Archive for July 2015
Where are European startups to solve Europe's biggest issues?
On-demand Food Delivery, that’s a Silicon Valley problem. A daily gluten-free meal option, that’s a Silicon Valley problem. I don’t mean that this doesn’t have a global market potential, just that it is clearly a problem first confronted by the Bay Area, and then adapted and adopted in different markets. Two of my colleagues recently […]
B2B fashion marketplace Uppler crosses the 2000 brand mark
In recent years, the fashion industry has sought to eschew its traditional, closed, risk-adverse image as it relates to tech. Whether it be LVMH’s investment in Lyst, the fashion marketplace Farfetch newly minted unicorn status, the global success of the private sale model (see Showroomprive.com, Venteprivee, Mei.com, VIP Plaza, etc), the growing importance of 3D printing, or […]
Clic and Walk raises €3.5 million to roll-out across Europe and reinforce its R&D
Click and Walk, rising star in the area of geo-location based offline marketing has just raised 3.5 million with CITA Investissement and Fonds Ambition Numérique (managed by Bpifrance). Their historic investor with whom they raised 750k last year also joined the round. Based near Lille in Roubaix and founded just 3 years ago by Frédérique Grigolato, […]
Paris Founders Event Wrap-Up: Paying your water bill with your mobile phone & much much more!
Yesterday, we wrapped up a promising Summer Edition of #ParisFounders: 250+ startupers, tech enthusiasts, investors and journalists came out last night at Université Paris Dauphine, to discover the hottest new startups and innovations Paris has to offer. Among the 40 startups that applied, we selected 4 who took the stage to launch their products. The evening revolved […]
When engineers mix with artists, amazing things can happen. So why segregate them?
Skimming through the alumni magazine of my undergraduate engineering school, I stumbled onto an article about a student project from a course called Data as Art. Data as Art is a course that groups students from my engineering school alma mater with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in a combined art-meets-engineering curriculum. […]
Crossroad – the easiest way to gather your friends' pictures!
“Yeah sure, I will send you the pictures today..” How many times have you heard that phrase? My best friend graduated from college last year and I’m still waiting to receive the pictures from all my friends that were there ( you know who you are, I’m calling you out!). Crossroad will finally put an […]
SlimPay raises €15 Million to bring Direct Debit to the SaaS industry
Fintech startup SlimPay has raised €15 Million from Prime Ventures, an investment firm with close ties to Ingenico subsidiary Global Collect, the company announced this week. SlimPay currently has 35 employees, 2,000 clients, and processed €2.4 Billion in direct debit payments in 2014. Why eMerchants should choose Direct Debit for debit card The Fintech space […]
Despite pushback from pharmacies, 1001Pharmacies raises €8 Million to become an online European parapharmacy
eCommerce startup 1001Pharmacies has raised €8 MIllion from Newfund, CM-CIC Capital Privé, Xavier Niel, Olivier Mathiot & PKM, the startup announced this week. The new funds come after last August’s struggle with pharmacies led the startup to discontinuing its delivery service for prescription medicine, choosing to focus more on the parapharmaceuticals – their home page […]
Prêt d'Union raises €31 Million to replicate the Lending Club model across Europe.
Peer-to-peer lending platform Prêt d’Union has raised €31 Million from Eurazeo and Priceminister co-founder & business angel Pierre Kosciusko-Morizet. The platform has now provided €200 Million in loans since its launch in Dec. 2011 at a rate of €15 million per month (up from €5 Million per month in September 2013) – not as much […]
Legalstart aims to eliminate the legal and admin pain for SMEs
Anyone who’s launched and operated a business in France knows how challenging the required legal and administrative procedures can be (91% of french managers and entrepreneurs believe there are too many legal and administrative requirements). Of course France is not unique in this regard and the French administration has made various efforts in recent years to […]