Eric R.T. VIDAL

As a pre-seed, seed, or even at series A, companies should ask themselves: "Will it become a 100 mio ARR company?" I had an inspiring (for me) conversation with Tycho Klessens from Peak on the topic. In most cases, the answer surprisingly is 🚫. We see this in the current wave, being AI now too... Why is this? And why do VCs say no - or when you should say no to VCs... ❌ A 20th FOMO exact copy of a copy of a copy (you see that a lot - A LOT). ❌ Not unique or disruptive enough, despite not being an exact copy ❌ The cap table is more often than not a real nightmare ❌ The product itself and the product-market fit ❌ Not being able to retain a continuous go-to-market fit ❌ The founders are key (will they take it to 100 mio, really?) Now this only means, Venture Capital may not be the way forward, in any of those cases, let alone a combination of multiple, up to sometimes all (perfect storms). But there are tons of great businesses, which are then destined for another path. From private equity to angel investors to going bootstrapped. Someone I consider as a friend throughout the years, the iconic duo Stefan Smulders with his co-founder Glenn Miseroy is an amazing example of such great things, with Expandi.io. Few can accomplish that. Top sport. It's nothing less than absolutely masterly how they managed to scale to 9 mio ARR throughout the years, now going to 10. I feel obliged to cheer, every time I hear more great news of another milestone reached - they're doing it, every day throughout the years. Consistently consistent. But without going for the VC model. Imagine they would have raised (and raised again). They would have given up a lot - and according to that is required in terms of growth performance, who knows where the company or they would be right now? This is a GOLDEN example of how VC isn't always the best way forward. So ask yourself, is your company going to scale to 100 mio ARR? In the required timeframe? Otherwise, you're playing with absolute fire - and another path might be more feasible. Yet end of the runway - a lot of people don't think straight, they're in survival mode. It's not because a VC would give you money, it's the smartest move to take it... Something to think about. Not to mention those 20 FOMO businesses out there that are merely not unique enough. Not everyone is Expandi.io, unfortunately. And taking the money is one thing - but earning it back, at the expected rates, is another... And most start-ups and scale-ups will never do 100 mio ARR, let alone become a "unicorn". It's all fun and games, start-ups, raising funding - until you have to deliver ROI. And you have to be able to deliver on that ROI. Otherwise, what's the point?

29

17 Comments

🌟 Vivatech ‘24: France flexes it's innovation muscle 🌟 The event was a hub of innovation, showcasing the rapid integration and diverse applications of #AI, across many varied sectors. The luxury and make-up brands truly shined this year. LVMH’s Dream Garden was a playground of emerging technologies, replete emerging tech being implemented. 🧪 Bvlgari: Unveiled an AI-powered mixology experience to create unique scents 🌸 Guerlain: Used VR to create a multisensory olfactory landscape 🧳 RIMOWA: Showcasing their products using Apple’s Vision Pro for spatial computing and AR 👕 Loro Piana: Introduced an interactive display for designing digital avatars in virtual garments 📊 Dior: Deployed generative AI with its platform Astra to gather customer insights. 🌟 LVMH: A virtual garden of new startups and budding innovation 🌿 L’OCCITANE Group: Launching a virtual shopping destination 💍 SYKY: Collaborated with Xtended Identity for a digital and physical jewelry collection. 👗 DRESSX: Taking digital fashion above and beyond AR and VR Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon showcased AI advancements, while startups highlighting AI's transformative power in healthcare and industry. AI’s role in marketing, arts, and finance was evident, with discussions on ethical AI development taking center stage. I had the honor of moderating the panel on "How to Mix #Luxury and #Gaming", welcoming Sapna Shah Parikh from Kendo Brands, Inc., 范中流Michael (字孤舟) from Galaxy Interactive and Deborah Harpur of Build A Rocket Boy who is busy bridging the brand world with gaming in the platform called @Everywhere. The intersection of luxury and gaming is gaining traction, and I'm excited to see how this space evolves. 🚀🎮 Grateful for the opportunity to engage and share with so many brilliant minds! Please share what tech you saw that really piqued your interest. #Vivatech2024 #Innovation #Tech #Frenchtech #FutureOfTech

10

"Expense management isn’t just about processing receipts. It’s become a complex workflow that needs to balance compliance, control, and transparency." – Thibaud De Keyzer, Mobilexpense. Every product and service is going through a transformation, but I find, that sometimes we apply new technology before looking at the whole workflow and understanding where we can streamline the whole process. In my experience, by reviewing the whole process we can simplify and solve more problems than we even planned for. I experienced this in one of my financial projects in the past, where we were able to leverage an existing platform and streamline the feedback delivery process across the frontline. The ultimate goal Thibaud and his team are after is touchless expense management. Here are some key takeaways: → Integration and Localization For international operations, integrating expense management with various financial and compliance systems is crucial, especially with different regulations across regions. → Implementing AI AI-driven workflows that provide real-time insights, improve compliance and enhance operational efficiency. Companies now expect expense tools to be proactive, offering predictive capabilities and automated compliance. → Automation and Visibility Moving towards full automation and enhanced visibility for error prevention, predictive insights, and compliance management will lead to significant ROI gain through streamlined processes and improved employee satisfaction. I also had the pleasure of having a discussion with Thibaud during the speaker dinner, where we had a terrific discussion about how he is driving an inclusive work environment, why it is important to him and how he puts trust in his team to deliver…and they do! Look forward to collaborating in the future. 🤝 The link to the presentation is in the comments. #ExpenseManagenent #automation #AI #transformation #finance #ROI #collaboration TinyBox Academy

28

8 Comments

Thank you to Frank Kumli for sharing this article by Ronald Klingebiel and Lucas Böttcher published in the Harvard Business Review. This article provides an interesting and comprehensive analysis of the various ways to select from the range of projects presented to a company those that will be retained. Beyond projects, it is worth noting that this selection process applies in the same way to each of our decisions, even if this is not always (or very rarely) the case. This review is interesting. It starts from the observation that too often, this choice is made based on the estimation of the projects' chances of success, leading to incremental progress. It concludes that the most efficient method is a simple form of "ranking" where each member of the decision committee positions each project according to their preferred order. This is simple and, according to the study, the most likely to select the projects that will prove most beneficial for the company. However, I am surprised that in none of the cases considered by this study is there a reference to the company's strategy and therefore no mention of the contribution of the analyzed project to the said strategy. In this regard, I can only mention the approach and tools such as those developed by Qibud and Gilles Ruffieux, which "magnetize" each decision, action, and actor towards the implementation of the strategy, making each one of them a contributor to this strategy. Best regards, Louis.

4

1 Comment

Intersectionality: the case against All topics are meant to be analysed together, it ensues that: Intersectionality: the case Against Summarily defined, intersectionality demands that all topics are meant to be analysed together; it ensues that: - Outcomes are set by the perspective; eg opinions (aka initial beliefs) about colonialism determine the relevancy of other issues - The primary perspective itself is reduced to the issues deemed to be related; eg colonialism is reduced to it’s western 'white' variant Not by chance that academic reductionism is accompanied by two current social trends: the vogue of generative AI as prosthesis of human intelligence, and a Swipe & Wipe model of social interaction. Taking a step backward from slogans, intersectionality dogma can be compared to progressivism tenets as beautifully explained by “La beauté du Metis” half a century ago:

1

3 Comments

💡 7,5€ Billion (with a B). That’s the annual amount the French state provides to innovative companies through just one program: the CIR (Crédit d'Impôt Recherche). As an entrepreneur, my companies have been fortunate beneficiaries! But did you know that beyond the CIR, there are also: CII, JEI, JEA, BPI, CIMA, CICE, ACCRE, ACRE, FSE, ANR, FUI, PGE, FSN, PIA, FISAC, PTZ, FCTVA, AIF, and 1,753 other official grants and subsidies available? Combined, they represent well over €20 billion annually in funding for businesses. 😢 The catch (number 1)? Accessing these funds is often a bureaucratic nightmare. This is where agencies step in—offering to handle the process but taking a significant cut in return. 🚀 Enter REKI. We’ve developed the first software platform designed to simplify access to these subsidies. With Reki, companies can: 🔍 Discover all eligible opportunities   📑 Automatically generate applications and required documents   💾 Manage and update key data for compliance REKI is led by a seasoned duo of non-dilutive funding experts: Cyril Fougères (ex-BPI and iii-financements) and Aurélien Sibiril (repeat CTO). If you are looking for non-dilutive fundings, simply complete for form on our website (link in comment) Go Meghan Regior Victor Gross Nic Touron Calliste Duru Quentin Le Gall Thibaud Elziere Amaury Sepulchre Quentin Nickmans 🥰 catch (number 2) France is not alone, most countries are doing the same and we are going after it too :)

64

8 Comments

🌟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 Comments

The "mature" & "global winner" awards of IE-Club's Global Innovation & Enterprise competition (10th edition) mark another concrete achievement for dataLobster. 🥇 Kudos to the dataLobster team that deliver #datascience to the highest standards🏋‍♀️, 🔭 Thanks to our investors & to our client base, 🏃‍➡️ Our #AI solutions have helped improving #performance in #automotive, #aerospace, #defence, #energy, #micromobility, #steelmaking, #waterdistribution industries and there is more to follow, 🧠 Upgrade your business with #AI, today!

9

1 Comment

Anne Hidalgo just announced that she will not be running for another 6-year term as Mayor of Paris. In her tenure, she has proven herself to be one of very few truly brave politicians. She took her 2014 mandate, and showed that she had the courage of her convictions, and instead of "analysis paralysis", she rapidly set out to make the changes she promised to make in Paris. Not everyone was on board, and any leader who actually makes changes will endure and waken the full forces of the anti-change stakeholders. But after a productive first term, the majority of Parisians sent her back to finish the job in 2020. More importantly, many people who were against her ideas at first, changed their minds and voted for her after seeing the results of the first-term's projects. These changes include abstract concepts like: - Equity, fairness, inclusion, access, addressing the modern city under a changing climate But also concrete changes like: - Hundreds of school streets, where traffic is blocked on blocks with schools, creating an instant playground, pedestrian and cyclist drop-off zone for kids, with NO car danger or idling vehicle pollution. - Changing the riverside freeways into parks for people. You can now walk along the riverside, or jog, bike, rollerblade, picnic, drink & revel. This is prime real estate in Paris she reclaimed for people, not cars. - Cleaner river - Pedestrian improvements and more space - Huge growth in bike lanes - Increased greenery and tree planting - Reduction of "heat island" contributors - Public transit enhancements & system growth - Flood preparedness systems - Efficient centralized citywide piped heat pump systems - Housing supply growth, stabilization of real estate prices And she contributed to shared successes like the 2024 Paris Olympics, transportation and mobility, a cleaner river, a 15 minute city. Paris is now a model city that many other metropolises can and ARE using as a leading example. Was Hidalgo perfect? No of course not - who is? I understand many of the critiques against her, but I believe she delivered on what she promised, and what she was elected to do. That makes her an unusually good politician, who is forward-leading as opposed to just forward-looking. Carlos Moreno Stacey Randecker Jeff Frick Nick Macilveen Stein van Oosteren Clarence Eckerson Jr.

16

2 Comments

⚡️ Time4 is a new Daphni-backed fund dedicated to French entrepreneurs with diverse backgrounds France's startup ecosystem has expanded significantly over the past decade, fueled by public support and private investment. However, most venture-backed startups are concentrated in Paris, with founders predominantly from a few elite universities. To address this imbalance, venture capital firm Daphni has launched Time4, a €100 million fund aimed at investing in diverse French founders from rural areas and underrepresented backgrounds. Fundraising for Time4 began in September, driven by the belief that there is untapped economic potential among these entrepreneurs. Daphni has partnered with HEC Paris and two nonprofits, Les Déterminés and Live for Good, to provide more hands-on support and mentorship. The fund plans to invest in around 100 projects, offering larger initial investments to help founders who may lack financial backing. Time4 also aims to inspire individuals from various backgrounds to pursue ambitious entrepreneurial goals. It will consider funding entrepreneurs from modest socioeconomic backgrounds, remote areas, jobseekers, individuals with disabilities, and those with unconventional career paths. The fund is committed to supporting projects that enhance social ties and improve access to essential services. While Time4 has identified nearly 800 potential projects, it will not begin funding until mid-next year, targeting its first closing for that time. The initiative has been presented at Bpifrance’s Quartier Général event, coinciding with efforts by Bpifrance and other organizations to boost entrepreneurship in underserved neighborhoods. French Tech Tremplin, which supports underrepresented entrepreneurs, has recently appointed Paul Lê, whose successful grocery delivery startup La Belle Vie serves as an example of the potential for future successes in the French startup landscape.

2

"Règlement sur l’intelligence artificielle - version enrichie" ("Regulation on artificial intelligence - enhanced version"), interesting working document authored by Bertrand CASSAR and published in August 2024 by HAL-SHS. 👇 This document simplifies the reading of the #AIAct through straightforward computational processes. It targets individuals interested in #digitallaw and professionals managing #compliance requirements. The text was extracted from Eur-Lex, restructured for clarity, and enriched with information from various sources to ensure precision. Link: https://lnkd.in/dxYxug2r #artificialera #web3 #web4 #web5 #fintech #digitalera #digitaltransformation #ailaw #machinelearning #deeplearning #generativeAI #trustworthyAI #explainableAI #aiethics #artificialintelligence #explainableAI #responsibleAI #foundationmodels #GPAI #GAI #LLMs #NLPs #GenAI #frontierAI #narrowAI #AGI #ethicalAI #adversarialAI

37

1 Comment

I’ve found the following ranking on Ariase.com this morning of the Top 10 bestseller #smartphones in Europe. It is interesting to highlight that #eSIM remains only available on half of them and mainly on the higher-end ones. My vision is that the path to mass eSIM market adoption/acceleration remains the availability of the feature on mid and lower end devices, together with the deployment of eSIM only smartphones and most importantly a great and easy to use on-boarding customer experience. #orchestration #Digitaltransformation #eKYC 1) Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max  2) Apple iPhone 15 Pro 3) Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra  4) Samsung Galaxy A15  5) Apple iPhone 15  6) Xiaomi Redmi 13C  7) Samsung Galaxy A15 5G  8) Samsung Galaxy S24  9) Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G  10) Samsung Galaxy A25 5G

4

⁉ Meta's AI Day presents its #GenerativeAI strategy: What a bold move, bucking the trend! 👉Very intrigued by Meta's new approach to generative AI announced by Meta's VP of AI Research, Joelle Pineau & Yann LeCun, who critique current models while pushing for innovative advancements, such as the Llama 2/3 language models. This unconventional strategy, combined with their financial success, sets the company apart in the AI ecosystem. In a landscape where many follow the status quo, Meta's move is both challenging and interesting to observe. ⚡Let's stay tuned to see how and if Meta will redefine the future of AI technology! #Innovation #GenerativeAI #FutureOfWork ‍‍ https://lnkd.in/eRK7D7pn Meta - 01net

5

1 Comment

💪 We are very proud to have been included among the #key #startups in #digital #health who are helping to #combat #medical #deserts. Since CONCILIO's creation, we have been helping companies find solutions to support their employees' health in France and in more than 64 other countries. Our #unique #medical #concierge service offers : ✅ #Teleconsultation, 24/7, in five languages. ✅ #Digital #health #checkups focused on general health, women's health, mental health, and more. ✅ Daily support by #recommending #top #specialists endorsed by their peers to prevent medical wandering. ✅ #Medical #appointment #booking with general practitioners and specialists to save time and reduce the mental load for employees and their families, particularly those living in medical deserts. #digitalhealth #telemedecine #telehealth #bestdigitalhealthcompany #concilio #medicalconcierge

3

3 Comments

Mercredi Bien Être Acte XVIII The Biohacking Revolution: Unlocking Human Potential Imagine a world where you can upgrade your body and mind like a smartphone, where you can hack your biology to achieve peak performance, and where you can live a longer, healthier, and happier life. Welcome to the world of biohacking. The Heroes of Biohacking Meet Tim Ferriss , the entrepreneur and author who has spent years experimenting with his own body to achieve superhuman performance. Meet Dave Asprey , the founder of Bulletproof Coffee , who has used biohacking to overcome obesity and achieve optimal health. Meet Josiah Zayner the former NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist who has used biohacking to enhance his physical and mental abilities. The Science of Biohacking Biohacking is not just about self-experimentation; it's also about using science and technology to upgrade your biology. Researchers at Stanford University University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , and Harvard University are using cutting-edge techniques like gene editing, brain-computer interfaces, and neurofeedback to unlock human potential. Institutions like the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies are dedicated to understanding aging and developing new treatments for age-related diseases. The Tools of Biohacking Biohackers use a variety of tools to optimize their performance, from nootropics and supplements to wearables and brain-computer interfaces. They experiment with different diets, like the ketogenic diet, and practices, like meditation and mindfulness, to achieve mental clarity and focus. They use data-driven approaches to track their progress and make adjustments to their routines. The Future of Biohacking As biohacking continues to evolve, we can expect to see new technologies and techniques emerge that will allow us to upgrade our biology like never before. Imagine being able to edit your genes to eliminate disease, or using brain-computer interfaces to control devices with your mind. The possibilities are endless, and the future of biohacking is exciting and full of potential. Join the Biohacking Revolution So why not join the biohacking revolution? Start by experimenting with your own body and mind. Try new diets, supplements, and practices. Use data-driven approaches to track your progress and make adjustments to your routines. And join the community of biohackers who are pushing the boundaries of human potential. Together, we can unlock the secrets of human biology and achieve peak performance. We can live longer, healthier, and happier lives. And we can create a world where anyone can upgrade their biology and achieve their full potential. #BioHacking #Technology #Future #Creativity #Innovation #Wealth #StartUps #PersonalDevelopment #SocialNetworking #Careers #Networking #Marketing #HumanResources

3

KPIs and metrics are so critical for shifting the dial on EDI. They shine a light on areas where we could do better. Some great suggests on KPIs linked to inclusion and older workers in this Forbes article. #inclusion #ageism

2