RAISE Ventures Research
Overview
RAISE Ventures is the venture capital arm of RAISE, a Paris-based European investment group founded in 2013 by Gonzague de Blignieres and Clara Gaymard. The group reports about 2 billion euros in assets under management across five investment strategies and more than 80 investments. Its pitch is "finance engagee": the investment teams give up to 50% of their carried interest to RAISE Sherpas, the group's endowment fund, which has put more than 38 million euros into startups and associations.
RAISE Ventures itself is a small, evergreen, SFDR Article 8 vehicle with roughly 80 million euros of AUM, 11 active portfolio companies and 4 exits (Bergamotte 2021, Helios 2025, Respire 2026, WeMaintain 2026). It runs two strategies side by side: RAISE Ventures for Series A and B, and RAISE Seed for Good for early-stage European startups.
Investment Thesis
The firm targets innovative companies with a strong technology barrier that have already shown commercial traction. It wants diverse, high-execution teams with international ambition, scalable business models and large markets. It is sector-agnostic by its own description, though the portfolio clusters in fintech, AI software, climate and circular economy, and B2B software. RAISE Ventures was certified under the Diversity VC standard and publishes the annual "Future in Focus" AI trend report (2026 edition released May 2026).
Stage Focus
Series A and Series B for the main strategy, with Seed for Good covering pre-seed and seed. Recent deals are mostly seed and pre-seed: Homaio (seed, March 2026) and Fleuret AI (pre-seed, October 2026), both led by RAISE.
Check Size
Up to 5 million euros per ticket. The seed strategy writes smaller initial checks, and the firm keeps a follow-on strategy for portfolio champions.
Lead Tendency
Lead or co-lead investor, able to structure the round. Led Homaio and Fleuret AI rounds. Also joins syndicates, for example the Redberry Labs pre-seed alongside Blue Wire Capital, Koro Capital and MS&AD Ventures.
Recent Activity
- October 2026: led Fleuret AI's 4 million euro pre-seed (agentic penetration testing, Paris)
- May 2026: published Future in Focus 2026 on AI
- March 2026: led Homaio's 3.6 million euro seed (retail access to carbon markets)
- Earlier: Alinia (AI compliance), Redberry Labs (AI insurance infrastructure), Atmospheric AI, Lightsonic, Equitable Earth, Kor
- Exits in 2025 and 2026: Helios, Respire, WeMaintain
Portfolio Highlights
- Fintech: Younited, FinFrog, Mooncard, Coinhouse, Homaio
- AI and software: Qantev (health insurance AI, 30M euro round in 2024), Livestorm, Alinia, Redberry Labs, Fleuret AI, Lixo
- Climate and circular economy: Hubcycle, Morfo, Neocarbon, Equitable Earth
- Consumer and other: PowerZ, Worldia, Kactus, Jump, Kor, ScaleX Invest
Team
- Stephane Pesque: Member of the Executive Board, Co-head of RAISE Ventures and RAISE Seed for Good
- Thibaut Schlaeppi: Co-head, RAISE Ventures and Seed for Good
- Nicolas Chow: Directeur de participations
- Elisabetta Sakiotis: Senior Associate
- Manon Lejeune: Analyst
- Aglae Touchard Le Drian: Managing Director of RAISE and Co-head of RAISE Impact (group level)
- Co-founders Gonzague de Blignieres and Clara Gaymard sit on the supervisory board
Decision Process
Partnership model with a group executive board over the investment teams. The Ventures co-heads lead deal work. No public detail on committee mechanics.
Founder Preferences
Diverse founding teams with strong execution and an international outlook, defensible technology, and early commercial traction. Founders get access to more than 800 corporate decision makers, 200+ experts and operating partners (sustainability, tech, data, AI) and 50+ events a year through the RAISE Sherpas clubs.
Geographic Focus
Europe, with France as the center of gravity. Most companies are Paris-based.