Jean-David BENICHOU

Time to step up Germany 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 Corporations have pledged to invest €15bn in France at the “Choose France” summit — an annual event held since 2018 to facilitate foreign investments in the country. A large chunk of the money will be dedicated to AI. Microsoft stole the show after announcing its largest investment in France to date, a €4bn cash envelope to build more data centres — and expand existing ones — across the country by the end of 2025. The focus is on increasing the capacity of GPUs, which are needed to run large AI models. Amazon also announced that it’ll invest €1.2bn to further develop its French cloud and AI infrastructure. Quantum computing was also on the agenda. IBM pledged to invest €45m to expand the company’s research efforts in France. Up to 50 quantum researchers and engineers will be recruited in the country in the next year.

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A powerful speech. Worth hearing https://lnkd.in/eFvsmaq8

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💟 This is the kind of news that makes you love Venture Capital! 🦄🇫🇷 Some will only remember the €1.5 billion exit for a French company. It's not a UNICORN valuation, it's a real EXIT! 3️⃣ 6️⃣ Some will only remember the x36 multiple on investment. 💥 Some will only remember the €175 million proceeds returned to the funds with a single operation. 👑What I'll remember, is Denis Ladegaillerie's passion, vision, and ambition. These are the keys to success. Excited to share this fantastic news for Believe, for Ventech, but also for the entire Tech ecosystem! 🚀 #VentureCapital #SuccessStory cc France Digitale

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Tomorrow I’m lucky to be hosting a panel with three exceptional founders: - Gilles Gaillard - Co-founder of Animaj, raised 100m EUR (in equity and debt) in 2023 to build an AI-powered animation studio that counts 𝗮 stunning 15 billion (!) YouTube views per year. Animaj acquires animation and cartoon franchises to turn them into digital-first content and amplifies their distribution using AI. - Baptiste Jamin - Co-founder of Crisp IM, 42 alumni, also can be called the “King of Bootstrap”. He started building chatbots in 2015, 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹. Crisp centralises all customer interactions through live chat, chatbots, and a shared inbox. Today Crisp serves over 600,000 companies without raising any funds. - Vincent SIMON - Co-founder of Relationchips and founder of Simundia. Vincent is a serial entrepreneur & investor who founded a coaching platform that raised over 15m EUR & is currently working on a no-code sales workflow platform. What do they have in common? They started their career as freelancers and worked their way up to become highly successful entrepreneurs. 👉 Join us at Le Wagon tomorrow at 7pm to hear their story. We’ll also host a networking session for you to meet people from our community who are working on projects that might interest you. 🔗Link to register in the comments.

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What are some valuable insights into the European startup ecosystem? I recently had the opportunity to read an insightful discussion between two established investors in the European venture space - Saul Klein of LocalGlobe and Raluca Ragab of Eurazeo. At the TechCrunch StrictlyVC event in London, they generously shared their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges facing founders and investors across the continent (for source or entire article see comment). While the fundamentals of starting and scaling a high-growth business remain similar everywhere, Saul and Raluca highlighted some key differences that impact the European landscape. One aspect they discussed was the relative lack of liquidity events compared to the U.S., which makes returns riskier for investors. With fewer large exits, it can be more difficult to attract later stage capital. 🔝 At the same time, both highlighted many promising qualities of Europe's startup hubs. Talent pools are deep, and multinational collaboration comes naturally to entrepreneurs in the region. Government programs also aim to foster innovation, and COVID has accelerated the digital transformation of traditional industries 🏭. However, Klein and Ragab's perspectives underscore the work that still needs to be done in Europe to catch up with the U.S. exit environment. Their balanced view got me thinking about how to strengthen Europe's network effects in the long term. As leaders seeking to build an inclusive world of shared prosperity, what innovative strategies could help connect the continent's many vibrant startup ecosystems? I'd love to hear your thoughts. #D11ZVentures #techcrunch #FutureOfTech #VCInsights

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🚀 Unlocking Startup Studio Secrets! 🔍 Here’s a sneak peek into what sets successful startup studios apart: Team Matters 👥: Entrepreneurial experience is crucial. No experience? Big red flag! 🚩 Interest Alignment 📈: Misaligned interests with investors can derail fundraising. Check for positive EBITDA or exit investments before startups. 🚩 Focused Approach 🎯: Avoid spreading resources too thin. Specialization is key to success. 🏆 Financial Health 💸: Ensure the studio is well-capitalized with a strong investor network. 🔑 Want to dive deeper into these insights? Read our full article to learn more about creating a thriving startup studio! 📖✨

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The Startup Tech Stack 2024 by Ollie Forsyth Huge startup tech map packed with ressources to build ventures from the ground up👇 Row 1 👀 Product: Support in making products better Security / KYC: Customer onboarding and compliance Marketing: Website builders, data collecting and more Fintech / Insurance: Payment providers, expense management and insurance Row 2 🎯 Collaboration and project management tools HR: Employee onboarding and payroll Fundraising: Cap table management and investor reporting Analytics: Product analytics Row 3 🚀 Customer Service: Customer support Cloud: Cloud providers Sales: Closing deals faster Employee Benefits: Giving your team great benefits Brand: Design platforms Row 4 🏁 Productivity: Tools to save you time Data: Data & analytics CRM: Customer relationship management tools Automations: Automations for your startup Legal: Sign docs quickly 🛎 What to do next 1. Tag a founder who might find this useful 2. Tag a company that you are missing #letsbuild #venturebuilding #startup #techstack #prototyping #mvp

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When I founded Hexa (eFounders) with Thibaud Elziere back in 2011, the term Startup Studio hadn't been coined yet; it emerged around 2014. In 2019, #TeamEntrepreneurship was termed to showcase how we operate as a studio amidst the growing number of Studios. At Hexa, we've established 14 core principles, our "Hexa Cheat Sheet," reflecting our values and mission for the next decade. Fueled with Ambition and Driven by Purpose Discover more in the full article & pdf in the first comment.

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What do you need to be top quartile as a SaaS company in Europe? Sébastien Le Roy started to share the results of the Serena European SaaS benchmark during #Saastr Europa this week. Great way to quickly check whether you’re on track for a next VC round or simply what you have to improve. More results coming soon with the whole report.

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French AI startup H raises $220M seed round Paris-based startup H, formerly known as Holistic AI, secures an extraordinary $220 million #seed round shortly after its inception, a rarity in the #startup world. Led by a stellar founding team, including former researchers and employees of Google DeepMind, H focuses on developing #AI agents to automate tasks traditionally performed by humans. Co-founder and CEO Charles A. Kantor, a former #Stanford researcher, leads the team, which includes veterans of DeepMind such as Karl Tuyls, Laurent Sifre, @Daan Wierstra, and Julien Perolat. H aims to revolutionize productivity with its "frontier action models," targeting sectors where #automation can significantly enhance efficiency. Investors comprise a diverse group, including billionaires like Eric Schmidt and Bernard Arnault, VC funds like Accel and FirstMark Capital, and strategic backers like Amazon, Samsung Electronics, and UiPath. For more information: https://lnkd.in/dfMxMvJZ #AI #Startup #SeedRound #Innovation

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Whether you're a French startup founder or investing in the French tech ecosystem, this is a must-have resource: The Serena 2024 Edition of the Ultimate VC List is live! Fundraising can be incredibly time-consuming. That’s why, back in 2016, Serena created the Ultimate VC List to streamline the process for entrepreneurs in France. Now an interactive platform, it has supported over 100,000 entrepreneurs and VCs in the ecosystem. Some key trends Sébastien Le Roy and Maxime Furet spotted when putting this edition together: 🚀 The French VC ecosystem is thriving with new funds like Resonance, OVNI Capital, Yellow, and Varsity, signaling a vibrant and expanding market. 🌍 There’s increased interest from US and European funds for French startups, particularly in AI and climate tech, and a rise in non-traditional investors such as Business Angel Clubs and Family Offices (which are now covered by a new section). 🔧 Infrastructure investors are playing a critical role in funding innovative hybrid models amid global warming challenges. ♻️ The growing presence of impact VCs highlights the focus on socially and environmentally impactful investments.

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Europe needs more successful Founders Nothing will accelerate European tech more. Nothing... Founders with huge success stories, IPOs, exits Founders who go again With knowledge and conviction to build better, faster, bigger Founders who invest...advise....coach... San Fran has nailed this - successful operators everywhere you look. Been there, done it - on tap! Skype, Spotify, Revolut - Europe is starting to catch up and I'm excited to see the next generation break through... #venturecapital #europeantech Interesting article from Sifted discussing the impact of Founders returning to build businesses

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IA funding is (still) surging. As uncertainty continues in the start-up ecosystem, IA is still trending. For example the amount raised by AI media generation deals doubles since Q4 2023. But one spot seem to be left on the side : AI tools for investors. VC are betting big on AI but aren’t using AI at all to make better bets. And the AI castle might crumble one day. The CEO of Hugging Face is already warning that dozens of founders are reaching out on a weekly basis to be acquired. So there might be a lot of losing bets still alive. So why so few start-ups are working to solve this issue? Is it because the market is to small? Is it because VCs don’t believe in a data-driven approach (I don’t believe in this one, VCs are too smart to not try something new)? Or simply nobody’s building in this ecosystem? A few start-ups are starting to try to tacle the problem. And we’re on this path to. Easing data collection on the start-up, the market and competitors. Carefully selecting the right metrics to make the right decision. And making it simple and super efficient so you don’t spend hours on it anymore. If you’re curious to see how it works, shoot me a DM 👀 #AI #VC #startup

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A must read for every founder (and investor) in B2B marketplaces. ⤵️ All credits to Fabrice Grinda + FJ Labs 👏🏽 https://lnkd.in/eB7uGzyH #firstdegree #founders #investors #whyrelationshipsmatter
#alwaysbelearning #sharingknowledge

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ummary: A French startup, FlexAI, has raised €28.5 million in seed funding to create a cloud service for AI training. The company aims to simplify the complex process of accessing and managing computational resources for AI development. Key takeaways: FlexAI's founders have impressive backgrounds in engineering and AI development. The company's goal is to make AI compute infrastructure as easy to use as general purpose cloud services. FlexAI's cloud service will allow developers to access virtual heterogeneous compute across multiple architectures on a usage basis. Counter arguments: Some may argue that there are already existing AI compute solutions in the market, such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. There may be concerns about data privacy and security when using a cloud service for AI development. ummary: A French startup, FlexAI, has raised €28.5 million in seed funding to create a cloud service for AI training. The company aims to simplify the complex process of accessing and managing computational resources for AI development. Key takeaways: FlexAI's founders have impressive backgrounds in engineering and AI development. The company's goal is to make AI compute infrastructure as easy to use as general purpose cloud services. FlexAI's cloud service will allow developers to access virtual heterogeneous compute across multiple architectures on a usage basis. Counter arguments: Some may argue that there are already existing AI compute solutions in the market, such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. There may be concerns about data privacy and security when using a cloud service for AI development. #venturecapital #vc #venture

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May 13 2024 - 10 Notable Articles To Read Article: French AI Startup Taking On Silicon Valley Is Set to Stuff Its War Chest Takeaway: Mistral AI is on the verge of securing $600M in funding, nearly 3x valuation to $6B, with investors such as General Catalyst and Lightspeed participating. Source: The Wall Street Journal Link: https://lnkd.in/dQRkCC63 Article: The Saks, Neiman Marcus Group Megadeal Is Getting Close, Sources Said Takeaway: Reports suggest that Reliance Retail and Zalando are part of a $3B deal aimed at consolidating Saks and Neiman Marcus under a single entity. Source: WWD Link: https://lnkd.in/dFmbsYaw Article: Bain Pursues Takeover of Education-Software Provider Takeaway: Bain Capital's acquisition might assess PowerSchool at approximately $6B, factoring debt. Source: The Wall Street Journal Link: https://lnkd.in/dd_k9gpM Article: Investcorp closes $570M fund for cybersecurity and fintech Takeaway: This fundraising effort builds on the achievements of their earlier $400M fund, while their total assets under management worldwide already stand at $52B. Source: Tech.eu Link: https://lnkd.in/dUHbeBTv Article: Alphabet Inc. Progressing in Talks to Buy HubSpot, Sources Say Takeaway: This prospective agreement could be one of the largest acquisitions of the year. Source: Bloomberg Link: https://lnkd.in/dBVZ7TX4 Article: The Fastest Growing Category of Venture Investment in 2024 Takeaway: The AI investing initiative is projected to reach $80B in 2024, marking a 2.6x increase from 2023, with $18.3B invested in the first four months of the year alone. Source: Tomasz Tunguz Link: https://lnkd.in/d4hUJ6TG Article: Todd Boehly’s investment house in advanced talks to buy private credit firm Takeaway: Eldridge Industries is pursuing the acquisition of Hayfin Capital Management LLP in a deal valued at over €1B. Source: Financial Times Link: https://lnkd.in/dkh66B3P Article: Mubadala’s $3B Fortress Investment Group deal clears crucial US regulatory hurdle Takeaway: The foreign investment committee has granted approval for the sale following concessions regarding data and day-to-day control, enabling the $300B assets under management fund to proceed with the agreement. Source: Financial Times Link: https://lnkd.in/drAi7cZH Article: UBS Mulls Bonus for Investment Bankers Who Lure Rich Clients Takeaway: UBS Group AG is contemplating implementing a reward program for investment bankers who direct clients to the company's wealth management division, mirroring an incentive scheme akin to what Credit Suisse provided to its dealmakers. Source: Bloomberg News Link: https://lnkd.in/dy3bt4zm Article: Bill Gates weighs in on new €1B German fund to back capital-intensive climate tech Takeaway: Europe’s first fund to focus primarily on solving the first-of-a-kind (FOAK) financing gap Source: Sifted Link: https://lnkd.in/ddKPYpWP #news #business #research

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Looking for VC investment in your Open Source based company? this is what is important says Maxime Corbani #opensource

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If you want to invest in exciting startups worldwide as an angel investor. Here are some tips & tricks on how to leverage your network from Cyril Chemla. 1. Build bridges, not silos. Cultivate relationships with angels and VCs in different regions. This opens doors to unique deals you might not find on your own. Ex: My network led me to invest in FinTech startups in Africa, even though I've never been there! 2. Start by giving. Support other investors and VCs. Offer your expertise and connections. This builds trust and reciprocity, leading to future deal flow. Investing is a community. 💙 By providing value first, you unlock a world of opportunities beyond your borders. If you want to learn more about Cyril's story and get more insights, watch the latest episode of the #SuperAngel podcast with Tom Wilson from Seedcamp and Anthony Danon from Cocoa 🍫 on EUVC . Link in comments. 🔽 #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

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🚩 22 investor red flags to look out for. 🚩 You deserve the best investors! But it’s easy to make a mistake. There are over 8,400* VCs in Europe alone. During fundraising you will meet many. And not all investors are created equal. They will all be selling themselves well. You will read and hear all kinds of superlatives. Spotting early red flags is essential. I’ve decided to help you out on this. 🚩 22 investor red flags to look out for 🚩 > Arrogant behavior > Highlife party culture mentality > No track record in your industry > Pressing you to make a decision > Slow response in communication > Slow in the due diligence process > No clear value-add besides money > Wanting to take >50% of the company > Very aggressive valuation negotiations > The VC worked only in financial services > Demanding lock-up exclusivity, during DD > Conflict of interest with other investments > No prior founder experience in the VC fund > Demanding unrealistic stake. Check trends > Wanting too many board seats or veto rights > Discouraging you to do due diligence on them > Not transparent in advance with LP constraints > No exploratory calls with your customers (if any) > Corruption proposals. Getting you into a scheme > Late for meetings and acting like nothing’s wrong > Bad feedback on them by their portfolio founders. > No transparency on process, criteria, decision-makers If you see any of these red flags, be cautious. Dig deeper. If things don’t look well, move on. It’s 8,400* of them in Europe alone. P.S. What red flags would you add? 🚩 Let's discuss in the comments. ⬇️ *According to Crunchbase

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