XAnge

In 2018, we shed light on the challenges facing the French venture capital ecosystem in our article 'A Venture Capital Funnel in Europe' following an analysis of first-time fundraisers in France between 2007 and 2009. 🌍 Back then, the landscape was marked by an inefficient “spread and pray” strategy, a low graduation rate from first to second fundraising, early exits, and a glaring lack of new unicorns, all highlighting the French ecosystem’s lag compared to the U.S. Six years later, with over 30 French unicorns and €31 billion raised, the ecosystem appears to have transformed. Today, we revisit this analysis to see whether this evolution is truly reflected in the numbers. 💡 👉 Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/ewDG-n8S 🖊️ By Elsa Hayoun and Guillaume

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐭? ⭐ At XAnge, we’re convinced that an independent board member is not a nice-to-have —but an essential for every startup, and the earlier, the better. 👉 At our Annual Founders Dinner, we explored this strategic topic with insights from two incredible guest speakers:  ➜ Philippe Vimard, Independent Board Member at Alma, Payfit, ManoMano, Skello and Randstad. Former CTO of Klarna and COO of Doctolib.  ➜ Orla Noonan, ex-Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Adevinta, Independent Director at Groupe TF1, Believe Music, SMCP and AFP. Former Independent Director of Illiad.  𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 📌 1️⃣ Dont' wait until you "need" an independent board member or it may be too late. Build your governance proactively. 2️⃣ Prioritize someone with extensive horizontal experience — someone who has tackled a variety of challenges across industry and functions. 3️⃣ Evaluate the board's workings and composition regularly. New perspectives can reignite energy and innovation.  At XAnge, we're committed to helping founders 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲, so their startup is ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead. 🙏 A huge thank you to our founders and speakers for making this discussion so impactful. We hope this is just the start of a broader conversation about how founders can maximize the value of their boards.

Founders are the most valuable component of the companies we invest in 🚀 When founders raised funds, it marks the start of a thrilling yet demanding rollercoaster of scaling toward success. As the company grows, the founders embark on a personal journey that is both exciting and incredibly challenging. For many founders, it comes at a high cost: ▪️ 60% experience mental health struggles. ▪️ 49% think about leaving their company. ▪️ 81% hesitate to open up about stress. ▪️ Only 23% turn to coaching. At #XAnge, we're determined to change the narrative. 💪 Today, 40% of our entrepreneurs have received coaching—and we’re noticing significant impact on company's performance. We believe that caring of founders mental health is essential to hit business milestones. That's why we’ve partnered with Wondermates to help normalize conversations about mental health and provide real support. 🧠 🧘♀️ Together, we’re building a startup ecosystem where well-being fuels performance.

We’re thrilled to share that Vertuoza has been named one of the Sifted 75 Startups to Watch in the Nordics and Benelux for 2024! 🚀 The ranking features the fastest-growing startups across the region by revenue growth, and Vertuoza’s inclusion highlights their incredible journey and impact. By revolutionizing the construction industry with innovative tech solutions, Vertuoza is transforming how professionals streamline projects and deliver results. 👷♀️ 👀 https://lnkd.in/dhHJC5ZB

🔒GenAI is everywhere – but how is it truly transforming the way CISOs and security professionals approach cyber operations? We’ve got some insights to share! Our Senior Associate, Clementine Gazay, teamed up with Oliver Heinrich and Alex Rohregger from Picus Capital, Patrick Hermann from Fortino Capital and Imade Elbaraka, Cyber Managing Partner Deloitte to dive deep into the state of modern Security Operations Centers (SOCs). Their findings, based on conversations with over 50 CISOs and cybersecurity experts, offer a detailed look at the current landscape. The research highlights some pressing challenges facing security teams today: 👉 28% of CISOs see their SOCs overwhelmed by workload demands 👉 90% of current SIEM tools generate excessive noise 👉 50%+ of CISOs see major challenges in providing the right data platform for their teams The game-changer?  AI is poised to revolutionize cybersecurity—not just in terms of data management, but also in how we optimize operations. The global market for AI-driven cybersecurity products is expected to skyrocket from $15B to $135B by 2030. AI isn’t just the future; it’s shaping the now of cybersecurity. 👀 Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/ezD-zWQZ

Prepare for Your Series A with XAnge and SeedLegals 🚀 Are you a fast-growing startup ready to take the leap into your #SeriesA? This #webinar is for you. 💡 Join us to gain practical advice, insights, and expert strategies to structure your fundraising, anticipate challenges, and maximize your chances of success. Agenda: 📖 The "Series A Blueprint": A comprehensive guide by XAnge, packed with data and real-life examples to support you through your fundraising journey. 💡 From Seed to Series A: Understand the key differences between these two investment stages. 📈 Life as a Founder: How the roles and responsibilities of leaders evolve during a Series A (board management, cap table, etc.). 🌟 Challenges and Opportunities: Identify strategic priorities for startups transitioning to a Series A. 🛠️ Case Studies and Practical Tips: Tools and actionable insights to prepare your roadmap. ▪ Florent Artaud, Country Manager for France at SeedLegals, will host our Senior Associate Clementine Gazay and our Startup Success Manager David Erhun. Register here 👉 https://lu.ma/f74ma2x5 ➡ Download our Series A Blueprint here https://lnkd.in/egF5fdiQ Bring your questions and leave with concrete tools to ace your fundraising journey. 🙋♀️

AI for Health Summit 2024 ⚕️ Our Partner Nadja Bresous Mehigan will be present at AI for Health this Thursday at STATION F. Don’t miss the chance to connect with her. 🤝 Feel free to reach out at [email protected] to arrange a meeting. CC: Lydia Seyler

🎧 Our Partner and Head of DACH Valerie B. recently joined the "Gründer Ungefiltert" podcast by Manuel Neumann to share valuable insights from her entrepreneurial journey. In this episode, Valerie dives into her experience building over 550 Mrs. Sporty studios across 11 countries and her role as an investor. Here’s a sneak peek of what you can learn: 💡 Why self-doubt can be your best compass – and how Valerie embraced an idea she initially thought was “totally silly.” 💡The power of a complementary team and the key lessons Valerie has gained from her ventures. Tune in to hear more 👉 https://lnkd.in/eFfkHtPM #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Podcast #GründerUngefiltert 

 💡Today’s Insight from The Series A Blueprint 💡 What is a Waterfall and Why Should Founders Care About It? In every successful exit, a waterfall determines how proceeds are distributed among shareholders according to the rights in your Shareholder Agreement (SHA). If your exit value surpasses the total equity investment, this may not be an issue. But if it’s close to that figure, or even below the last round’s share value, the waterfall becomes essential.  👉 Why? Each shareholder’s return varies based not only on ownership percentage but also on share class—and that can make a big difference. Understanding this helps you align expectations, especially when communicating potential outcomes to employees holding shares.To create a clear waterfall model, here’s what you need:  1️⃣ A current cap table detailing ownership, share categories, and issuance prices.  2️⃣ The Shareholder Agreement (SHA), which defines liquidation preferences and how proceeds are divided among different share classes. 3️⃣ Our step-by-step guide to simulate potential outcomes. 👇   Whether the exit value meets or falls short of expectations, a well-managed waterfall is key to maintaining shareholder trust and avoiding last-minute surprises. Want to discover more? Download our Series A Blueprint here! 👉 https://lnkd.in/egF5fdiQ

Carbon Quotas Breakfast 🥐 🌿 Yesterday, we had the pleasure of hosting Valentin Lautier, CEO of Homaio – a company from the XAnge portfolio and part of our Climate Fellowship – at our Paris offices. He gave a presentation on the regulatory carbon quotas market (EU ETS) , a central pillar of the European Union’s climate strategy.🌍 🔑 Key takeaways: ▪ Why the carbon market is crucial in the EU’s path toward carbon neutrality. ▪ Underlying business models: How companies subject to this market adapt their strategies, and the implications for Private Equity investors. ▪ Insights into trends and opportunities for innovation and disruption in the carbon market from a Venture Capital perspective. ▪ Homaio’s positioning: How the company is leveraging a unique offering in this market. ▪ The role of individuals in the carbon market: How both individuals and organizations can actively engage with the EU ETS and contribute to the global climate agenda. 👉 Homaio is making carbon compliance markets accessible to everyone through an investment platform that allows individual investors to participate in the emissions trading system. 💡 Want to discover more? https://www.homaio.com/