Serena Squad
Serena Squad is a company.
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Financial History
Total Raised
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Valuation
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Leadership Team
Key people at Serena Squad.
Serena Squad is a company.
Key people at Serena Squad.
Serena is a leading European venture capital firm founded in 2008, managing around €1 billion in assets and focusing on early-stage investments from pre-seed to Series A, with check sizes of €500k to €15m.[1][2] Its mission centers on being a VC "by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs," providing operational support, entrepreneurial expertise, and access to the Serena Squad®—a network of 600 C-level executives—to help founders scale innovative startups.[1][2] The investment philosophy emphasizes understanding founders' priorities through hands-on value from partners like Bertrand Diard (Talend founder) and Amélie Faure (Generix founder, multiple SaaS CEOs), with a strong track record including nearly 100 investments and exits like The Fork (acquired by Tripadvisor), Aramis Auto (Peugeot), and Dataiku.[1][2] Key sectors include AI, SaaS, Climate Tech, Internet Infrastructure, and Impact, significantly influencing Europe's startup ecosystem via the largest operational support team in Europe (7 former entrepreneurs) and contributions to 40% of portfolio management hires by 2023.[2]
In 2023, Serena achieved "Société à Mission" status, prioritizing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, biodiversity, and climate action (25% of employees are Fresque du Climat facilitators).[2] Recent funds like Serena III (€300m+ for early-stage) and a €200m AI/Climate Tech fund underscore its momentum in high-growth areas.[3][5]
Serena was founded in 2008 in Paris by Xavier Lorphelin, Marc Fournier, and Philippe Hayat, driven by their vision to create the VC they wished for as entrepreneurs—deeply founder-centric with operational muscle.[1][2][3] The firm's evolution reflects a shift from broad digital innovation (Internet, Media, Software, Big Data) to sharpened focus on AI, SaaS, Climate Tech, Digital Transformation, and Impact, backed by over €1bn in funds today.[2][6] Pivotal moments include building Europe's largest ex-entrepreneur operations team, launching the Serena Squad® community for rapid C-level support, and securing "Société à Mission" status in 2023 amid growing emphasis on sustainability and DEI.[2] Early bets on scalable digital businesses like Alkemics, Prestashop, and Lafourchette laid the groundwork for 100+ investments and marquee exits.[2][3]
Serena rides the wave of AI-driven digital transformation and climate tech urgency, timing investments amid Europe's push for tech sovereignty and green innovation amid regulatory tailwinds like the EU Green Deal.[2][5][6] Market forces favoring it include surging demand for applied AI/SaaS (e.g., portfolio plays in open-source AI) and climate solutions, where Serena's €200m dedicated fund positions it as a climate tech leader.[5][6] By empowering 100+ startups with operational heft and networks, Serena amplifies Europe's startup ecosystem, fostering exits that recycle talent and capital while advancing DEI and impact—25% climate facilitators signal alignment with biodiversity/climate mandates.[2] Its evolution from general digital VC to sector specialists influences scaling of ambitious founders in a fragmented market.
Serena's founder-first model and sector bets position it for outsized impact as AI and climate tech explode, with fresh funds fueling 20+ more early-stage deals amid Europe's VC resurgence.[3][5] Trends like commercial open-source AI and regulatory-driven sustainability will shape its path, potentially doubling portfolio exits via Squad®-accelerated growth.[2][6] Influence may evolve toward deeper impact investing, solidifying Serena as Europe's go-to for scalable, mission-aligned tech builders—echoing its 2008 ethos in a maturing ecosystem.
Key people at Serena Squad.
