Patrick Asdaghi

🤨 What do I look for in co-founders ? 🤨 This is the question I get asked the most often, and I (finally) have a good answer! At Hexa, I partner with entrepreneurs ~3x/year, a CEO and CTO for each project— essentially “marrying” 6x/year to build the best partnerships. I look for 4 key traits in my co-founders ⤵️ ⚡️ Energy booster Building and growing a company is about convincing people to follow you—investors, clients, team members—and the person’s natural energy is a key factor in achieving this. I call these people exothermic: they move things around them simply by the energy they exude. How do I test this? I need to feel more energized at the end of a meeting with them than I did at the start. ⏰ Sense of urgency The higher the velocity in a startup, the faster it will grow. Having a deep need to act and get things done sets the fast-paced tempo I’m looking for. 🧑‍🏫 Thirst for self-improvement Founders who are constantly looking to improve by proactively seeking feedback and showing vulnerability have an endless strength to overcome the (inevitable) challenges of entrepreneurship. 🏋️‍♀️ Commitment Being a founder means making your company part of your top priorities, it’s a journey that’s all-consuming. If you believe you embody these traits and are ready to build a transformative company, let’s connect!

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🌟 Binary Stars is Back! 🌟 For those who missed the first edition with Harm de Vries, Paul Lasserre and Léo Dreyfus-Schmidt, Binary Stars is Fly Ventures's virtual conference dedicated to the latest advancements of Software Engineering and AI in Europe. For this second edition, we're super happy to partner with the awesome Antoine Moyroud (Lightspeed), Roosh Circle and AI HOUSE to deep dive into AI reasoning. 🧠 AI REASONING ? ! ? 🧠 With Zachary Gleicher (Deepmind), Rolf Pfister (Lab42, supporting the ARC Prize), and a yet-to-be-revealed third speaker, we'll ask the big questions : - What’s objectively achievable by the best AI models in terms of reasoning? - Are we stuck with LLMs making basic errors (how many Rs in Strawberry?), or are there breakthroughs on the horizon? - While benchmark performances have improved, has reasoning *genuinely* advanced, or it is all tricks still? - What did the Transformer architecture contribute to reasoning problems, and have we reached its limits? - What are the main research avenues pushing reasoning forward today? ... Join us on Nov 8th => register on binarystars.org!

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The Venture market is very weird right now and it sometimes feels like we are in the hottest and coldest fundraising market ever at the same time. Time to invest or time to wait? I’ve tried to summarize my understanding of what’s happening in a blogpost. 

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🚀 Here are some of the early-stage VC investments I've seen over the past week fueling innovation in sectors like AI, medtech, and sustainability across 🇪🇺 Europe 🇪🇺. Beyond Aero: The French aerospace startup raised $20 million to develop hydrogen-powered electric jets. The funding round was co-led by Giant Ventures and French sovereign fund Bpifrance, with participation from Initialized Capital, Female Founders Fund, and 7percent Ventures Ventures. Hertility, Co-founded by Dr Helen O'Neill, Hertility Health has raised $15.7 million to date, including angel investor actress Emma Watson, and is currently seeking an additional $20 million to advance its mission of improving women's reproductive health through at-home testing and data-driven diagnostics. Wobby: An Antwerp-based AI-powered information platform, #Wobby secured €1.1 million in seed funding. This investment from, Shaping Impact Group, Si3 fund, V Ventures Llc and imec.istart, will support its expansion into new European markets and its initial entry into the U.S. market. Foodsi: Warsaw-based Foodsi raised €1.2 million to combat food waste in restaurants and stores. The funding round was led by CofounderZone, with participation from several angel investors. Aignostics: Based in Berlin, #Aignostics secured €31.4 million in a Series B funding round to enhance precision medicine through AI. The round was led by Wellington Partners and Evotec, with participation from existing investors Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds. GlassFlow: A Berlin-based startup, GlassFlow secured €4.43 million to enable Python developers to build event-driven data pipelines. The seed funding round was led by Earlybird Venture Capital, with participation from 42CAP and several angel investors. Modash Tallinn-based Modash, a creator partnerships platform, secured $12 million in a Series A funding round. The investment aims to accelerate the company's growth and expand its market reach. Scalpel, A London-based medtech startup, Scalpel AI raised £3.8 million in a funding round led by Mercia Ventures. The company specialises in developing AI-driven solutions for surgical procedures.

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Lago Raises $22M to Revolutionize Billing for Startups 💰 Paris-based Lago, an open-source billing platform, just secured $22M in funding across two rounds, backing its mission to solve complex billing challenges for developers and startups. Initially a marketing tool startup, Lago pivoted to billing after realizing the huge demand for flexible, developer-friendly billing systems. Now trusted by companies like Mistral.ai and Juni, Lago's open-source platform allows for tailored solutions that adapt to complex pricing models, especially in the AI and SaaS sectors. What’s next? Lago aims to add data analytics and explore payment orchestration, continuing to empower developers with customizable, scalable tools. P.S. How do you manage your billing? #OpenSource #BillingSolutions #StartupFunding

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Just released: the second episode of "Scale to America", Newfund’s podcast that dives into the unique journeys of startups expanding to the United States. 🌎 🇺🇲 In this episode, Pierre Frouin, founder BioSerenity and operating partner at Newfund, shares his candid insights with Salim Hassad, exploring: ✨ The challenges and opportunities of scaling to the U.S. 💡 Strategies that worked—and those that didn’t! 📈 Key lessons for fundraising in an international context. "Scale to America" is a window into the experiences of French entrepreneurs who’ve taken the leap to tackle the American market. From navigating fundraising challenges to avoiding common pitfalls, we aim to equip startups with actionable insights for their "Road to the USA". 👉 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/ejVFYVFp At Newfund, we believe in building strong global startups from day one. With a portfolio of over 120 innovative companies, including a significant presence in the U.S., we’re committed to supporting entrepreneurs on their journey to create impactful ventures. Join the conversation, learn from the best, and get inspired to take your startup to the next level! 🚀 🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe and stay tuned for more episodes. #ScaleToAmerica #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #VC #Startups #FrenchTech #RoadToTheUSA #Innovation cc: Henri Deshays, Bri Wang, Anne-Sophie Saint-Martin, Marjolaine CATIL

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Soooo pretty much how French VC has always been. VC firms suing each other. LPs firing GPs. LPs taking funds back. VCs suing entrepreneurs. It's always been a dramatic scene. 🇫🇷 🐓🍷🥖 https://lnkd.in/eK8JbgDA #vc #venrurecapital #startups #entrepreneurs #entrepreneurship #tech #technology #innovation #money #business

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I simply can't wait for this ! You are Invited to Meet The Entrepreneur Who Turned Startups into Exits -Not Once, but 12 TIMES! ✨ This Monday - a Virtual Session with *International Expert Gregory shepard. 🌎* The Webinar Will Provide Insights On: -EXACT Pitfalls That Kill 90% of Startups -The 7-Phase Methodology That Works -Insider Secrets to Attracting Investors -Proven Strategies for Fundraising Arieli Capital *Register Now:

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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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I’m pleased to have contributed to Arianee’s position paper, "From A Production-Based to A Service-Based Economy: The Role of Tokenization in Decoupling Growth." This insightful paper tackles a topic close to my heart. This paper outlines numerous practical strategies for companies to progress on tackling overproduction while creating new economic opportunities. Thank you Arianee, Pierre-Nicolas Hurstel and of course my friend Francois Souchet for the opportunity to collaborate. #circulareconomy #technology #circularbusinessmodels #sustainability

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We’re excited to join the DeepTech Alliance Explore 2024 in La Bellevilloise, Paris, on December 5th! 🌟 This is a unique opportunity to connect with potential customers, investors, partners, peers, and the vibrant deeptech ecosystem in the DeepTech Alliance. 🚀 Why attend? Stay ahead of the curve with the latest trends and innovations in deeptech. Meet and watch some of Europe’s most promising deeptech startups & scaleups in action. Kickstart new business relationships through 1:1 matchmaking sessions. Connect with leading deeptech support organizations from 12 European countries. What to expect? 🔹 Inspiring panel discussions on renewable energy, health innovation, advanced manufacturing, and smart public utilities. 🔹 Exciting pitches from startups—this year’s cohort and alumni. 🔹 A platform to network with corporates, investors, and innovators shaping the future of deeptech. We can’t wait to explore, learn, and create new opportunities together at #DTAExplore2024! #DeepTechAlliance #Innovation #DeepTech #Networking #Paris #Explore2024

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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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5️⃣ 🇪🇺 early stage rounds to pay attention to this week 👇 1️⃣ Sopht 🇫🇷 (Green IT / IT Decarbonization) - Leading the charge in decarbonizing corporate IT infrastructure. 💰 Raises €3.3 million in seed funding led by Axeleo Capital (AXC) Capital. 2️⃣ Alinia AI 🇺🇸 (AI / Generative AI Safety) - Ensuring safe and controlled deployment of generative AI technologies. 💰 Raises $2.4 million in pre-seed funding led by Speedinvest with participation from Speedinvest, Precursor Ventures, Kfund, and co-founders of Hugging Face and GitHub. 3️⃣ Exactly.ai 🇬🇧 (Generative AI / Art) - Empowering artists with AI for scalable and monetizable creations. 💰 Raises $4.3 million in seed funding led by Speedinvest with participation from InReach Ventures, Cornerstone VC, and GuruDev Capital. 4️⃣ Sibill 🇮🇹 (Fintech / SaaS) - Revolutionizing financial management for SMEs with innovative SaaS solutions. 💰 Raises €6.2 million in funding led by Keen Venture Partners with participation from Exor Ventures, Not Boring, Banana Capital and others 5️⃣ Spike Technologies 🇱🇹 (GenAI / Healthcare) - Transforming healthcare with advanced generative AI solutions. 💰 Raises $3.5 million in seed funding co-led by Practica Capital and TheVentureCity, with participation from CEAS Investments, Geek Ventures, Plug and Play Tech Center, and Axel Springer Porsche (APX).

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"Agentic AI" is the buzzword in VC. But can AI agents actually plan and act ? 💡 The idea is that AI systems can plan and execute workflows autonomously with goals inputs. Example: "book me a 7 day trip in France that costs no more than X to discover hidden cultural gems". Does it work with the current AI systems? 🙅‍♂️ According to DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis, current AI systems are not good at planning, they can't problem solve, they can't do actions in the world for you. They are "very much passive Q&A systems". However according to Demis, this might be the next era in AI. 👀 By combining the work done with AlphaGo in games (agent players that are very good at planning) with multi-modal "real world" learning (Gemini) and applying this to language and everyday workloads, he believes that we might get there. João Duarte Darko Butina Xavier Mesnier Pepijn Rot

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Does it make sense to 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗦 as a founder 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲? 🤔 Short answer: YES. 🚀 Long answer: Also yes, and here’s why… According to this insightful piece by Data Driven VC 📝, moving to the US can significantly boost your startup's unicorn potential 🦄. 🇺🇸 is a powerhouse for networking, funding, and scaling. So if you're on the fence about making the move, it might be time to take the leap! 🌍 ➡️ 🇺🇸 Big thanks to the authors (Dr. Andre Retterath and Jérôme Jaggi) for the great insights! 🙌 Check out the full story here: https://lnkd.in/e2fmgvDk

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🚀 New Initiative born from Vectors Capital. Pavina Adunratanasee is leading the work from Vectors side. https://lnkd.in/gG2KSaXS We're honored to introduce #CatalyzeClimate, a first-of-a-kind Climate Finance Lab that aims to accelerate global #decarbonization and strengthen #climate resilience. 1️⃣ Our mission is to #mobilize innovative financing mechanisms, accelerate technology hashtag #deployment, and scale #climateinfrastructure via fostering cross-sector collaboration across hashtag #finance, #policy, and #industries. 2️⃣ We believe that #catalyticfinance can play a unique role through a combination of grants and blended capital in unlocking capital for bringing tech to market and scaling climate infrastructure.​ 3️⃣ Taking a differentiated approach, we are focused on: 1. Demonstrating Technological & Commercial Viability 2. Addressing Investment Gaps 3. Creating Market Platforms 4. Advocating for Supportive Policies 💸 Our goal is to mobilize funding commitment for $4 trillion a year that is required for the climate transition from the global financial system. ⚡To kick off the initiative, we’re happy to announce the Catalyze Climate Launch event in the #AsiaPacific region taking place in #Singapore in September followed by launch events in hashtag #SF and #LA. #SG roundtable will be “Bridging the Sustainable Financing Gap: Fostering US - APAC Partnerships for Emerging Climate Infrastructure Advancement.” ✌🏼If you’re a climate investor, lender, or asset allocator and would like to get involved please DM me. 💡 Backed by a team of financing, scientific, and technical experts; and most importantly taking an industrial lens to solving climate challenges: Naman Lahoti Wanwipa Siriwatwechakul Kreshna Y. Rahmat Sasilada Sirirungruang Meghan Oesterle, M.S. Daniel Paley Keyi (Nancy) Kang

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🚀 For the last 6 months, we've been working on a new programme to accelerate VCs raising their next fund... 🎙️ I am delighted to announce we are now live! Applications are now open to participate in the first programme for emerging VC managers based in Europe, providing fundraising workshops from fundraising experts, LP connections and world-class mentoring. We kick off the first cohort of 15 - 20 VCs in Q1 2025. 🧐 Fundraising is hard. Hard for founders. Even harder for VCs. There is a vacuum of fundraising support for funds, and there's never been a more difficult time to get one off the ground... So what do participating funds receive? 1️⃣ Warm introductions to Limited Partners and Family Offices 2️⃣ Fundraising templates 3️⃣ 10+ hours of world-class mentoring 4️⃣ Content delivered through workshops with a focus on fundraising 5️⃣ Strong peer community 6️⃣ Opportunity of an LP commit from our network Who are the mentors? 👥 VC mentors include founding partners from some of the most successful VCs in Europe such as LocalGlobe, Dawn Capital, Hoxton Ventures, Partech, Heartcore, Speedinvest, and many more. Collectively, they have raised over $11bn across 80 funds 🤯 👥 LP mentors include investors from some of the most active Limited Partners such as the BBB, KfW, Isomer and many more. Who is the programme for? 🚀 Emerging VCs (broadly those raising Funds I - III) based in Europe 💰 We expect applicants to already be exceptional investors, we will focus on making them exceptional fundraisers. How much does it cost? 💰 👉 It's completely free! With no hidden costs. We want to avoid selection bias and level the playing field for under-represented managers What is the time commitment? ⏲️ 👉 Designed to fit a General Partner's busy schedule, participants will attend at least 3 LP networking events, 6 days of high-impact workshops over a 3-month period and receive 10 hours of mentoring. How to apply? 🎯 👉 You can learn more & apply directly from our website 👉 All those applying will receive access to LP investor lists, fundraising templates and exclusive benefits from our partners. How will we select the funds? ⚖️ With the help of Blue Future Partners, our fund selection partner, we will select VCs with a differentiated strategy, a partner team with deep domain experience, and those that we believe will most likely become the next generation of top-tier funds. 🎗️ I researched and dilligenced all the VC service providers I was recommended, to select partners with a track record of supporting the Emerging Manager community. This programme would not have been possible without the support of: HFL as our fund admin partner 📕 Osborne Clarke as our legal partner 📃 Sage as our technology partner 🧑‍💻 Ballou as our PR partner 🎤 Leela Capital Regulatory Solutions as our regulatory partner 𝍍 Johnston Carmichael Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers as our accounting partner 🧾

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💡 Watch this video, in which the importance of shareholder voting in tackling the climate crisis is perfectly articulated by Mark van Baal from Follow This | Shareholders change the world.

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