Adrien Vaissade

Are French unicorns ready for their IPO? I'll say yes, and probably even a bit better than German startups! Let me tell you why. Most IPOs are driven by the CEO / CFO couple but there is a third important wheel to this constellation: the CMO! A big part of a successful IPO and then stock exchange valuation is communication. It's all about trust, baby! And trust is built through communication & thought leadership. French startups are often very strong in being transparent and proactive in their communications. So this is a solid basis to work on. Here are my learnings from working on KATEK GROUP's IPO: ‣ It's not all about the press: Yes, mandatory investor relations (IR) news have to be communicated through the press. By going further and also using your company's owned channels you show even more transparency to your stakeholders. Communicating on LinkedIn will enable dialog with your investors. ‣ IR does not need to be boring: Financial reports might not sound as sexy as the next big brand campaign, but it can be. Use videos to explain the numbers further, plan live Q&A sessions with the CEO. Be creative and stay true to your brand's values. ‣ It's about the people: The stock exchange market is a numbers and money world. By involving your C-level in the communication you will be able to build up a stronger trust in your company. In people we trust! Here think about news hijacking to position your C-level as the experts they are, do video interviews or quote statements. You can read more about KATEK's IPO and strategic communication here: https://lnkd.in/dFYscP3k #IPO #ListedInFrankfurt #FrenchTech #StartupCommunication

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📈 What drives top-tier performance in venture capital? In the latest episode of Entretien avec un VC by Benjamin Wattinne, Serena Partner Sébastien Le Roy, author of the Serena European SaaS Benchmark, unpacks what it takes to make a venture capital fund thrive. 🧑‍💻 Sébastien began as an engineer and entrepreneur until a pivotal trip to San Francisco shifted his career towards VC. Returning to France, he joined Serena as an intern, where his passion took root, ultimately leading him to become a partner. 🎙️ Some key takeaways from this episode: ✨ VC is high-risk, high-reward. Serena’s “home run” philosophy is about backing bold and visionary founders who can multiply the fund’s size and change the landscape of their industry. By partnering with them on strategy and execution, we accelerate growth in high-stakes environments. ✨ Most VC teams typically include two operating members. At Serena, we’ve built a team of eight. This larger structure provides founders with the resources needed to streamline execution and prepare for funding rounds. Our approach, recognized by the France Digitale Operating Talent Award, reflects our commitment to going beyond capital to address founders’ evolving needs. ✨ The Serena Squad, our network of over 500 C-level executives across our portfolio, is a powerhouse for founders. This community grants their teams access to practical templates, growth-focused workshops, and direct peer support. By connecting with other leaders, founders and their teams can navigate common challenges and scale more effectively. ✨ Our focus on Applied AI and Climate Tech At Serena, we’re especially enthusiastic about two areas: ➡️ Vertical AI solutions tailored to industries like finance and manufacturing, solving complex problems at scale. ➡️ Climate Tech, with a focus on decarbonization and biodiversity.  ➡️ One of Serena's standout investments is Descartes Underwriting, which operates at the intersection of AI and climate. Descartes leverages artificial intelligence to build parametric insurance models, assessing and pricing climate risks in real time. 💡 Spotlight: Jimmy A “coup de cœur” for Sébastien, Jimmy Energy is revolutionizing industrial heat decarbonization with nuclear fission—a game-changer for emissions-heavy industries. Tune it to deep dive into the inner workings of VCs!

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Big day for Fleet ! 🚀 In 2019, Alexandre and I launched the company with a simple and transparent MacBook leasing solution for startups. We solved a real problem: how to easily equip teams with MacBooks without tying up too much cash. Five years later, Fleet is much more than that. Today, we help companies deploy and secure their IT in complex environments (hybrid work, international expansion). We are excited to unveil our new website and brand identity! 🎉 These new colors represent who we are today: a complete, premium, and global IT solution for national and international companies. Our service is built on 5 pillars: 1️⃣ Global IT Procurement Simplified: Rent and manage IT equipment from a single platform to streamline operations and increase visibility across your global IT fleet. 2️⃣ Integrated Security: Standardize security practices with our MDM solution, implementing uniform policies and automating updates and compliance. 3️⃣ Seamless Onboarding: Our HRIS integration ensures a smooth onboarding experience for HR and new hires, from hire to fully equipped. 4️⃣ Comprehensive IT Support: As your external IT department, we handle global logistics, provide premium support, and offer damage insurance. 5️⃣ Sustainability at Renewal: Promote digital equity and reduce e-waste with our recycling and donation options at renewal. Thank you to all the team for making this happen. Ready for the next stage 🚀

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Weekly Workfree.io update coming from the south of France 🇫🇷 Huge progress being made by our team on #UX from building talent pools to simplifying contract management & payments. If you’re a startup, scale up, or enterprise with growth goals & efficiency objectives then it’s time to build your flexible #freelance team. Here are the simple steps we take… 1️⃣ Invite talent to your freelance hub 2️⃣ Discover talent & grow your network 3️⃣ Create talent pools for upcoming projects 4️⃣ Contract talent with compliant agreements 5️⃣ Automate local & global payments with a click

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Is TAM worth being stressed about ? Founders, investors, everyone obsesses over it but is it such a big deal ? I read a great interview of Danny Rimer, Partner at Index Ventures, who gave Etsy and Figma as examples for this: 🎨 With Etsy, people were asking “How big could arts and crafts actually be?” and research showed there were about 100,000 artisans producing goods (not much in the grand scheme of things). They expanded their view to say “what if everyone made their passion a vocation?” and their view changed drastically. 💻 With Figma, they had an idea that product design was important. They discovered that companies like IBM had also adjusted their ratio of designers to engineers from one to 100 to one to 20. They thought big and theorised that every website and every mobile app would need some way for engineers, product managers, and designers to collaborate. Etsy was worth $2 billion in 2020. Figma is worth between $8.3 billion and $9 billion. If they had focused on the size of each of these markets alone and used them as reasons not to invest, neither of these opportunities would be in the Index Ventures portfolio. With our investments, we don’t need them to be building within the largest possible market and they don’t have to become the biggest company in the world to make money. We love the companies who know their niche inside out and are successful within this space, rather than trying to capture an entire market. And, we know that great founders will end up diversifying and expanding their market over time. For us they just have to do well, they don’t have to blow everyone else out of the water. Think enablement rather than disruption. #investment #investor #dealqualification

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Last week, we hosted our second webinar with Guillaume, Alexis and Nico who delivered a masterclass on how you should nail your outbound strategy for 2025 We covered topics like tech stacks, the rise of GTM engineers, how to predict the next best action, ... but spoiler alert: no mention of AI SDRs 👀 https://lnkd.in/eRmGj6Yf

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You wanna know how startup funding is going on right now in Belgium 🇧🇪 ? 🔮 I shared with Maxime SAMAIN (L'Echo) my point of view on that matter. 🦄 < >🐌 Article here: https://lnkd.in/e9qbCKKX Discover my take on the situation in 4 points: 1️⃣ More experienced 🐼 Belgium's startup scene boomed around 2015. These early-stage investors, the Business Angels, have gained experience through their investments made between 2015 and 2020. This newfound expertise makes them more rigorous in their analysis and more demanding of startups, ultimately limiting funding for a select few. 2️⃣ Investment shift ↩ The 2022 inflation surge reshaped investor mindsets and expectations. This trend solidified in 2023, becoming the "new normal." Consequently, 2024 witnessed a significant decline in funding for startups lacking a clear path to profitability. 3️⃣ Cycle ♻ The pre-pandemic boom in startups (around 2020) is now experiencing its first wave of bankruptcies. This has understandably shaken some Business Angels' confidence. While this cycle is natural, fear currently dominates investment decisions for many. 4️⃣ Post trauma 🤕 We are in a “post trauma” period. The above elements are making Business Angels much more risk averse. To restore confidence, we need to see successful Belgian 🇧🇪 startups emerge. Thankfully, time can be a healer, and some inspiring success stories 💪 are likely unfolding even as you browse this tremendous LinkedIn post 😜. Let's scale it up! 👏 #startups #scaleups #buildingbridges

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These rules work most time: - When building a product, you try to make it to fit into end users’ daily routine or workflow. - When raising money from VCs, you try to make it to fit into their investment thesis. - When raising money from LPs, you try to make it to fit into their portfolios strategy. But then once in a while, some genius just tears apart all the existing patterns and tells everyone else to either change their habits or get left behind. Overtime, an innovation becomes a pattern again. The cycle repeats.

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So, for anyone still not sure what the Agencywise platform offers founder-led agency leaders... Subsrcibers will have access to: Masterclass videos Agency expert directory Tools and resources Event calendars Community and networking info Here is a handy little video about the masterclasses

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Tips to Create Engaging Carousel Posts for Station F Startups In the bustling startup ecosystem of Station F, carousel posts have emerged as a potent tool for engaging with potential investors, customers, and collaborators. These visually appealing and interactive posts allow startups to showcase their products, services, and stories in a compelling way. Crafting Effective Carousel Posts: To create carousel posts that resonate with your target audience, consider the following best practices: 1. Visual Storytelling: Capture attention with visually stunning images that convey your message and evoke emotions. Use high-quality photos, graphics, and videos to tell a captivating story. 2. Clear Messaging: Craft concise and impactful captions that succinctly describe your product or service. Use strong verbs and avoid jargon or technical terms that may alienate your audience. 3. Call to Action: Include a clear call to action at the end of your post, encouraging viewers to take a specific action, such as visiting your website or signing up for a newsletter. 4. Optimizing for Engagement: Use relevant hashtags, geotags, and @mentions to increase the visibility and engagement of your posts. Consider using interactive elements such as quizzes or polls to further engage your followers. Carousel posts offer startups a powerful way to engage with their target audience on Station F. By following the best practices outlined above and drawing inspiration from real-life examples, you can create visually appealing and interactive posts that drive engagement, generate leads, and build your startup's brand. Remember to experiment with different formats and content to optimize your strategy and achieve your desired results. #Linkedin #Carousels #Tips #StationF

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Top fundraising tip? Nicolas Benady, Co-Founder & CEO of Swan, had a candid answer 👉 Fundraising shouldn't be the number one thing you have in mind. Swan, founded in 2019 with eFounders, now processes around €300 million in transactions monthly for over 100 companies across ten European countries. Backed by top VCs like Lakestar, Accel, Creandum, and Bpifrance, they're on a stellar growth trajectory. 🚀 This is an absolute must-listen for young and aspiring founders. Links to the full EU-Startups Podcast episode in the comments. Feel free to like, share and follow for more great content. 🙌 #startup #founders #fundraising

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🚀 Highlights from Interview with Elon Musk at Viva Technology Conference 🚀 Incredible opportunity to get the interview Elon Musk at the Viva Technology Conference in Paris on YouTube with BFM Business, and I'm thrilled to share the key takeaways with you! Here are some of the most fascinating points from our conversation: 🧠 Neuralink's Breakthroughs: Elon showcased Neuralink’s potential, highlighting its ability to help people with brain and spinal injuries. Future products like "Blind Sight" aim to restore vision by interfacing directly with the brain. 🤖 AI and X.AI Vision: Elon expressed concerns about the current direction of #AI development, emphasizing the need for truth-seeking #AI over politically correct AI. xAI is committed to transparency and accountability. ⚖️ AI Regulation and Safety: He called for regulatory oversight of #AI models to ensure they are accurate and truthful. He warned against the dangers of deceptive AI. 📰 Public Perception: Elon shared his thoughts on #media portrayal, urging people to rely on direct #communication rather than sensationalized news. 🚗 Affordable EVs: Elon reiterated Tesla's commitment to producing #lowcost electric vehicles, competing well without tariffs or incentives. 💼 AI’s Impact on Jobs: He discussed a future where #AI and robots perform most tasks, envisioning a world with universal high income and meaningful human activities. 📚 AI in Education: Elon highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionize #education by providing personalized and highly knowledgeable teaching while cautioning against the dopamine-maximizing effects of #SocialMedia. 🌌 SpaceX’s Multi-Planetary Goals: Elon emphasized the importance of making life multi-planetary to preserve human consciousness. He shared plans for affordable space travel and #human settlement on Mars. 🔌 EV Charging Infrastructure: Significant improvements have been made in EV charging #infrastructure, making high-speed charging widely available in Europe, North America, China, and Japan. 🌱 Commitment to Sustainable Tech: Tesla's focus on #innovations like #robotaxis, #Cybertrucks, and the Optimus humanoid robot promises to profoundly impact transportation and labor. Elon Musk's vision is as inspiring as it is ambitious, touching on #AI, #SustainableTechnology, and #SpaceExploration. These insights are a testament to the groundbreaking work happening at Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and xAI. For more in-depth updates and to join the conversation, follow my LinkedIn page and stay tuned for more exclusive insights! #ElonMusk #VivaTech #Neuralink #Tesla #SpaceX #AI #Innovation #SustainableTech #FutureOfWork #SpaceExploration

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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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A woman co-founder built one of the most successful apps in Europe, without millions in VC money. Here’s how: Julie Chapon, along with François MARTIN and Benoit MARTIN, launched Yuka in January 2017. From day one, Julie knew they weren’t going to be just another startup chasing big fundraising. Yuka was about impact and value, helping people make healthier choices by scanning barcodes to see the real health impact of food and cosmetics. They grew fast, but on their own terms. By January 2018, they hit over 1 million users, far beyond their expectations. They raised a small round in June 2018, not from VCs but from business angels who aligned with their mission. It was just enough to grow the team and add cosmetics analysis, all while staying true to their values. Since then, Yuka has grown organically with their business model, proving that profitability and purpose can go hand in hand. Fast forward to today: Yuka has over 40 million users worldwide, including millions in the U.S., where it’s quickly become a favorite for conscious consumers. This is a success story about focus, transparency, and doing it without chasing the biggest checks. Know other women founders who’ve built successful startups without VC money? Tag them below. 👇 _____________________ 👋🏻 Hi there, welcome! ✨ I'm Sarah. I help women founders develop winning business models, gain market traction, and secure funding through my FundHER accelerator program. As a woman founder, follow me here on LinkedIn for insights and support to help you launch, grow and fund your startup.

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Speaking at an event in Singapore last June, I shocked a few people when I advised against using platform-as-a-service products. In my experience, these products make your business overly dependent on a single cloud vendor, and they often aren’t worth the convenience and the extra costs. Sooner or later, you’ll need to understand what’s happening under the hood with your infrastructure. The illusion of “I don’t need experts in servers if I use PaaS” is just that—an illusion. It’s a risky mindset. No matter how seamless the service seems, you can’t avoid the reality that someone needs to manage and understand the infrastructure behind it. Last week, during the Rails World 2024 keynote, DHH touched on a similar issue, referring to the “server-phobia” many developers have today. He highlighted how major cloud providers profit from this fear by charging significant markups for services that keep you from really engaging with your infrastructure. To address this, DHH introduced Kamal (https://kamal-deploy.org/), an open-source tool designed to help developers deploy applications anywhere, using more cost-effective, flexible computing resources rather than expensive, ready-made solutions. Full keynote here: https://lnkd.in/gSpusMmr

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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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EIS is a godsend for investors and startups ! The benefits are huge: + Investors can write off 30% of their investment against their income tax bill. + Of that remaining 70% and if the business fails, investors can also benefit from a further 35% write-off (if in the top rate of tax). + So, if the company goes bust, that is up to 65% of your investment covered against your tax credits. + If investors hold their shares for three years, they have no capital gains tax on exit. + Investors can invest up to £1 million a year in EIS investment and up to £2 million in knowledge intensive EIS companies. There’s no question that it’s a challenging time to raise money right now, with EIS investment over 59% down on last year, but it will be even harder if you’re not EIS-able. With a new Labour Gov, Capital Gains Tax feels like it will get closer and closer with Income Tax over time - a big difference, so maybe that’ll have the (unintended) benefit of investors investing again as no CGT on exits. EIS will become even more important to the startup/tech ecosystem than it is now and we’re glad to see the UK Government protect it. The early-stage ecosystem would collapse if SEIS and EIS didn’t exist. For all the negative things that are said about the UK and doing business here, this is a real strength of ours. I’m always amazed at how many people still don’t know about it ! #eisfund #investment #ukstartupscene ------ If you liked this post, I also have a newsletter where I speak about topics like this in more depth. You can subscribe in the comments below. Thanks !

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