Elaia
Elaia is a company.
Active
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Financial History
Total Raised
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Valuation
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Leadership Team
Key people at Elaia.
Elaia is a company.
Key people at Elaia.
Key people at Elaia.
Elaia is a leading European venture capital firm founded in 2002 and headquartered in Paris, France, specializing in digital and deep tech startups from seed to growth stages.[1][2][3] Its mission centers on partnering with ambitious entrepreneurs, providing hands-on support through a team of scientists, entrepreneurs, and business experts to help them scale globally, with a focus on transparency and close collaboration.[2][5] Elaia's investment philosophy emphasizes early-stage backing in sectors like AI, data science, big data, deep tech, and sustainability, targeting companies with global ambitions and delivering both capital and operational guidance.[1][2] The firm has made 148-168 investments, achieved notable exits like Criteo and Orchestra Networks, and backed unicorns such as Mirakl and Shift Technology, significantly impacting Europe's startup ecosystem by fostering tech disruptors.[1][3][5]
In April 2024, Elaia partnered with Lazard to launch Lazard Elaia Capital, a tech-focused private equity platform supporting deep tech from seed to public markets, enhancing its influence across funding stages.[1]
Elaia was founded in 2002 in Paris as a venture capital firm initially focused on digital technologies, evolving over two decades into a deep tech specialist with a strong European footprint.[1][3][4] Key figures include principals like Alexis Frentz and analysts such as Gabrielle De Massol, backed by a team blending scientific, entrepreneurial, and business expertise.[2] The firm's evolution reflects a shift toward ambitious, globally scalable startups, marked by consistent investments (2-6 rounds annually) and a track record of exits, peaking in activity around 2019 with deals typically in the $5-10M range.[4] Pivotal moments include raising a €200M fund in March 2023 and the 2024 Lazard partnership, expanding from early VC to full-stack support amid rising deep tech demand.[1][4]
Elaia rides the wave of deep tech and AI proliferation in Europe, where data science, big data, and sustainability address global challenges like food security and efficiency (e.g., Aviwell's animal growth platforms).[1][3] Timing aligns with Europe's push for tech sovereignty amid U.S./China dominance, fueled by grants from EIC and Bpifrance, enabling startups aged 4-5 years to scale internationally.[2][3][4] Market forces like rising VC for climate tech and AI favor Elaia, which influences the ecosystem by backing 3-4 participant rounds, driving exits 8% above peers, and creating unicorns that redefine e-commerce (Mirakl), fraud detection (Shift), and biotech (Aqemia).[1][4][5]
Elaia is poised to expand via Lazard Elaia Capital, targeting growth in AI-driven deep tech amid Europe's €200M+ fund cycles and sustainability focus (e.g., 2024 report).[1][4][5] Trends like AI integration in agri-food and quantum computing (Alice&Bob) will shape its portfolio, with influence growing through more unicorns and cross-border networks.[3][5] As deep tech matures, Elaia's full-stack model positions it to bridge seed-to-IPO gaps, amplifying Europe's startup impact—from Paris origins to global leadership.[1][2]
| Date | Company | Round | Lead Investor(s) | Co-Investor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 3, 2026 | MyC | $11.8M Series A | Hi Inov - Dentressangle | IXO Private Equity, OSS Ventures |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Linkup | $10.0M Seed | Gradient | Alex Bouaziz, Arthur Mensch, Axeleo Capital, Florian Douetteau, Leblon Capital, Motier Ventures, Olivier Pomel, OPRTRS CLUB, Seedcamp, Shuo Wang, Weekend Fund |
