Patrick Mareuil

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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🚀 Attention all AI-driven mobility startups! Are you ready to revolutionize transportation and sustainability? This is more than just another competition—this is your gateway to the big stage. Introducing The AI Start-Up Challenge: Mobility & Sustainability—your chance to stand out in one of Germany’s most significant mobility arenas, powered by none other than auto motor & sport. 🌟 Why you should apply: 1. €100,000 investment potential – Fuel your innovation. 2. Unmatched access – Tap into top-tier AI, mobility, and sustainability experts, plus a network that opens doors. 3. Cut through the noise – Stand out from 180+ startup competitions across Germany. 4. Shape the future – Play a pivotal role in the mobility revolution. Who should apply: • Pre-seed or seed stage startups • Focused on AI solutions for mobility and sustainability • Ready to disrupt the industry and make a lasting impact Key details: • Application deadline: August 30th • Organized by: auto motor und sport, Reziprok Ventures, and Heartfelt_ • Decision process: Fast and straightforward This is your moment to drive the future of mobility. The industry is watching—bring your A-game. Ready to accelerate your journey? Apply now: https://lnkd.in/ewzu-rMJ What’s your biggest challenge in combining AI with sustainable mobility? Let’s discuss it below! 👇 #AIStartup #MobilityRevolution #SustainableTech #StartupChallenge

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Looking for #funding ? "Raise Millions" by Hustle Fund is a fantastic free resource! Clear, simple, and full of practical tips and it helped me clear up many doubts. 📚 Key points of the book: 1️⃣ Comprehensive guide for first-time founders 2️⃣ Step-by-step approach to fundraising 3️⃣ Practical tips and real-world examples Highly recommended for anyone in the early stages of their #startup journey. Get the Book for free here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dpjtvFBz 💡 Have you heard of this book before? Do you know any other great resources for fundraising? Share your thoughts and recommendations!

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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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I had the pleasure of sitting down with Gilles Bertaux, Co-Founder & CEO of Livestorm, a leading European webinar platform, on the latest episode of the UpYourStack Podcast. We dove into how Livestorm has carved out a strong niche by focusing on privacy, security, and seamless integration, especially for mid-market and enterprise clients. What I loved most about our conversation was learning how Livestorm was born out of a real need to simplify and enhance the webinar experience—something Gilles and his team have truly mastered. Their user-driven approach to product development and commitment to solving real-world problems shines through in every aspect of their platform. Another highlight was discussing their strategic integration with HubSpot, which has been a game-changer for marketers and SMBs alike. Despite early challenges, Livestorm has refined its HubSpot integration to deliver exceptional value, making it a must-have tool for businesses looking to elevate their tech stack. Tune in to hear more about Livestorm’s journey and their exciting roadmap for the future! Links in the comments section to listen to the podcast in your preferred format. #UpYourStack #HubSpot #Webinars #TechStack #MarketingTools #PrivacyAndSecurity

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Forget unicorns. Let's talk about zebras. 🦓 In the startup world, we're obsessed with rapid growth. But what if slow and steady wins the race? My journey from Bpifrance to CEO taught me: 1. Sustainable growth trumps hype 2. Community impact matters more than valuations 3. Solving real problems beats chasing trends Building bridges between France and USA markets? It's not about disruption. It's about connection. What if we measured success by lives improved, not just dollars raised? Entrepreneurs, are you building a unicorn or a zebra? Share your thoughts below. 👇 #EntrepreneurshipReimagined #StartupWisdom

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Big News: Stellar is launching a game-changing product for startup CEOs and CPOs. Let me explain. I share a strong belief with Stellar’s CPOs (co-founded by Timothe Frin of the podcast Clef de voûte): Product is a discipline meant to serve the business. This sounds obvious. And yet, Product is still seen as theoretical and secondary by many European startup CEOs. Many leaders believe Product: * Is based on abstract methods * Forces its rules onto other teams * And is a job without tangible ROI. This perception won’t change without concrete arguments. When Timothe Frin and David offered me to help build a set of measurable indicators to track the Product’s impact on business growth, I immediately said YES! Here’s their idea: Build a set of measurable indicators to track Product’s impact on business growth. Just like what exists for Sales or Marketing teams. The goal? To raise awareness among executive teams in tech companies about Product’s potential to drive growth. After 6 months of hard work, Stellar is now exclusively launching its first product: the Stellar Health Check (SHC). With the SHC, startup founders can assess their Product function's health within 10 minutes. Right afterward, they’ll know: * If their organization is performing * If their processes are effective * If their product truly supports their business * What changes to prioritize * And the potential gains for key business metrics. The Stellar Health Check has already been tested and approved by 30+ startups, including Maze, Livestorm, and Ornikar. It’s the first product created by CPOs for CEOs. Stellar’s ambition? To make it a go-to tool across the European tech ecosystem. Are you a startup leader looking to test your Product function's performance? Sign up here to try it out (100% free): https://lnkd.in/e2GZgfPD

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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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#Fundraising in 2023 was not easy, for founders or VCs. Sifted tracked just 40 new first-time funds that announced a first or second close in 2023 — compared to over 60 in 2022. But these #European #VCs are raising (and closing) first-time funds. Here are all the new first-time VC funds raised in 2024. #business #startups #europeanvc #eu #saasstaartups #sifted #saasbusiness #growthlevers #growthdrivers #vc #startupfunding #europeanstartups #vcfunding #startupjourney #investment #firstround #techstartups #scalingbusiness #scalingup #venturefund #venturecapital #startupgrowth #startupjourney #fundraising #investorrelations #earlystagestartups #preseed #seed #seedround #startupfinancing #startupinvestment #investors #venturecapitalists #capitalraising #fundingstrategy #venturefunding #prepmf #pmf #deathvalleycurve #startupdeathvalley #raisingmoney #2024report #funding #investorawareness #venture #CentralEurope #researchreport #vcfunds #newvc #firsttimefunds #2024outlook #scaleups #seriesa #founders #startupfounders

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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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🌍 We are happy to support Wayra who is introducing CVC Office Hours: A New Way for Startups to Access Strategic Guidance 🌍 24 CVCs from around the world have joined forces to define the most pressing areas they want to explore startup technologies for their enterprises' strategic interests. They are offering their time in 121 office hours to startups whose applications showcase strategic collaboration opportunities in their industry. We want to see our startups getting in front of them, which is why we recommend it. Whether you’re looking for fundraising guidance, exploring strategic pivots, or diving into market insights, we recommend applying to the Office Hours and getting connected with experienced CVCs ready to support your journey. 𝗪𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁: • Are in the Late Seed to Series B stage • Have post-MVP traction and an active user or client base    𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀, 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀: • Safe AI: Security, transparency, and ethical AI practices • Model Lifecycle and Operational Scalability: Efficient deployment and management of AI models • AI Applications: Solutions for productivity, automation, and sustainability across industries​ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀? 🔍 Direct Access to Experts: Get actionable advice from CVCs who understand scaling challenges. 💡 Variety of Topics: Discuss funding, market trends, and strategic shifts for growth. 🌐 Global Connections, Real Impact: Gain insights from a global network to navigate local and international markets. Office Hours is more than a chance to meet investors; it’s an opportunity to gain the strategic insights you need to thrive in a competitive market. 👉 Ready to explore new opportunities? Apply by November 20th and take your startup on the strategic capital journey! See the link in comments Kyle Tsai Bruno Moraes Jake Christoforou

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€25M, to build the one finance platform to rule them all. Proud to be partner of Pauline Glikman and Joseph A. from Day 0! When we first invested in Payflows, there were many other FinTech SaaS startups focusing on individual pain points felt by CFOs and their teams. Some of these companies try to improve accounts payable or procurement. Others tackle cash management or try to modernize the payment stack. Payflows stands apart by offering this and more as modules within an automated platform bigger than the sum of its parts. Each module can be purchased and deployed independently, but the offering becomes much more powerful when all the pieces of the puzzle are combined.   We partnered with Payflows team on their €5M Seed round, together with Ribbit Capital - all thanks to an intro from my friend Salomon Aiach, GP at Origins Fund. Their product quickly turned out to be such a customer hit that they never had time to announce the round. Fast forward one year. Customers include both public enterprise companies as well as growth-stage tech companies like Ornikar, Spendesk, and Swile and Podimo. Welcome Balderton Capital in today’s combined €25M funding round! In the comments, the story on Les Echos and an in-depth piece on why we invested. Can't wait to continue seeing the ultimate financial automation platform come together! (Photo by Samuel Sotto)

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🎨 The canvas is almost ready. The masterpiece we've been painting together is about to be revealed. #Thrilled to announce: We've been handpicked as one of just 6 startups to unveil our creation on the Google Stage at Slush #2024 this November! You've shared your stories, challenges, and dreams. Each conversation has been a brushstroke, each piece of feedback a new color in our palette. Together, we've been painting a future where content creation breaks free from old constraints. The picture is nearly complete - a vision of creativity unleashed, where every creator's voice becomes a masterpiece of its own. Join us at Slush 2024 as we reveal the final strokes of something truly transformative. This isn't just our painting; it's a canvas we've filled together. Mark your calendars: November 2024, Helsinki Location: Google Stage at Slush. Let's make creativity flow. 🎨 🌟 Abdul Osman Walid Aransa, PhD Antler #Slush2024 #Innovation #GoogleStage #StartupLife #ContentCreation #MarTech #CreatorEconomy #ContentStrategy #FutureOfContent #AIMarketing #CreatorTools #MarketingInnovation #SlushHelsinki #ContentRevolution

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💡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞! 🌍 Fundraising is hard, but finding the right investors doesn’t have to be. This guide is your shortcut to 5000+ VCs, angels, and family offices across:  • 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: US, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and MENA.  • 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: SaaS, Web3, ClimateTech, DeepTech, and more.  • 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: Pre-seed angels, fund-of-funds, and diversity-focused investors. What you’ll get:  • Verified global VC lists, tailored by stage and geography.  • Specialized directories like AI angels, accelerators, and niche family offices.  • Tools to focus your outreach and scale smarter. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/dtdyuUqP

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The Making of Klipy AI We are 3 co-founders... 2 female founders 👩🏻‍💻👩🏻‍💻 1 male founder 👨🏻‍💻 from 🇰🇷🇺🇸🇭🇰 with experience in multiple industries 💻🛍️🎬🏨🎰🏀 (just to name a few 😅) … coming together with a common goal: to solve sales problems! We created Klipy to help entrepreneurs, solo-preneurs, and small-to-medium businesses in overcoming the hurdles that come with business growth. Individually, we have encountered the very problems we are striving to address, in different sectors and companies. Our firsthand experiences provide us with an understanding of the obstacles faced. Throughout our development process, we talked with numerous business development (BD) and account management (AM) reps from around the globe to validate our ideas and refine our solutions. As we prepare for our public launch on Product Hunt, we need YOUR feedback and insights on how to make Klipy even more powerful and tailored to your needs. Join us on this journey and share your feedback! 1️⃣ Visit https://lnkd.in/gDrkGdRs. Click "Notify Me" and receive a special promo code via Product Hunt. 2️⃣ Like and comment on this post. 3️⃣ Spread the word to your network. 4️⃣ Start using Klipy when it launches on July 10th PST. #sales #CRM #femalefounders #womenintech #startups #entrepreneurship #product #technology #AI #klipy

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Fuelled by the Tibi Initiative, France has emerged as a European tech powerhouse over the past five years. 🚀 Can Germany's WIN Initiative achieve similar results? 🇫🇷 The #TibiInitiative set out with a bold mission: channel private capital into tech innovation. Since its launch, France has pledged €13 billion, with €6.4 billion already deployed into French startups and scaleups, creating a robust ecosystem. 🇩🇪 Germany’s #WINInitiative now aims to mobilize €12 billion by 2030, addressing the late-stage funding gap. Top institutional players like Allianz, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, and Deutsche Telekom are already on board. The aim? To ensure that Germany’s most promising startups can grow, scale, and thrive without needing to relocate abroad for capital. 🌱 Why it matters: ▫ Late-stage funding fuels scale and talent retention. ▫ Growth funding in Germany faces challenges, with U.S. VCs dominating major late-stage rounds. ▫ Limited local support drives talent and revenue abroad, risking Europe’s innovation strength. 💡 The Tibi Initiative proves that when institutional capital aligns with national priorities, the results can be transformative. A public-private synergy could help Germany break through the late-stage funding ceiling, building a sovereign, innovation-driven ecosystem. Could this strategy unlock Europe’s full innovation potential? 💬 Share your thoughts in the comments below! #WINInitiative #Startups #InnovationLeadership #MadeInGermany

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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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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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