Fundraising Fox

Daphni

Venture capitaloperating company · company profile

Paris · Seed–Growth · 41 people tracked

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Investment thesis

Daphni positions itself as a venture capital firm that rejects rigid formulas and algorithms in favor of people, vision, and deep engagement. It emphasizes a human-driven, community-powered, and tech-augmented approach, building tools, conviction, and a community to keep learning quickly and to drive long-term, systemic change rather than chasing short-term trends.

Source: firm website, verified Aug 11, 2026.

Stage
Seed–Growth
Check
$540K – $6.5M
HQ
Paris, FR
Leads rounds
Follows
Instruments
Equity
Founded
2016
Last 12 months
5 investments
AUM
$756M
Tracked investments
116

Team · 41 people

from the firm's website & public directories
Mathieu Daix· Co-founder

Co-founder of Daphni involved in overseeing portfolio companies of the Purple fund.

Willy Braun· Co-founder

Co-founder of Daphni involved in overseeing portfolio companies of the Purple fund.

What they invest in

from 86 of 116 portfolio companies

AI & Machine Learning ×34SaaS ×25E-commerce ×12Deep Tech ×11Fintech ×11Climate Tech ×10Cleantech ×9Enterprise Software ×9

HQs:France×34United States×4United Kingdom×3Austria×1Brazil×1Canada×1

Who they back

founder profiles across 32 portfolio companies
47%
solo founders
15 of 32 mapped founding teams
58%
repeat founders
of 24 founders with career history

Founding team size:solo founder×152 founders×103 founders×34+ founders×4

Where their founders studiedfrom 22 founders with education data

HEC Paris ×4Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro ×3Stanford University Graduate School of Business ×3ESCP ×2ICN Business School ×2KTH Royal Institute of Technology ×2

Where their founders worked beforefrom 24 founders with career history

NG.CASH ×2

Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program

Entrepreneur First ×2Techstars ×2

4 founders hold a PhD · 1 hold an MBA (of 23 with degree data)

Investments · 116 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2026 · 42025 · 42017 · 19 dated

Pasqalpasqal.comin𝕏✓ verified

Pasqal is a quantum computing company that develops high-performance quantum systems using neutral atom technology and software for optimization, simulation, and artificial intelligence applications across industry, science, and government sectors.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareQuantum ComputingFrance, FR

Alain Aspect(Founder)

Co-investorsIsaiQuantonationRuna CapitalEni NextTemasekDunamu & Partners+3 more

World Fundworldfund.vcin𝕏✓ verified

Lithosquare is an AI platform for mineral discovery and exploration that uses geological expertise and machine learning to identify mineral deposits up to 10 times more efficiently.

AI & Machine LearningCleantechClimate TechDeep TechHardwareCambridge, GB

Xavier Moya(Founder & CEO)Giles Rodway(CTO)Aymeric Préveral-Etcheverry(CEO)Simon Leclair(COO)

Co-investorsOVNI CapitalWorld FundKfW CapitalSaxoventEIFEuropean Investment Fund

Holbertonholbertonschool.comin𝕏Dec 2017

Purple fund portfolio company.

EdTechSan Francisco, US

Julien Barbier(Executive Officer, Director)Sylvain Kalache(Former Director)

BoardManoel Lemos(Director)inEustache Besancon(Director)Marc Verstaen(Director)

Board seatMarie Ekeland· per SEC Form D

Co-investorsRedpoint eventuresAME Cloud VenturesOmidyar NetworkPartech VenturesReach CapitalTrinity Ventures

Agricool
AguaBlanca
Airthiumairthium.comin𝕏

Airthium manufactures high-temperature industrial heat pumps that reach up to 550°C and operate in hybrid mode, switching between electricity and gas to optimize cost and carbon emissions.

Advanced ManufacturingCleantechClimate TechHardwareParis, FR

Andrei Klochko(Founder/CEO)inFranck Lahaye(Co-Founder)inFranck Gilles Lahaye(Director)

Co-investorsPolytechnique VenturesY Combinator

Albatross Aiusealbatross.ai

Albatross builds AI "perception models" and real-time infrastructure that analyze live user interactions (views, clicks, searches, purchases) to infer intent and rank the best items to show next during a session.

AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureRetail TechBaar, CH

Kevin Kahn(Founder)Matteo Ruffini(Founder)

Co-investorsMMC Venturesredalpine

Alpa
AMI Labsamilabs.xyz

AMI Labs develops advanced AI systems that understand the real world through world models and action-conditioned architectures, enabling intelligent agents with persistent memory, reasoning, and safety controls for industrial automation, robotics, and healthcare applications.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechRoboticsParis, FR

Yann LeCun(Founder)Alex LeBrun(Founder)Laurent Solly(Founder)Michael Rabbat(Founder)Pascale Fung(Founder)Saining Xie(Founder)

Co-investorsAglae VenturesAlpha Intelligence CapitalAvenir Growth CapitalExpeditionsfirstminute capitalGreycroft+16 more

Animajanimaj.comin

Animaj is a media company that creates and develops children's entertainment franchises using AI-powered production and digital-first distribution.

AI & Machine LearningCreator EconomyMedia & Entertainment

Gregory Dray(Founder)in

Co-investorsBootstrap EuropeDisney AcceleratorKima VenturesLeft Lane CapitalResonance VCXAnge

Ankaraiankar.ai

Ankar builds an operating system for innovation that helps R&D and patent teams accelerate their work through tools for idea generation, drafting, prosecution, and protection.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareLegalTechSaaSLondon, GB

Tamar Gomez(Founder)inWiem Gharbi(Founder)

Co-investorsBOOOMIndex VenturesNorrsken VCAtomico

Anotherbrainanotherbrain.aiin

AnotherBrain develops a bio-inspired artificial intelligence, embedded on an ASIC chip, that learns autonomously, explains its decisions, and runs in real time without big data or cloud while using little energy.

AI & Machine LearningDeep TechSemiconductors

Bruno Maisonnier(Founder)

Co-investorsAlpha Intelligence CapitalCathay Innovation

Antescofometronautapp.com

Metronaut is a music practice app offering 15,000+ interactive sheet music pieces with professional accompaniments across 20+ instruments, with features like auto-scrolling scores, tempo adjustment, and transposition.

ConsumerEdTechMedia & Entertainment

Co-investorsOneRagtime

Apidayapiday.com

Apiday provides an ESG and sustainability reporting platform that automates compliance with major ESG frameworks for investors and companies in private markets.

FintechImpact & Social GoodSaaS

Co-investorsGalion.exeReventSpeedinvest

Astralastralsystems.comin

Astral Systems develops fusion technology to produce medical isotopes and power decentralised energy solutions for healthcare providers and researchers.

Climate TechDeep TechEnergyMedical Devices

Tom Wallace-Smith(Founder)inRam Mullur(Vice President Strategic Development)in

Co-investorsAvonmore DevelopmentsPlayfair Capital

Astralastral.sh𝕏Jun 2026

Astral builds high-performance developer tools for the Python ecosystem, including Ruff (a fast Python linter) and uv (a fast Python package manager), both written in Rust.

Developer Tools

Charlie Marsh(Founder)

Co-investorsAccelAndreessen HorowitzMercia VenturesSpeedinvest

Astralastral.nowJun 2026

Astral offers an AI-powered tool where users work alongside AI agents to write social media posts intended to perform well.

AI & Machine LearningCreator EconomyMarketing Tech

Savannah Feder(Founder)in

Co-investorsAbstract VenturesMercia VenturesSpeedinvest

Astral Systems

Energy/health company (Blue fund), invested 2026.

Back Marketbackmarket.frin𝕏

Back Market is an online marketplace specializing in refurbished electronics.

Circular EconomyConsumerE-commerceMarketplacesParis, FR

Thibaud Hug de Larauze(Founder)in

Co-investorsAglae VenturesTeampact.ventures

baCtabacta.bio

BACTA is an AI-powered bioproduction company that uses microorganisms to produce industrial ingredients such as astaxanthin for cosmetics, human nutrition, and animal nutrition markets.

AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep Tech

Co-investorsAgoranovOVNI Capital

Badgetrybadge.comin𝕏

Badge is a platform for creating and managing mobile wallet passes, with a no-code interface for marketers and APIs and a modular SDK for developers to connect to CRM, CDP, POS, and mobile apps.

Enterprise SoftwareMarketing TechSaaS

Co-investorsInfinity VenturesTTV Capital

Beendibeendi.com
Bluebluefellowship-ignite.lovable.app

Blue Fellowship is a 6-week hands-on program for PhDs, postdocs, and research engineers that teaches early company-building fundamentals such as cap table setup, legal, HR, and fundraising, and connects participants with founders, investors, and mentors.

Deep TechFuture of Work

Butterfly Aibutterfly.aiin𝕏

Butterfly is a workplace feedback and employee engagement software designed to strengthen the manager-employee relationship and support frontline workers.

Future of WorkHR TechSaaS

Carbon Mapscarbonmaps.ioin

Carbon Maps provides carbon footprint measurement and product carbon footprint (PCF) calculation tools for the food and beverage industry, helping companies and their suppliers meet climate disclosure and packaging regulations such as CSRD, PPWR, and UK SRS.

Climate TechFoodTechSaaS

Co-investorsSamaipata

Certoaskcerto.comin

Certo provides AI agents that automate regulatory compliance for consumer product companies, ingesting product and regulatory documents to extract structured data, validate ingredients and formulas against market rules with source citations, and generate regulator-grade documents such as SDS, PIF, and CPSR.

AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareLegalTechSaaSParis, FR

Bastien Deliege-Coste(CEO)inJean Duquenne(CTO)in

Co-investorsEntrepreneur First

Certo
Codigo
Cometcomet.coin

Comet operates a marketplace platform connecting companies with vetted independent consultants and freelancers in technology fields such as AI, data, and cybersecurity, using a matching algorithm combined with human support.

B2B MarketplacesFuture of WorkHR TechParis, FR

Laurent Potel(CEO & Chairman)

Co-investorsBridge to GrowthSalica InvestmentsElevation Capital

Context
CozyCozycozycozy.com

cozycozy is a travel accommodation search engine that lets travelers compare all types of lodging — including hotels, apartments, houses, hostels, unusual stays, and home exchanges — from over 100 merchant sites in one search.

ConsumerMarketplacesTravel & Hospitality

Romain Claudel(Marketing & Co-founder)inPierre Bonelli(CEO & Co-founder)Jérémie Murat(Site Operations & Co-founder)Örs Szathmáry(Product & Co-founder)Tibor Pusztai(Development & Co-founder)

Co-investorsKaristaKima Ventures

Demadema.ai

Dema is an AI-agent platform that unifies commerce data—orders, ads, returns, costs, inventory, and store sales—into one model so teams can diagnose profit drivers, run unified measurement (marketing mix modeling, incrementality, attribution), and get recommendations on budget and spend decisions.

AI & Machine LearningE-commerceRetail Tech

Co-investorsJ12 Ventures

Diftdift.comin

Dift is a fundraising platform that lets individuals set up charity fundraising pages ("cagnottes") in a few clicks to support verified nonprofit associations, with tax receipts and transparent donations.

Climate TechFintechImpact & Social GoodSaaS

Co-investorsAFI VenturesOneRagtime

Edumapperedumapper.comin

Edumapper is a free platform that catalogs French higher education programs and provides data-driven insights on admission chances and graduate career outcomes using official government data and LinkedIn analysis.

EdTech

Sébastien de Lafond(Founder)in

Co-investorsKima Ventures

Emfasemfas.aiin

Emfas is a product information management (PIM) platform for ecommerce brands, using AI to manage, enrich, and distribute product catalogs and reduce manual product operations.

AI & Machine LearningE-commerceRetail TechSaaSStockholm, SE

Co-investorsnode.vc

Emperiaemperiavr.comin𝕏

Emperia offers a no-code platform for creators, studios and enterprises to build and deploy cross-device virtual worlds and 3D virtual stores from game-engine models, running on web and spatial computing devices.

E-commerceRetail TechSaaS

Olga Dogadkina(Founder)in

Co-investorsRLC VenturesSony Ventures CorporationBase10 Partners

Epigene Labsepigenelabs.comin

EpigeneLabs offers mCUBE, a platform that uses artificial intelligence and bioinformatics to aggregate and harmonize oncology data from multiple databases into a unified resource.

AI & Machine LearningBiotechDigital Health

Co-investorsXAnge

Epyrepyr.coinFeb 2025 · $3.1M

Epyr develops thermal energy storage solutions for industrial heat electrification, enabling industries to decarbonize and adopt renewable energy.

CleantechClimate TechDeep TechEnergy

Bastien Oggeri(Founder)inLéa Dardenne(Founder)in

Co-investorsOVNI CapitalAENU

Ever Dyeeverdye.frin

EverDye develops biobased dyeing pigments and a low-heat, low-energy dyeing process aimed at reducing the carbon emissions, energy use, and toxic chemicals of textile dyeing.

Advanced ManufacturingCircular EconomyCleantechClimate TechNew MaterialsParis, FR

Ilan Palacci(Founding CEO)inAmira Erokh(CTO)in

Co-investorsEntrepreneur First

FAUMEfaume.co

FAUME provides a turnkey resale solution for fashion and luxury brands, handling trade-in management, item authentication, reconditioning, pricing, and online and in-store secondhand sales.

AI & Machine LearningCircular EconomyE-commerceRetail Tech

Co-investorsKima Ventures

Fifteenfifteen.euin𝕏

Fifteen builds electric bikes, charging stations, and software (user apps, operator control centre, and data analytics) for bike-sharing and long-term rental services.

HardwareIoTMobility & Transportation

Co-investors2050

Financial Cockpit for Freelancersshine.frin

Shine is an online business banking service offering pro accounts, Mastercard business cards, instant and international transfers, and sub-accounts, along with management tools like dashboards, URSSAF estimation, VAT tracking, compliant invoicing, and automated accounting.

FintechSaaS

Co-investors42CAP

Flotteflotte.fr

Flotte is an eco-responsible rainwear clothing brand offering apparel focused on positivity, self-expression, and community.

ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerce

Flow48flow48.comin

Flow48 provides Revenue Based Financing and Invoice Financing to South African SMEs, letting businesses access working capital against future revenue or unpaid invoices without collateral or equity dilution.

FintechSaaS

Idriss Al Rifai(Founder)

Co-investorsEvolution VenturesFirst Circle468 CapitalBlockchain Founders Fund

Foxintelligence

Co-investors3founders

Fretlink

Logistics operations platform serving 400 clients across 22 countries.

Co-investorsThe Family

Fretlink Freight marketplacefretlink.com

Fretlink operates a Transport Operating System that connects carriers and shippers to optimize freight transportation logistics and execution.

Climate TechLogistics & Supply ChainParis, FR

Paul GuilleminAntoine Le SquerenDidier DuvalFrédéric Menou

Co-investorsEdenred VenturesYOBE Ventures

Gabsee

Purple fund portfolio company.

Geevgeev.com

Geev is a mobile app and website where individuals give away and pick up free everyday objects near them, using geolocation to connect donors and recipients.

Circular EconomyConsumerMarketplaces

Generaregenerare.bioin

Generare is building a library of naturally evolved molecules by reading and analyzing biological chemistry that has not been previously studied.

AI & Machine LearningBiotech

Co-investorsAgoranovGalion.exeTeampact.venturesVIVES PartnersAlven

Goshaba
Graphgraph.financein𝕏Jun 2026 · $5M

Graph Finance provides payment infrastructure for businesses in emerging markets to conduct international transactions with the same ease and security as local payments.

FintechToronto, CA

Abdul Akubo(Founder)inChris Mozie(Founder)in

Co-investorsMicrotractionTechstarsBessemer Venture PartnersMerantix CapitalSquareOne

Graphtxgraphtx.comin

GraphTx is an AI-driven platform for drug discovery that validates immunology and inflammation drug targets using live patient samples before clinical trials.

AI & Machine LearningBiotechDigital HealthVienna, AT

Co-investorsSquareOneTranspose Platform ManagementMerantix Capital

H Companyhcompany.aiin𝕏

HoloTab is a browser extension that uses AI agents to automate repetitive tasks for individuals and enterprises, allowing users to create routines that automate manual work.

AI & Machine LearningDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareParis, FR

Julien Perolat(Founder)Laurent Sifre(Founder)

Co-investorsAccelCreandumFirstMark CapitalPolytechnique VenturesSamsung NextElaia+4 more

Hemeahemea.com

hemea is a France-based brokerage and management service for home architecture and renovation projects, connecting clients with vetted contractors and over 100 dedicated experts who oversee work from design to final delivery.

Construction TechMarketplacesPropTech

Co-investorsSonorcapXavier Niel

Holbertonschoolholbertonschool.frin𝕏

Holberton School is a technology school offering project-based training in software development, with programs including Bachelor's degrees in Agentic AI Software Engineering, AI & Machine Learning, and Cybersecurity, plus an app-building incubator.

AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityEdTech

Hubcyclehubcycled.comin

Hubcycle identifies and sources by-products from the agri-food industry, transforming them into high-quality, sustainable ingredients for food manufacturers at competitive prices.

AgTechCircular EconomyFoodTech

Co-investorsBleu Capital

Idaida.euin

Ida provides software that uses machine learning and predictive algorithms to optimize supply and procurement of ultra-fresh products, combining internal operational data with external inputs like weather, seasonality, and local trends.

AI & Machine LearningFoodTechLogistics & Supply Chain

Co-investorsSonorcap

Justgetjust.eu

Paris, FR

Jeremy Pinto(Founder)

Karavelakaravela.aiin

Karavela builds a foundation model of the human brain using magnetic resonance imaging and develops AI tools to enhance clinical trials in psychiatry and neurology.

AI & Machine LearningHealthtechMedical Devices

Alexis Thual(CEO)Bertrand Thirion(CSO)

Co-investorsAgoranovHCVCFirst Momentum

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Daphni made?
Daphni has 110 tracked investments, including 4 dated in the last 24 months.
What stage does Daphni invest at?
Daphni invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B, Growth stages.
What is Daphni's typical check size?
Daphni typically writes checks of $540K – $6.5M.
What sectors does Daphni focus on?
Daphni focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Climate Tech, Cybersecurity, Data & Infrastructure, Deep Tech, E-commerce, EdTech, Energy, Fintech, FoodTech, Future of Work, Healthtech, Impact & Social Good, InsurTech, Logistics & Supply Chain, Mobility & Transportation, PropTech, Retail Tech, Robotics, SaaS, Travel & Hospitality.
Where is Daphni located?
Daphni is headquartered in Paris, FR.
Does Daphni lead rounds?
Daphni typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Who does Daphni co-invest with?
Daphni most often shares deals with Kima Ventures, AFI Ventures, Agoranov, among 128 tracked co-investors.

Media · Podcasts & interviews

featuring the team

SantiTV - Interview#1 Paul Bazin partner chez Daphni

SantiTV · Paul Bazin

Le VC-as-a-Platform avec Pierre-Eric Leibovici (daphni)

Finscale · Pierre-Eric Leibovici

Pierre-Eric Leibovici (Daphni) - Comment t'as fait pour monter le VC Daphni et digitaliser ce mar...

Julien Hatton · Pierre-Eric Leibovici

Pierre-Eric Leibovici (Daphni) - “Daphnipolis”

0100 Conferences · Pierre-Eric Leibovici

Pierre-Eric Leibovici (Daphni) - The current state of French tech startup scene?

0100 Conferences · Pierre-Eric Leibovici

Talk avec Willy Braun, co-fondateur Daphni

Le Wagon · Willy Braun

Images

Daphni photoDaphni photoDaphni photoDaphni photoDaphni photoDaphni photo

Co-investors · 14

Index Ventures

Index Ventures is a multi-stage venture capital firm that backs companies from Seed to IPO and beyond, including through its dedicated seed fund Index Origin.

Both backed · 3
AnkaraiSwileThe world’s best assistant
$540K – $10.8M
Serena

Serena is a France-based venture capital firm founded in 2008 by entrepreneurs to support founders, with more than half of its team being operators who have founded or led companies.

Both backed · 2
$108K – $16.2M
Partech Ventures

Partech is a global investment firm that backs founders across multiple continents and at every stage through dedicated teams and funds.

Both backed · 1
$200K – $50M
Isai

ISAI is a French investment firm founded and backed by tech entrepreneurs, offering multiple strategies including early-stage VC, corporate VC, growth & buyout, and growth lending.

Both backed · 1
$108K – $54M
Elaia

Elaia is a venture capital firm that partners with entrepreneurs from company inception through to market leadership, supporting them across their growth journey.

Both backed · 1
$108K – $1.6M
Emblem

Emblem is a European venture capital firm that has raised $100m to invest exclusively at the pre-seed stage, backing early-stage founders and helping them reach Series A.

Both backed · 1
Bleu Capital

Bleu Capital is a venture family office that funds climate-focused startups and venture funds globally, partnering closely with founders to support their growth.

Both backed · 1
$100K – $500K
FJ Labs

FJ Labs is a venture capital firm specializing in marketplaces and network-effect businesses, having built a large portfolio of marketplace startups with over 30 becoming unicorns.

$100K – $3M
50 Partners

50 Partners is a French startup accelerator and investor run by entrepreneurs, operating multiple acceleration programs across tech, impact, health, and Web3, alongside dedicated funds.

Singular

Singular is a boutique European VC fund founded by former top-tier partners from Alven and Index Ventures who deliberately cap fund size and portfolio companies to maintain high partner-to-founder bandwidth, positioning themselves as performance-obsessed return-maximizers rather than thesis-driven generalists. The firm backs European founders with global ambitions across all sectors and stages using a single flexible fund, while maintaining an unusually low-profile, founder-centric reputation that relies on performance narratives and founder references rather than public marketing.

Newfund Capital

Newfund Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm operating from Silicon Valley and Paris, backing entrepreneurs and helping startups scale through networking and growth support.

$250K – $2M
Frst

Frst is a Day One venture capital investor that backs entrepreneurs at the earliest stage, often before a company is incorporated, providing a meaningful first check and a long-term partnership.

$2M
2 more co-investors

C4 VenturesGanymed Robotics

Firms observed investing alongside Daphni, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Daphni's recorded portfolio.

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