Bpifrance

Bpifrance is a French state-backed investment bank focused on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Its venture capital arm covers a wide range of sectors, investing in startups at all stages—seed, early, and late stage, as well as growth. Bpifrance has made significant contributions to sectors like life sciences, digital technology, and green energy, aiming to support French companies in becoming global market leaders. One of its flagship initiatives is the Large Venture fund, which invests in fast-growing, capital-intensive companies, with typical investments starting at €10 million in rounds of €20 million or more. Notable investments include Doctolib, a leader in the European e-health sector, and Devialet, known for its groundbreaking audio technology. Bpifrance’s investment strategy emphasizes economic impact alongside financial returns, enabling it to take more risks compared to traditional private investors. It also prioritizes areas like climate tech and deep technology, where it sees gaps in venture capital attention. The firm operates both domestically and internationally, with €17 billion in assets under its Funds of Funds division, backing numerous European and global venture capital firms. Bpifrance’s dual mission—to generate returns and spur innovation—makes it a vital player in Europe’s venture capital ecosystem​.