daphni

Between legal steps, product building, and putting together your first board, the early days of launching a startup can feel like running uphill in the fog. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞: 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠. 🧭 Think of FirstMile as your startup compass, where you’ll receive: -  Real-world advice from seasoned entrepreneurs -  Tools, templates & frameworks to structure your launch -  A clear path to move from idea → company -  Milo, your chatbot for all startup questions Our favorite part? It’s 100% open source, because we believe startup knowledge should be accessible to everyone. So if you’re gearing up to build, start your journey with FirstMile to make the first stretch – from incorporation to board management – as smooth as possible. 👉 Check it out: https://firstmile.space/ brakage

“Prepare for success sooner than you think.” 🌍 This week on Venturing Abroad, we sit down with Clare Jones, CEO of Polarsteps: the all-in-one app for travelers to daydream, plan, track, and relive their adventures. A native Londoner, Clare moved to Amsterdam over a year ago to take the helm at Polarsteps. From adapting to a smaller city and a frank work culture, her move mirrors the values that the travel-tech company cherishes: new cultures, learning from different perspectives, and traveling respectfully. 💬 As the third CEO of Polarsteps, Clare took on the rare challenge of leading a team where the founders and former CEOs are still part of the company and deeply involved. Her approach? Listening first and keeping product and culture in sync, as the company quickly scales internationally. Today, Polarsteps has: 17 million users (up from 16M just in July!) 1 million daily active users 20 million trips shared across the globe Topped the app stores in France, while expanding across the U.S. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Clare! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇳🇱 🎧 If you love traveling, this episode is a must. Listen here: https://audmns.com/QELRzFs Episode co-hosted by Kyang Yung & Erica Delamare

👋 Bonjour bio builders… Paris BioWeek is just around the corner! 🇫🇷 From October 27–31, Paris will transform into a global hub for biology, featuring 20+ community events exploring how bio is reshaping health, food, climate, materials, energy, and more. To celebrate, daphni, together with Verve Ventures and HCVC, is hosting a Bio Breakfast. This is a relaxed morning gathering for those reimagining what’s possible with biology. Join us to connect with founders, researchers, investors, and builders driving the next wave of bio innovation over coffee and croissants, of course! 🧬 When: Wednesday, October 29 🕣 Time: 8:30 – 11:00 AM 📍 Where: Central Paris (location to be announced soon) We can’t wait to bring the community together, spark new ideas, and imagine what’s next for bio in Paris and beyond. RSVP via the link below. Spots are limited!

“At 20 years old, I had this idea of starting this company… So I go up the Empire State Building, I ring at the door, and I say to the office secretary, “Hey, I have a great idea to sell your boss, can I see him?” In this episode of Venturing Abroad, we’re going on a transatlantic journey with Patrice Thiry. Growing up in the suburbs of Paris, Patrice moved to Boston at 17 to pursue a degree at Babson College. After graduating, he spent five years in New York and London, combining his American mentality with his French savoir-faire to lead sales and marketing operations for Russell Athletic across Europe and Asia. Patrice shares with us his key learnings from studying and working in the U.S., and how he translated those skills when he returned to France to build his startup, ProwebCE, which he sold in 2017 for €300M. Today, he is the Co-founder & President of startup accelerator TOMCAT, an investor at daphni, and the author of “The Journey of a Successful Entrepreneur.” Thank you Patrice for your candor and for sharing your expertise! Listen here and subscribe to Venturing Abroad wherever you enjoy podcasts: https://audmns.com/oihIEhe Episode co-hosted by Cristian Pinto & Erica Delamare

"Partir pour un projet entrepreneurial pour le sens et la mission qu'il a, c'est ça la raison." Notre invité du jour : Philippe Berlan 🎉 Philippe est un expert du retail, ayant fait ses armes pendant une 20aine d'années chez Petit Bateau, Lancel et La Redoute. En 2021, il croise la route d'Amira Erokh, PhD en chimie des matériaux et fondatrice d'EverDye, une solution de teinture textile à base de pigments bio-sourcés. Adieu aux eaux polluées, adieu aux températures extrêmes, cette chimie verte pourrait bien révolutionner l'un des secteurs les plus polluants. Car oui, la teinture textile représente 20% de la pollution des eaux mondiales et environ 5% de l'empreinte carbone globale. EverDye, c'est la promesse d'une industrie textile plus propre, pour un avenir plus vert. Découvrez l'interview avec Philippe sur Spotify, Apple Podcast, Deezer et sur toutes les plateformes de podcast (lien en commentaire) 🎙 Pierre-Eric Leibovici Sophie de Champs

we are DTR, the event co-organized by we are_ and Les Déterminés dedicated to promoting diversity in the creative and cultural industries, is back for its 3rd edition! This year, they’re celebrating the inner fire: the drive to create, take risks, and innovate. They are not only bringing the event to Paris, but also to Lille! Over 30 inspiring voices from fashion, media, music, cinema, and gaming will take the stage to share how they channel their fire to reinvent their industries. Check out what’s happening in 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 today (Oct 2) and register here: https://lnkd.in/e_7nza_v For more information about tomorrow's event in 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬 (Oct 3), see here and don’t forget to RSVP: https://lnkd.in/e73_r5XM 🔥Two days, two cities, one mission: to celebrate diversity in the creative industries. It’s an opportunity to meet professionals, discover creative worlds and draw inspiration from those who are making a difference. We are so happy to support this event again this year. See you there!

Big buzz at Animaj! 🐝 We’re buzzing with excitement to announce that Animaj is now co-owner of one of Europe’s most beloved children’s brands: Maya the Bee. As she turns 50, Maya is ready to spread her wings into the next chapter, with Animaj at the helm to help her fly even higher.  In partnership with Studio 100 International, Animaj will take the lead in bringing Maya the Bee to new generations worldwide outside of DACH and Benelux regions, as they combine their digital-first, AI-powered expertise to expand across YouTube, games, and fresh content formats. This new alliance is driven by a shared ambition: to honor Maya’s essence while reimagining how and where her stories are experienced. A new digital era for Maya the Bee has just begun, and we’re proud to see Animaj continue to inspire young generations through digital content. Read all about the co-acquisition here: https://lnkd.in/eaY6PbiE Congratulations to Animaj co-founders Sixte de Vauplane and Gregory Dray, and everyone on the Animaj team. 🎉

🌍 Ever wonder what it’s like to lead investments in companies like Bytedance and Uber? Our guest on Venturing Abroad knows all about this. In our debut episode, we’re venturing abroad with Ervin Tu, an investor whose career has spanned across continents. Born and raised in the U.S., Ervin began his journey in finance at Goldman Sachs in New York City before moving on to SoftBank, where he led investments in global powerhouses like ByteDance and Uber. Most recently, he served as Group President and Chief Investment Officer at Prosus in Amsterdam, where he now continues as an advisor. A lifelong learner, Ervin shares with us insights into the nuances of closing deals in Asia, the Middle East, and North America, and how respecting local context, even when you don’t fully understand it, is key to building lasting business outcomes. He also opens up about the human side of investing: the value of relationships, curiosity, and engaging with people from all walks of life. Beyond investing, Ervin talks about his nonprofit, Passport, which helps first-generation and low-income students in the U.S. pursue higher education. ✅ Some of his key pieces of advice? - Always stay open to learning  - Interact with everyone  - Don’t take relationships for granted 🎧 If you’re building a startup, scaling across borders, or curious about closing global deals, this episode is for you. A special thank you to Ervin Tu for sharing your story and experiences with us.  Co-hosted by Kyang Yung and Erica Delamare, take a listen here & enjoy! https://audmns.com/CdjcrlG

 🚀 Entrepreneurs, this one’s for you! Following the launch of our ESG Toolbox, we’re excited to introduce another open-source guide: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥 — designed to help early-stage startups embed sustainability into their practices. For many entrepreneurs, figuring out how to integrate sustainable practices into the growth of a startup can feel overwhelming and unclear. Our tool removes the guesswork by giving you a clear picture of where you stand today and how to move forward confidently with a plan of action. 👉 How it works: 1. Answer four quick questions about your startup’s current maturity. 2. Self report which sustainability actions you’ve taken so far. 3. Instantly see where you are on your sustainability journey. 4. Receive a personalized framework with resources to guide your next steps. This assessment isn’t merely about ticking ESG boxes. It’s about creating real value for your business, your stakeholders, and the planet. 🔗 Start your free assessment today and kickstart your sustainability journey: https://lnkd.in/emgAnvQM

🔋 Voltfang announces €250M partnership with Palladio Partners This partnership is set to play a pivotal role in accelerating Germany’s energy transition by enabling large-scale battery storage systems. Why? Because as Voltfang explains, without battery storage, there can be no energy transition. As renewables like wind and solar continue to grow, storage is the key to balancing supply and demand, stabilizing the grid, and building an independent power system less reliant on external suppliers. With Voltfang’s unique approach of repurposing EV batteries into smart energy storage, this partnership will bring battery systems to commercial scale across Germany. The impact is clear: industries gain the ability to store renewable energy at scale and power the transition in a way that is both sustainable and durable. The first projects of the partnership are set to begin construction before the end of the year, advancing flexibility and resilience while laying the foundation for a clean energy future. A big congratulations to David Oudsandji, Roman Alberti, Afshin Doostdar, and the entire Voltfang team!