Building an unprecedented dental customer journey 

The entrepreneurial journey of the two brothers, Reto and Alexander Wälchli, began long before they founded Cobea Ltd. They had already developed a strong entrepreneurial interest and mindset when they were working on different business ideas during their free time starting in 2015. Then, in 2020, they discovered that the trend towards self-optimization in modern society opens the door to new business opportunities. At that moment, the seeds for founding Cobea and starting the brand Alpine White were planted.

On a fast-paced journey since day one

From then on, it took off very fast. Reto and Alexander launched their teeth whitening products under the label Alpine White and soon sold them on their online shop in big retailers. With specially developed products, they have already served 150,000 customers and filled over 2,000 shelf spaces in Switzerland and Austria. These numbers prove that Cobea achieved its product market fit.

A unique combination of products and services, digitally enabled

But the whitening products are only part of their business model. In combination with oral prevention services, Cobea has formed a unique offer on the market that is available in local dental studios of their brand. Their first studio opened in Zurich at Stadelhofen train station – a bustling and well-located place – at the end of 2022. 

Alpine White puts the customer at the centre by creating a digital customer journey that provides extra value over time. This leads to loyal customers and enables the rapid scale-up of studios across Switzerland in order to meet local supply.

Having the right people is key

What is their recipe for their fast pace and success? 

● A strong willingness to learn

● A leadership team with an entrepreneurial spirit

● An extraordinary circle of advisors and investors

Among them are the bestsmile founders, who have scaled the medical retail business for transparent aligners exemplarily. Having the right people with relevant expertise and experience in key positions is crucial for the young team of Cobea to progress fast and prepare to scale internationally. «If I could give any advice to other founders, I would say: Make sure to find and hire the right people early enough. I’d even say rather too early than too late», says Reto.

Going international in Brazil and China

The focus of internationalisation lies on the Brazilian and Chinese markets. This uncommon choice was made based on foundational market research. According to Reto Wälchli, CEO of Cobea AG, China is the fastest-growing market for oral care and teeth products, while Brazil is the country where people spend most on dental care in ratio to their income. What China and Brazil have in common: They are both huge markets that are difficult to get into while not saturated yet. So once we get in, we have a good chance for a significant market share.”

Growing with debt and investor capital

To cover the marketing costs of the expansion and to open more local studios first in Switzerland and potentially in the future also in other markets, Cobea needs a lot of financial resources. Receiving the SEF.Growth label will be helpful to get more debt capital in addition to fresh investor money. «Even though more investor money means giving away more of our shares, Alexander and I want to involve investors also in this next growth phase. We prefer to have a small piece of the big cake rather than a big piece of the small cake», Reto explains.

Especially valuable: Neutral consideration from experts

The SEF.Growth Programme has led Cobea to receive the SEF.Growth label, which proves their credibility. But the young company has also benefited from the expert’s neutral views on their business. «Because of the SEF.Growth experts are not emotionally involved in the business; they can make a completely sober analysis of our business model. That was very helpful», says Reto. «Even though working towards the label involved a certain time-effort, it was totally worth it.»