A story of building and investing in companies. Since 1851.

ZEN Ventures is a privately owned family office with roots in the Hastrup and Hammer families. We invest our own money, build companies and work actively with the opportunities we believe in.

We combine generations of entrepreneurial spirit with practical experience from modern companies.

Get to know us Present an opportunity

Independent capital. Entrepreneurial mindset. Long-term ownership. Hornbæk · 56°05′ N 12°27′ E

Our approach

We have sat on every side of the table.

We are sparring partners who pick up the phone. Not investors who only show up at the annual general meeting.

We have been founders, investors and advisers. Our experience spans software, fashion, green energy, fitness, real estate, web design, marketing, e-bikes and construction.

Whatever the company, we work the same way. We go all the way down into the engine room, examine the details and find out where value is really created. In day-to-day operations and in long-term strategy alike.

We invest our own money, and therefore only in what we believe in ourselves.

We have raised capital ourselves, hired the first employees, closed acquisitions and sat with the accounts late at night. We bring that experience into the companies we invest in.

The best founders are experts in their field. We contribute what it takes to build a sustainable business around their expertise: financing, legal, HR and growth.

Our core competencies are finance, strategy, M&A, scaling and digitalisation. We also have experience in raising capital and financing companies.

Capital

Own funds

We invest our own capital and have something at stake ourselves.

Involvement

Hands-on

We contribute actively with experience, sparring and operational insight.

Horizon

Long-term ownership

We focus on building lasting companies and real value over time.

Breadth

Open opportunities

We are open to new industries, partnerships and investments when we can see the potential.

Investments and companies

From idea to operations. From potential to value.

We have experience building, developing and investing in companies across industries. Some investments require capital and patience. Others require getting close to operations and helping make things work.

Our approach is adapted to each company and its needs.

Below are examples of projects, cases and types of companies we are part of.

Software · Fintech · SaaSFounded

From idea to international software business

Valyrion was founded with the ambition of building software that could compete internationally from day one.

The company was developed from idea to a commercial fintech and SaaS platform with more than 300 webshops as customers and partnerships with payment providers in Denmark and South Africa, among others. The team grew from the founding group to more than ten employees.

The journey gave us first-hand experience of the entire startup life cycle: product development, fundraising, venture capital negotiations, international sales and leading a fast-growing team.

We use that experience actively today when we assess and develop new companies. We know what it takes to stand on the founder's side of the table.

Fitness · OperationsSince 2019

Local communities with a strong business

Since 2019 we have been involved in the development and operation of Hornbæk Fitness, Gilleleje Fitness and, later, LetsMove Humlebæk Fitness.

With around 100 employees and thousands of members, fitness is a significant part of our operational experience.

Each centre has its own identity and its own local community. We develop the businesses through shared operations, digital solutions, investments in facilities and ongoing business development.

For us, good business goes hand in hand with health and community. Strong centres create good member experiences, and good member experiences contribute to healthy businesses.

We continue to develop our existing companies and are continually exploring new opportunities where our experience can create value.

Real estate · North ZealandSince 2019

The long-term foundation

Since 2019 we have invested in rental properties and built a portfolio in North Zealand with properties in Hornbæk, Gilleleje, Hørsholm and Birkerød.

The portfolio includes both commercial and residential properties. We invest with a long-term horizon and emphasise attractive locations, solid tenants and stable, ongoing income.

Real estate gives us a long-term foundation and the opportunity to combine capital allocation with active ownership and development.

Green energy · Minority investmentSince 2019

Capital for the energy transition

Since 2019 we have taken part in several funding rounds in Nordic Solar, a Danish company focused on developing and investing in solar energy.

The investment reflects our interest in companies that develop and scale long-term solutions in energy and infrastructure.

Investment model

Capital is only the beginning.

We invest in different sizes and forms. What matters is not only the company's current size, but the potential, the people behind it and the opportunity to create real value.

We are open to minority investments, larger ownership stakes, acquisitions, partnerships and new projects.

< DKK 100,000From

> DKK 10 millionTo

Depending on the project. If an opportunity requires more capital, we are happy to bring our network into play.

Company investmentsOwnership stakes in established companies with potential for development.
Startups and growth companiesCapital and experience for companies in early stages.
Real estateResidential and commercial properties with a long-term horizon.
Acquisitions and partnershipsFull or partial acquisitions and collaboration on joint projects.
New opportunities across industriesIt does not have to fit a particular box.

Do you have a project we should look at?

Present an opportunity

Family history

A story of building on. Since 1851.

ZEN Ventures builds on a family history in which initiative, company building and the will to create something new have recurred through generations.

From 19th-century industrial entrepreneurship to modern software companies and investments, the Hastrup and Hammer families have carried on a tradition of seeing opportunities and turning them into businesses.

We see history as a foundation, not a limitation. Each generation builds on the one before and finds its own opportunities.

1851
The story begins

Naval captain O.C. Hammer and Henriette Hastrup marry. It marks the beginning of the family history that forms the background for ZEN Ventures today.
Late 1800s
Entrepreneurial spirit and industry

O.C. Hammer founds various companies, including a sawmill in Sweden.

The story bears witness to an early willingness to create and develop businesses across industries and national borders.
Mid-1900s
Hastrup & Co. A/S

Knud Erik Hastrup carries on the family's entrepreneurial spirit and founds Hastrup & Co. A/S.

From the factory in Herlev, the company sells furniture to several European countries. The company becomes an example of the family's ability to build an industrial business with international reach.
2019
A new generation of investors

The families' activities include investments in software, fitness, real estate and green energy, among other areas.

With experience from both operations and investing, the families develop their approach to long-term value creation.
Today
ZEN Ventures

Gustav Hammer and Frederik Hastrup-Johansson lead the investment team behind ZEN Ventures.

Gustav Hammer
Co-founder & Investment Lead

Frederik Hastrup-Johansson
Co-founder & Investment Lead

With respect for the family's history and a focus on future opportunities, they combine entrepreneurship, capital and active involvement in companies.

Contact

The next story begins with an opportunity.

We are always interested in meeting people with ambitions, companies with potential and projects where our experience and capital can make a difference.

It does not have to fit a particular box. What matters is that there is real potential and a good foundation for building something long-term.

You can reach us at kontakt@zenventures.dk