SISTAFUND

🌟 Inspiring Conversations at the Festival Think Forward 🌟 Last week, Laura Chavigny, co-founder of Underdog, participated in a panel at the FESTIVAL THINK FORWARD in Nantes. During the discussion with Enzo Rosnarho and Kévin Gougeon, moderated by Elisabeth Montaufray-Bureau, the focus was clear: 💡 Entrepreneurship knows no age 🌍 Driving societal change is for everyone 💪 Building solutions to improve the world starts with action The Festival Think Forward is an annual event for decision-makers in the Grand Ouest. After two editions in La Baule, the festival found its new home this year in Nantes where the Underdog warehouses are based. Thank you to the Festival Think Forward for hosting this important dialogue. Here's to empowering changemakers everywhere! 🚀

Exploring the interplay between Impact and Performance 🌱 Last week, our associate, Natacha Brami, participated in a conference on impact investing alongside Eric Gossart (Racine2 with Serena & makesense) and Matthieu Silva Santos (Goodvest). 💬 Together, they tackled some of the most pressing challenges in the industry, including: - The intersection of profitability and impact (both social and environmental), and how we can make a concerted effort to align these goals - Shifting mindsets and addressing biases around what it truly means to engage in impact investing A huge thank you to the Association du Master 1 Finance de l'Université Paris-Dauphine and the event organizers for creating a platform to discuss these crucial topics. At SISTAFUND, being impact-driven by nature and investing exclusively in gender-diverse and female-led teams, we’re always eager to share our perspectives and engage with the next generation of investors and builders. 💡 In the same spirit, Natacha also hosted a session at the baby vc bootcamp on crafting an investment memo, helping prepare aspiring VCs to tackle tomorrow’s challenges.

🚀 Did you know it takes six generations for a newcomer to achieve the median income of a French citizen? That's a daunting statistic, but entrepreneurship offers a powerful solution to challenge this status quo. Yet, here's the reality check: only 2% of funding goes to women-led startups. This glaring disparity underscores a systemic issue where women's potential is consistently undervalued. At SISTAFUND, we believe empowering women in entrepreneurship creates significant spillover effects: contributing to economic growth, reducing the financial gender gap, creating jobs, and fostering a more dynamic business environment. This belief is at the core of what we do—and is something Tatiana Jama explores in her book, L’entrepreneuriat, un nouveau féminisme. Many thanks to the wonderful illustrator Monsieur KAK (Patrick Lamassoure) from l'Opinion, who captured this idea so brilliantly ! All profits from the book will go to the NGO SISTA. Let’s change this narrative, together.

🌐 Astran Shines at ECSO Days! 🌟 We're thrilled to share that our portfolio company Astran was showcased as Europe’s Most Promising Cybersecurity Solution of 2024 at the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) Days in Brussels! 🚀 At the event, Astran’s CEO, Yosra Jarraya, shared insights on innovation in cybersecurity, highlighting the company’s dedication to securing critical processes for European businesses in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Being recognized by the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) is a testament to Astran’s pioneering role in cybersecurity across the region. We're proud to support Astran as they continue to lead in cybersecurity resilience and operational continuity for businesses across Europe. 🌍🔐 Here’s to building a more secure digital future with Astran! 🛡️

🩺 We’ll be at AI for Health Summit! Are you? 🩺 Join us on November 21st at STATION F in Paris for this pivotal event, focusing on "Generative AI for Health". After last year's edition which was a success, we cannot wait to hear this year’s panels and connect with some of the 2,000 attendees, 130 speakers, and 200 startups! Our very own associate, Natacha Brami will be on the ground all day! With healthcare being one of our core verticals, we're excited to explore new opportunities. Interested in connecting? See you at the summit! 💡

📚 In SISTAFUND’s Library: The Golden Age of Building by Y Combinator 🌟 We’re stepping into a transformative era for builders. AI and innovation are reshaping industries faster than ever, unlocking unprecedented opportunities to create solutions that make a real difference. 🚀 Released recently, Y Combinator highlights the latest trends that define this Golden Age of Building. Here are some standout ideas they spotlight as game-changers: Government software 🖥️ Public safety technology 🚨 Manufacture in the USA 🏭 Stablecoins 2.0 💰 LLMs for chip design 🤖 Fintech 2.0 📈 New space companies 🪐 AI-aided engineering tools 🔧 One million jobs 2.0 👷 Glad to see industries we’re already supporting at SISTAFUND with companies like Vizzia and The Exploration Company leading the way! 💡 Feeling inspired? Explore the full post and ideas on YC’s website, link in the comments section. At SISTAFUND, we’re always looking for visionary founders who are daring to shape the future. Could that be you?

🚀 Celebrating The Exploration Company's Record-Breaking Series B! We're thrilled to share that our portfolio company, The Exploration Company, has just closed the largest Series B ever raised by a space tech startup in Europe! 🌍 Led by Balderton Capital and Plural, this round is a monumental step forward for European space innovation. - The Exploration Company launched in 2021 to develop reusable and refillable spaceship, Nyx, to serve the growing logistical needs of space stations and space exploration - Nyx is designed to be launched from any heavy launcher in the world - making it the most affordable and launcher agnostic space cargo vehicle - Led by ex-Airbus and ArianeGroup space engineers, TEC was the first European company to sign a Space Act Agreement with NASA At SISTAFUND, we’re proud to support visionary founders like Hélène Huby and her team as they push the boundaries of space transportation. This funding doesn’t just fuel growth—it reinforces Europe’s leadership in the global space tech landscape. A huge congratulations to Hélène and the entire Exploration Company team. We can’t wait to see how they continue to transform space transportation and inspire future pioneers. ☄️

Time to celebrate the VCs of the month! October Edition 🏆 Let's recognize the VC funds and their leaders who are driving diversity and innovation across the startup ecosystem! 🌟 🌿 4impact capital – Co-founded by Pauline Wink, this Amsterdam-based fund just closed its second fund at €68M focusing on early-stage digital and sustainability ventures. 💡 DCVC Bio – Co-led by Kiersten Stead, DCVC raised its third bio fund with $400M, continuing to back life sciences and deep tech startups. Based in Palo Alto, they’re bringing a balanced approach to high-impact science and technology investments. 🌍 Impact Ventures III – with Kinga Daradics and Barbara Ming on board , this €40M fund is focused on early-stage startups in Hungary and Central Eastern Europe, supporting companies with a strong environmental and social focus. 💼 Janngo.africa Capital – Founded by Fatoumata BA, Janngo Capital raised €73M for its second fund. With offices in Abidjan, Mauritius, Tunis, and Paris, Janngo is committed to advancing healthcare, logistics, financial services, agritech, and more across Africa. 🎯 Real Ventures – Founded by Inés Ures, Real Ventures is on a mission to back early-stage consumer brands across Europe that are bringing innovative, real-life solutions to the market. Together, these funds are shaping the future of venture capital by fostering diversity, innovation, and inclusivity. Who else should we highlight next? 💫

🌟 We’ll be in Helsinki for Slush 2024! 🌟 Find Alice Groth representing the SISTAFUND Team at Slush 2024. She will be on the ground in Helsinki, connecting with visionary founders and trailblazers across the Nordics and beyond. 🌍✨ Whether you’re a founder, investor, or ecosystem ally, we’re looking forward to meaningful connections and exploring new paths for impact and innovation together. 💡 Drop us a message if you’d like to meet up – let’s make the most of Slush 2024!

🌍 Already heading to Web Summit in Lisbon? So are we! Our Managing Partner, 🍋 Isabelle Drault Gallo 🍋, will be there, ready to connect, share insights, and dive into meaningful conversations with founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders from across the globe. If you’re passionate about shaping the future of tech and making an impact, we’d love to meet you! Isabelle will be available throughout the event, so reach out if you’d like to chat. Looking forward to seeing many of you there. 🚀