with your customers, causing a dramatic increase in sales and brand awareness, globally.”
£275 million
SINCE 2019 SALES GENERATED FOR BRANDS/CLIENTS
707 million
AUDIENCE WORLDWIDE REACH
2 150
BRANDS & CAMPAIGNS IN OUR NETWORK
116 450
INFLUENCERS IN OUR NETWORK
The Custos Team embraces not only change, but is passionate about Disruptive Innovation
DISRUPT OR BE DISRUPTED
That is the question– in particular for business and industry leaders. Custos an Investment Company and rapidly emergent Media House is powered by a passion to change the world through their own brand of Disruptive Innovation. The Custos Group invests in start-up and young companies as well as more established entities geared for change. They kick-start and accelerate growth for their ventures by providing access to the Custos Group ecosystem, offering inventive assets and unique venture expertise.
The Custos Ventures part of the team works closely with Group Companies to provide fast access to the market with their ”Go to Market Muscle.” Mentorship and growth financing are readily made available. Custos & Addreax Group have launched a truly ground-breaking media-for-revenue and media-for-equity business model (opening the door to advertising time in return for revenue-sharing or equity).
The Custos history is rich in successful investment/disruption, having divested several portfolio companies at extraordinary multiples on an investment. Others are now standing by for public offerings. We are looking for the enterprising disruptive innovators of tomorrow and world-beaters in Digital Disruption.
DISRUPTION
Custos is 100% focused on applying digital disruption in all our businesses.
INNOVATION
Custos is 100% committed to Digital Innovation. We have established Custos Lab for this purpose.
INSIGHT
The Custos team is 100% equipped with deep insight into business models, AI, Big Data, Technology, Leadership, Knowledge and Network Capital.
Worlds largest
Phone Company
Without owning
Telecom infrastructure
Worlds largest
Movie House
Without owning
Cinemas
Worlds largest
Media Owner
Without owning
Content
Worlds largest
Software Vendor
Without owning
Apps
Worlds largest
Music Streamer
Without owning
Intellectual property
CUSTOS HAS ITS ROOTS DEEP INTO THE HEART OF SWEDEN’S INDUSTRIAL HISTORY
In 1937 Custos was founded by the renowned Swedish bank, Skandinaviska Kredit as an investment vehicle, the primary purpose of which was the acquisition of shares the bank had received following the collapse of Ivar Kreuger’s financial empire during the Great Depression of the 1930s. From that time forward, the continued injection of shares into Custos permitted the investment firm to gain control of strategic stakes in blue chip companies such as Volvo, Skanska, Swedish Match, SEB, SCA, Hufvudstaden, and Billerud.
Although every Company is a story, the Custos narrative is a muse of business sustainability, mixed with a firm commitment to investor and consumer resources in the corporate world. The Custos narrative boasting a power bolt history based not only on its origins, but on its most empowering journey of growth and expansion tells a story of evolving trends, thriving financial environment and connected commerce. It is this journey that which made Custos a successful enterprise careening at full speed into the second decade of the 21st Century. Empowering yes—but how does the narrative come alive? Thanks to a resourceful concept, a pioneering team, and belief in the Custos brand the venture proved to be an exceedingly lucrative investment for its shareholders. This equation earned Custos the eminent reputation as one of the most powerful and influential NewEra investment companies listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.
In 2004 Custos merged with another market quoted investment company, Investment AB Öresund. Several years thereafter, Investment AB Öresund sold the Custos trademark, promoting the impetus leading the company to once more conquer the investment world.
Custos is a well renowned, registered organization owning the globally recognised trademark that captures attention in the financial realm. Consequently, Christen-Ager-Hanssen majority owner of Custos is proud to announce that plans are on conference table for a new chapter in the Custos narrative—the listing of Custos on the London Stock Exchange or Nasdaq/OMX—and all within 2021.
CEO MESSAGE
Whereas Sweden is the land of the Unicorn, Stockholm is akin to Silicon Valley, boasting one of the hottest tech hubs in the world. In fact many of the most exciting revenue-driven companies with global reach such as Spotify, Skype and Minecraft, have been incubated there.
Stockholm runs through our DNA, empowering us to utilise our advertising space as invaluable crowdfunding to kick-start the bleeding edge ventures of tomorrow. With our barrier -shattering innovation, and all inclusive strategies, we have the know how to unlock the potential of any B2C company, providing access to our incomparable ”Go to Market Muscle” in one of the world’s most adaptable and electrifying markets.
Centered on navigating cross-generational companies through various level projects, we help them transition their organisations, middle-market groups, and start-ups into well-positioned businesses with potential for attaining their aspirations and goals in a highly competitive arena.
Sweden is often viewed as a frontrunner both in adopting pioneering technologies, and in setting consumer trends that impact on a grand scale. With this track record, our objective is to propagate globally, the Scandinavian philosophy, work ethic, and business history of disruption.
Why not join us on our journey and tap into our expertise, resources and success proven insights?
Custos Ecosystem
Custos is an International Investment Firm and world-wide Media House that has created a unique platform with a highly differentiated strategy, targeting world-beaters and tomorrow’s enterprising disruptive innovators. Custos invests in young companies as well as more established businesses geared for expansion and change.
Custos kick-starts and accelerates growth for their ventures by providing access to the Custos ecosystem, offering media exposure, inventive assets and out of the stratosphere venture expertise. Our investment team works closely with other group controlled media companies or media partners to equip our ventures with fast access to the market, through the Custos appropriately named, «Go to Market Muscle» (audience connectivity).
Custos focuses on investing in disruptive innovations in different sectors, as well as investing in enticing Media Assets. With a long history in the Investment industry, the Custos team boasts equally powerful knowledge and experience. Our capacity to connect and pin-point opportunities is unique. Custos Board and Management have proven a strong track record such as IPOs, Industrial Exits and Industrial Placements of TMT companies at extraordinary multiple.
Custos is an active Member of BVCA (British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association).
Custos is a Venture Capital Firm, a Private Equity Enterprise and Media House with origin from over 80 years ago. In 2014 the Investment Company was acquired by Christen Ager-Hanssen, innovative entrepreneur and investor with a futuristic mind-set and little tolerance for unprofitability in the business world.
Mr. Ager-Hanssen perennially ahead of the curve, and equipped with MRI vision created the Custos operational excellence algorithm with the intent to re-design the business world. Today, the Custos Company invests in ventures based on his Disruptive Investment Model developed in the mid '90s when he amassed a fortune pioneering the Internet Industry. Think end of 20th Century Internet Visionary, and the name Ager-Hanssen surfaces.
Custos is far from a single business enterprise. Its across the board sectors include media, technology and telecoms mainly active in UK and Scandinavia. We operate with an expansive and flexible investment focus, opportunistic in approach, but without abandoning our sustainable strategies. Ager-Hanssen's strategic-opportunist model nets a continual flow of revenues. Practically limitless in scope we are also open to “complex / special situation” contingencies. The Custos approach, given its long and successful history and winning track record, is about building long term and lucrative partnerships and relationships with all whom we conduct business.
In 2018 Ager-Hanssen’s Investment Model, Custos 5C meticulously represents his Disruptive Investment Model. With a Swedish subsidiary, the Custos Group is far from a newcomer. Its roots run deep into the heart of Sweden’s industrial history. In 1937 AB Custos was founded by Skandinaviska Kredit as an investment vehicle, the primary purpose of which was the acquisition of shares the bank had received following the 1930’s market crash. During that time, AB Custos controlled strategic stakes in companies such as Volvo, Skanska, Swedish Match, SEB, SCA, Huvudstaden, and Billerud. The business proved to be extremely lucrative, earning Custos the eminent reputation as one of the most powerful and influential investment companies in Sweden.
Custos is led by Group CEO, Christen Ager-Hanssen, an internationally renowned global internet “solopreneur,”/ entrepreneur and Venture Capitalist, whose track record did shake-up the business world with his pioneering success in the movement to commercialise the internet in the 1990s. Ager-Hanssen has disrupted every industry that he has ever been involved in: telecom, whether technology, finance, law or media. This philosophy of disruption has been the very foundation of Ager-Hanssen and now also Custos business theories and philosophies.
Today, as an Investment Firm and Media House, Custos is a unique platform with a highly differentiated strategy, targeting world-beaters and enterprising disruptive innovators of tomorrow. Custos operates from its headquarters in Mayfair, London and offices in Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway.
Our business model recognises that investments require a great deal more than financial capital
Custos creates, develops and transforms companies into successful enterprises, capitalising on opportunities involving the complete business cycle. How? by going full circle, beyond the initial steps of supplying financing capital.
Custos emphasises the non-financial capital contribution of know-how, research and ideas, applied through the Custos strong resource pool.
New businesses need strong commercial guidance and determination combined with new logic insight and boldness – not just cash.
Established businesses need the ability to apply fresh logic, and insight into old business models but the capability to both create and execute a transformation.
Custos has the vision, the resources and the infrastructure to exploit new industrial knowledge and to fuel dramatic growth in potential ventures & portfolio companies.
We give our ventures the following:
Access to Audience
Access to people and companies
Access to research and ideas
Access to know-how
Access to money
We have an unique and truly disruptive investment model
Custos emphasises the non-financial capital contribution of marketing, know-how, research and ideas, applied through its resource pool inclusive of its unique access to key market audiences.
Custos places confidence in its “Go to Market Muscle” as the essential reason for the success of our portfolio companies. Most investment firms focus exclusively on financial capital and/or advice. Custos, however, steps out of the box, bringing all the 5CAPITAL ś – Financial, Operational, Innovation, Network and (most important) Human (Audience Capital).
Custos is convinced that new businesses require not just cash, but strong commercial guidance and determination, combined with new disruptive logic and boldness.
Custos believes that for established businesses to survive, they must rely on the adroitness to transfuse disruptive new logic into their old business models, and the proficiency to create and execute a disruptive transformation.
Custos has the vision, the resources and the infrastructure to make the most of new industrial knowledge, disruptive transformation as well as digital disruption, to kick start ventures and to fuel dramatic growth in our portfolio companies through our unique, one of a kind access to Human Capital (audience access and connectivity).
Custos is led by an experienced Investment and Venture team, with deep knowledge of strategy, investments and risk management.
The team behind Custos has worked together for decades and has the necessary skills to see the potential of companies’ businesses and the ability to create value as evidenced by its proven track record of creating, developing, nurturing and building successful partnerships and businesses.
Custos has access to a worldwide audience and we will find synergies for our business ventures within our ecosystem or with our external partners.Custos also has a history of disrupting traditional business models in many different industries including legal services, finance, telecom, technology and media, to name a few. While Custos is always aware of the laws, regulations and traditions of the environments and business sectors in which we operate, the Custos team is never frightened of breaking boundaries (but never rules) and challenging the norm in the pursuit of success.
The Custos team has always had a passion and focus to lead and innovate in whichever industry we decide to invest in. We have a desire for disruptive innovation and get excited about making the impossible possible. Whether introducing our network, providing leading intellectual support, guidance and experience on operations or visionary marketing opportunities, there is always a ”passion for disruption” in everything we do.
CUSTOS Investment MODEL
Investments require a great deal more than financial capital. New businesses need strong commercial guidance and determination combined with new logic insight and boldness – not just cash.
Custos places confidence in its “Go to Market Muscle” as the essential reason for the success of our portfolio companies. Most investment firms focus exclusively on financial capital and/or advice. Custos, however, steps out of the box, bringing all the 5 CAPITAL ś – Financial, Operational, Innovation, Network and Human (Audience Capital).
Ecosystem
Custos Group is an ecosystem for businesses and innovations. We will find synergies within the group and have valuable access to the market. We build partnerships across industries.
We create, develop and transform companies for success, capitalising on opportunities involving the entire business cycle. This accomplished by going beyond bringing Financial Capital.
INVESTMENT APPROACH
Custos is looking for disruptive innovations. Investing in new technology and the media industry. Content of tomorrow and world-beaters in digital disruption.
We believe in people and ideas! Do you have an innovative venture? Contact our team.
Audience Capital
Access to marketing in key markets such as Scandinavia, UK and The US.
Innovation Capital
Research new areas for investment, understand markets and competitors, develop new business models and seek out M&A opportunities.
Network and Infrastructure Capital
Connected across Europe, USA and Asia with business activities already bridged between UK, US, China and Scandinavia.
Operational Capital
Allocates appropriate resources to fuel the portfolio company.
Opportunity to bring substantial additional value
Custos builds personal relationships based on trust, the integrity of products and services, and the ability to make innovative investment decisions netting high profitability quotients Custos creates, develops and transforms success oriented companies capitalizing on opportunities and financial tools involving the complete business cycle. We accomplish this by surpassing funding decisions using a wide range of investment criteria and by stepping out of the box to go beyond financial capital, including the Custos 5Capital Model with which we apply to all our investment opportunities. Custos is an active expansion venture capital investor open to majority or minority stakes in companies we invest in, although we prefer to influence the value creation of our investments . While we have a global investment focus, key interest presently targets the UK, Europe, and USA.
Opportunity to bring substantial additional value
Portfolio synergies that can be exploited Internet-related technology/content
A clear route to profitability
Potential to refine or replace business model where appropriate
Potential for rapid marketplace penetration and potential to lead in chosen market of significant size
Scalable business and revenues
Transaction or subscription based systems Access and exploit assets such as customer base, billing systems Management team capability for expansion Potential to scale geographically, exploiting Custos´ networks Potential to scale rapidly, exploiting Custos´ know-how Potential to realise value via synergistic combination with other investment from other portfolios.
Raises barriers to entry
Via defensible intellectual assets, relationships/partnerships and momentum/speed/penetration
CUSTOS PREFERENCES
Drawing on limitless resources, we focus on B2B2C or B2C sectors, including ecommerce, big data, AI, and internet-related technology/content
We pin-point globally scalable businesses with the potential for rapid marketplace penetration and the commitment to lead in a chosen market of significant importance
Our proven business model, extensive market research, and entrepreneurial market experience are an unobstructed path to profitability
Custos offers an exceptional management network comprised of savvy professionals with product expertise whose strong drives and ambitions are consistently sustainable.
We work with an overview and preference for disruptive innovation and the potential to refine or disrupt/replace business models when appropriate for investment growth
Custos has a preference for automated revenue streams and transaction or subscription based systems
Pre-earnings businesses are of interest assuming they meet the venture capital investment criteria, although pre-revenue businesses typically fall outside the venture capital investment benchmark