French Business Angels Coordinate to Bolster Early-Stage Funding
Paris, France - In a sign of growing coordination among France's angel investing community, seven leading business angel networks joined forces this week to showcase their collective firepower in supporting early-stage startups.
The event, organized by Paris Business Angels (PBA) as part of France Angels' National Business Angels Week, brought together the co-presidents of the national umbrella group France Angels along with representatives from some of the country's most active angel networks. The gathering highlighted the deepening collaboration between these groups as they seek to provide more comprehensive support for promising young companies.
"We wanted to show the collective dynamism that has been building over the past few years," said Olivier Baroux, president of PBA. "We're sharing deal flow, co-investing, and advancing together despite having different investment theses and backgrounds."
The plenary session featured pitches from three startups spanning deep tech, food tech and biotech - underscoring the diverse range of opportunities angel investors are pursuing. One of the presenting companies reportedly secured over €500,000 in investment intentions on the spot.
In a key development, PBA also formalized a partnership with Provence Angels, another prominent regional network. "We share a generalist thesis, the same rigor around sourcing and process, and they're in a strong growth phase, so it was a natural step to deepen our collaboration," Baroux explained.
The coordination among France's business angel groups comes as early-stage funding has become an increasingly competitive landscape. According to industry sources, angel and seed-stage investment in France reached €1.2 billion in 2021, up 60% from the prior year. However, the number of deals only grew by 20% over the same period, indicating heightened competition for the most promising startups.
"By working together, these networks can leverage their combined expertise, resources and networks to provide founders with more comprehensive support - from initial funding to hands-on mentorship and follow-on rounds," said Marie Ekeland, co-founder of venture capital firm daphni and a longtime observer of the French tech ecosystem.
The strengthening of France's business angel community also reflects a broader trend of increased professionalization in the country's startup funding landscape. Over the past decade, a new generation of more experienced, operationally-focused angel investors has emerged, drawn by the country's rapidly maturing tech ecosystem.
"These networks are increasingly acting as true partners to entrepreneurs, not just providers of capital," added Ekeland. "That's a really positive evolution that should pay dividends for French innovation in the years ahead."
This article highlights the growing collaboration among French angel investor networks to provide more comprehensive support for promising young startups. As venture capital funds continue to dominate the early-stage funding landscape, this coordinated effort by France's angel community signals their intent to play a more active role in nurturing the country's entrepreneurial ecosystem.