Pierre-Nicolas Hurstel

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

222

44 commentaires

Four months ago, alongside my long-time friend Olivier, we launched Blue Chips, a community focused on investing in premium secondary, late-stage opportunities with top-tier tech companies. We believe there’s a strong “Why Now” for this asset class, especially as numerous IPOs have been delayed. Looking ahead, we anticipate a wave of IPOs from 2025-2026, which only strengthens our conviction in the growth potential of these investments. Our first SPV, closed in April 2024, secured a position in OpenAI at a $97 billion valuation. Since then, OpenAI raised a new round in late September at a $150 billion valuation, with its secondary market valuation now reaching $164 billion—reflecting gains of +54% and +67% from our entry point in just six months. Given the strong demand from our community for OpenAI, we’ve decided to launch a second SPV to accommodate this interest in the latest round. We’ve also recently closed an SPV in Anduril—the high-growth defense tech leader developing advanced technology for military and border security. In the next few weeks, we plan to open up new opportunities for the community to invest, potentially including OpenAI once more, given the high demand, but also SpaceX, Stripe, Databricks, and others. Anyone interested is welcome to join us! Entry tickets vary by deal but typically start at €20,000. We’re also open to suggestions for companies where we could seek allocations! 🔗 You can find the link to join in the comment section of this post. 🔗

46

8 commentaires

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.

41

2 commentaires

💥 Linkup annonces a 3M€ funding round to plug LLMs to high-quality content.    Much like the music industry before Spotify, AI applications today face hurdles in accessing quality content. In the early 2000s, people often turned to platforms like Pirate Bay to download music, but that came with legal risks, poor sound quality, and artists missing out on fair compensation. Similarly, today many AI tools depend on existing web frameworks like search engines and web scraping to collect information.   However, as the AI landscape evolves, these methods are proving less efficient and raising new concerns around legal compliance and fair use of copyrighted content.   Linkup aims to solve this problem by taking a new approach with premium content providers with both a legal and ethical consideration.   Delighted to support this top-notch team Philippe Mizrahi, Denis Charrier, Boris Toledano alongside Seedcamp, Motier Ventures, Kima Ventures OPRTRS CLUB and amazing BAs ! cc Sia Houchangnia, Nicolas Essayan, Christophe Raynaud, Noé Gersanois, Chloe Timsit, Alix François-Poncet, Axeleo Capital (AXC)

124

5 commentaires

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

1

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.

33

1 commentaire

We have incredible news to share! Whoppah has officially acquired the assets of Design Market, one of the world’s most iconic marketplaces for interior, founded in France in 2013. This acquisition marks a major step in our growth journey. With this expansion: •Our platform will soon offer 66% more unique items. •Organic traffic is projected to grow by 75%. •We will instantly boost our marketshare in France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands and grow across Italy and Spain, further cementing our leadership across Europe. •Along with Design Market, we’ve also acquired: •An advanced global import and export tax calculation system. •Strong partnerships with logistics providers, making it easier to scale internationally. What does this mean for our customers? Design Market clients will soon migrate to Whoppah, where they’ll enjoy streamlined order processing, automated invoicing, automated logistics planning, and innovative features like augmented reality—available on our iOS, Android apps, and website. Current Whoppah customers will benefit from a richer selection of items and increased visibility from new visitors. We’re excited to collaborate with Design Market’s founders as we integrate and accelerate Whoppah’s growth. Their expertise and industry network will be invaluable to our future success. Welcome, Design Market! Together, we’re stronger than ever!

652

139 commentaires

"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

21

14 commentaires

🌟Venture capital ⎜Reimagining the Commerce🌟 📣 Special VCs San Francisco New-york : What are for them the four themes defining the #Commerce in the next decade? It is not so often leading VCs define so well their thesis and the topics they are spending time around! (often keep it a secret:) Vincent Diallo and Erik de Stefanis (Interlace Ventures) reveal to us the 4 key themes they spend the most of the time working on and best of all mention some founders that are currently having success on these topics. That’s fascinating. I encourage you to read this interview. A good way to start your week in good company! Catherine Barba Chiaramonti, Odile Roujol, Joël Palix, our mutual friend Vincent makes himself scarce in interviews -- a must-read! :) #retail #commerce #technology #venturecapital #investments #commercetechnology #familyoffice #techsolution #retailtech #commercetech #peertopeernetworking #entrepreneurs #founders #startups

4

2 commentaires

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

5

🌟 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!

28

5 commentaires

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:

7

1 commentaire

How is AI changing the way founders solve problems? Next Monday I will be chatting with superstar guests Gabriel Hubert, co-founder of Dust, Victoire Mine (Goebel), Startup/VC head at Meta, and Yoach Lacombe, ML Research Engineer at Hugging Face, at the HEC Alumni House at an AI Conference on the topic "Building startups in the AI Era". I'm super excited to be moderating such a high-quality panel :) Co-organized by HEC Alumni , Hook, and 42Entrepreneurs, this event is a must for AI enthusiasts and founders looking to harness the power of AI to supercharge their startup growth. 👉Link in the comments to register.

100

4 commentaires

I'm not one to discuss politics, but the entire startup scene is wary of the potential impact of the upcoming elections in #France on our ecosystem. Thanks to the continued support for #deeptech from previous administrations, Paris has become a world-class #AI hub, and I'm confident it will remain so regardless of the outcomes.   However, that's not the whole story. I shared my views with Börsen-Zeitung on what made France a "startup nation" and whether we can maintain this status in the long run.   What's our secret sauce? The people, of course:   🧮 Paris has become a hotspot for both French and international talents, thanks to prestigious schools and universities known for their rigorous education in complex mathematics (such as École Polytechnique, Ecole normale supérieure, CentraleSupélec, Télécom Paris to name a few).   🎯 Employee conditions have become increasingly attractive for talents, thanks to efforts by companies and government-led initiatives that support startups when hiring (like the La French Tech Visa).   🇪🇺 In short, this sophisticated ecosystem thrives on the interaction of various players, as Karolin Rothbart and Gesche Wüpper demonstrate in their meticulously researched article. We definitely measure up to our American counterparts.

197

9 commentaires

🇫🇷 French innovation is leading the way in 2024! This year, Generative AI (GenAI) has clearly emerged as the most funded technology in Europe, with French companies taking the top spots. As seen in this article from Sifted, the top three largest funding rounds are all led by French startups in GenAI. It's an exciting time for French tech, and I’m proud to be involved as a business angel in all three of these companies — poolside, Mistral AI, and H Company. GenAI is driving major innovations across industries, and it’s fantastic to see France at the forefront of this transformation. 🚀

767

33 commentaires

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

18

1 commentaire

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.

27

2 commentaires

Remember the fiasco with the French-German Interrail project? They aimed to sell a massive number of tickets but ended up leaving the data of about 245,000 registrations almost unprotected on the web. We hear this happening to SaaS companies often. For non-technical founders, it can even be crippling. The silver lining — it's avoidable! Let's talk about how you can prevent similar mistakes in your SaaS products.

8

2 commentaires

🚀 How’s French Tech Doing in 2024? | Insights from the latest France Digitale x EY Barometer Reposted from: Joseph Landauer On September 11, 2024, France Digitale and EY released their annual report, and despite the tough economic climate, there’s plenty to be proud of! French startups are proving they’re ready to face the challenges head-on. Here are five key takeaways: 1️⃣ 15,000 startups are thriving in France, with 3,500 new ones launched in just the past year! So, who said French Tech was slowing down? 2️⃣ 1.3 million jobs created by these startups. Yes, you read that right. While hiring may slow down in 2024, we’re still pushing forward 💪. 3️⃣ Funding crunch: Big deals are happening, but smaller rounds are struggling. VCs are searching for ways to keep the ecosystem thriving. 4️⃣ Global reach: French startups are expanding fast, with 27% revenue growth internationally. Europe is our playground 🌍. 5️⃣ AI dominance: Whether it’s internal tools or product offerings, AI is everywhere. But competition with global giants is fierce 🤖. So, what’s next? French Tech is holding strong, but continued support from policymakers is crucial for future success. Innovation, taxation, and European regulations will be pivotal in the coming years. A big thank you to France Digitale and EY for this report! 🙏 Looking forward to seeing many of you at #FDDAY on September 18. Let’s keep pushing boundaries! 🙌 #FrenchTech #Innovation #Startups

166

3 commentaires