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External newsletter April 2025 - N° 168
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EDITO
The wonders and subtleties
of administration
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Dear Business Angels friends, dear readers,
April is synonymous with the beautiful days that herald spring. Outdoor activities are back in full swing, and everyone is feeling the urge to get out in nature.
It's also the month when tax returns open. A mere formality for some, an administrative nightmare for others. Among the diversity of professional experience and backgrounds that characterizes the BADGE Business Angels community, one thing remains constant: a taste for risk, which translates into active support for innovation. The economic interest of investors is also present, with the expectation of a high multiplier at exit. The government encourages this risk-taking through tax incentives for individual investors.
Since 2019, certificates provided by companies have referred to Article 199 terdecies-0 A of the French General Tax Code. At the time, the legislator had planned to increase the historic reduction rate from 18% to 25%, with this increased rate valid each year for payments made the day after the application decree was published. We were used to filling in one or two boxes on our tax return.
These measures in favor of individual investment in young innovative companies were reinforced last year by new measures in the Finance Act 2024 at the initiative of Paul Midy, MP for Paris-Saclay and a former successful entrepreneur. Two new tax reduction schemes were created at rates of 30% and 50%, the latter for so-called disruptive start-ups, often stemming from Deeptech where the risk is higher and the ramp-up time longer. In these cases, Article 44 sexies-0 A should be invoked.
This year, the taxpayer will have to choose between boxes 7CI, 7CR and 7DZ and check that the ceilings that differ between the two systems are not exceeded. If this was the case in previous years, then boxes 7CX, 7CS, 7CT, 7CU, 7CW, 7CP, 7CQ, 7CA, 7DC or 7CY to 7GY must be filled in, depending on the various possible scenarios.
The difficulty is even greater for the agents of funded start-ups, who have to issue the right certificate and are very careful before signing the precious paper.
Such sophistication should not discourage us from continuing to support innovation. Our association is at the service of its investor members, making their administrative tasks less complex.
So what path should we take to achieve the administrative simplification so desired by Mario Draghi in September 2024 in his report on the state of competitiveness of the European economy?
Best regards,
Paul Leondaridis,
Chairman of Business Angels des Grandes Écoles.
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INTERVIEW
Robin Le Gal and Camille Maldjian,
co-founders of EZYMOB
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How did Ezymob come about, and how does your solution improve the daily lives of people with disabilities?
The story of Ezymob began with an encounter. During their studies, Camille and Robin, the two co-founders, met a blind person who told them about the problems of getting around in an urban environment. From this emerged the conviction that innovation could make a difference to the daily lives of people with disabilities.
Every day, people with disabilities face challenges in getting around independently. With this in mind, Ezymob is committed to designing inclusive, innovative solutions using artificial intelligence to make it easier for everyone to get around, whatever their specific needs.
What makes Ezymob's technology unique compared with existing solutions? How does it fit into current transport systems?
In concrete terms, Ezymob is a digital solution that supports users as they travel on public transport. It takes the form of software bricks that can be easily integrated into applications already used by travelers, adding accessibility as a basic function to all mobility applications.
What sets Ezymob apart is that no infrastructure is required for its deployment. The cost of setting up Ezymob is therefore kept under control for our customers: transport operators and mobility authorities.
What also sets Ezymob apart are the Artificial Intelligence technologies developed in-house. They enable us to develop advanced functionalities that best meet the specific needs of our users.
Ezymob is a comprehensive, inclusive and modular solution that enhances existing systems by making mobility accessible to all.
How have the support and funding from Business Angels helped you grow?
Business Angels have played a decisive role in our growth, providing much more than just financial support. Their commitment translated into strategic support and access to a network of experts and decision-makers, accelerating our entry into the market.
Thanks to their support, we've been able to accelerate the evolution of our solutions and strengthen our business development. Their investment at our side was not only financial, but also a human exchange through the sharing of their experience and expertise.
What advice would you give to startups looking to raise funds from business angels?
The advice we would give as founders is above all to be yourselves. Business angels invest first and foremost in the people behind the company. Being authentic and transparent creates a stronger connection with business angels.
What are your ambitions for the years ahead? How do you see the future of inclusive mobility in France and abroad?
Over the next five years, we want Ezymob to position itself as a key player in the disability and mobility sector. Our vision is to transform the user's experience of getting around in the heart of cities, from public transport to the inside of buildings, with key information on accessibility.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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>>> PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
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Monthly meetings with presentations of innovative fund-raising projects led by Philippe Pernot, Vice-Chairman in charge of project appraisal.
Members only.
Non-members, ask for your invitation.
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Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.
Monthly meeting, Maison des polytechniciens, salon Aigle 12 rue de Poitiers 75007 Paris and by Zoom.
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| I request my invitation |
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Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Monthly meeting, Maison des polytechniciens, salon Aigle 12 rue de Poitiers 75007 Paris and by Zoom.
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| I request my invitation |
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2024 business angels report
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France Angels looks back on a year 2024 rich in commitments and investments for Business Angels in France. As an active member of this federation, BADGE is proud to contribute to the development of innovative start-ups.
Key figures :
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98.6 M invested in 445 start-ups
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5,500 Business Angels committed to financing and supporting entrepreneurs.
Main investment sectors :
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36% Digital
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30% Health
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8% Consumer goods.
A national dynamic, with Île-de-France leading the way in terms of investments (€13.5 million), followed by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and PACA regions.
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News from our funded startups
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Diagnoly raises €5.5m to revolutionize the
AI-enhanced fetal ultrasound examination.
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BADGE-backed medtech Diagnoly has just raised 5.5 million euros to deploy Fetoly, an autonomous, on-board ultrasound analysis software capable of improving detection of fetal pathologies, even without an Internet connection. The fund-raising, led by Mutuelles Impact (XAnge) and Newfund HEKA, will accelerate deployment in Europe and the United States. A fine illustration of the potential of AI in critical medical applications.
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Wallace Technologies joins Nuclear Valley competitiveness cluster
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Wallace Technologies officially joins Nuclear Valley, France's leading nuclear industry cluster. This integration is part of a development strategy aimed at strengthening industrial collaborations, accelerating work on its storage battery, and promoting its highly compact heat exchangers. It also marks a strong commitment to the challenges of energy sovereignty and the transition supported by the nuclear industry.
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Our startups are recruiting
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My Digital Buildings is a company specializing in the creation and exploitation of spatial data for buildings. The company is looking for several profiles to join its team.
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Great projects to invest in within our network
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Kimialys develops and markets an innovative chemical treatment for surfaces used in diagnostics (nanoparticles, chips, electrodes), making it possible to increase the sensitivity and specificity of tests, and thus pave the way for new clinical applications. Kimialys' core technology is based on a proprietary method of pre-functionalizing biochips and nanoparticles, and represents a major breakthrough in biosensor coating.
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The start-up deeptech XiMed aims to solve the problem of overconsumption of macrobiopsies by exploiting a new patented phase-contrast X-ray imaging technology, developed since 2017 at the ALPhANOV photonics and laser technology center. This technology makes it possible to achieve levels of resolution making it possible, for the first time, to create a new, more precise semiology of breast microcalcifications. Eventually combined with a diagnostic aid module based on artificial intelligence, XiMed aims to revolutionize the clinical workflow for the early detection of breast cancer, by precisely qualifying microcalcifications directly on mammographic images, thus avoiding unnecessary macrobiopsies for millions of patients.
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Starkage Therapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on combating cellular senescence in various pathologies, notably cancer. Its main program consists of developing innovative antibodies (targeted therapies) aimed at specifically eliminating senescent cells present in conventional cancer treatments, thereby increasing the efficacy of these treatments and reducing side effects.
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Luchrome is a deeptech start-up created in July 2023 and incubated at Bordeaux Technowest, focusing on the manufacture and sale of screens that have the advantage of being the most energy-efficient display technology on the market, ideal for connected objects. The invention, which is protected by several patents, is aimed at the low-power display market ($2 billion), with several applications: connected labels for the retail sector at the head of the aisle, and for logistics in addition to consumer electronics (see TDS). Thanks to breakthrough innovations in low-power consumption, the printing capacity of these devices and their low environmental impact, Luchrome intends both to replace certain products (retail) and to offer new applications for displays.
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Founded in 2019, OPUS Aerospace is a French start-up that aims to develop launch solutions dedicated to small satellites to accelerate space exploration. Through STERNE, its range of reusable launchers, it will enable payloads of up to 300 kg to be placed into precise orbit on the desired date. Today, the company is developing its first suborbital rocket, named "Mesange", which will be launched to embark its technologies & its first customers.
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By offering welders a piloted collaborative arm, Weez-U Welding 's aim is to eliminate the risky, tiring and repetitive aspects of their work. Welders benefit from improved comfort, produce higher quality welds and increase their productivity. At a time when many companies are finding it hard to recruit, our solution makes the job more attractive. An initial piloted welding solution, using a standard robotic arm, has been in service with our customers for two years, and has sold 7 units. Weez-U Welding is preparing a new version of its piloted welding cobot, based on an ultra-lightweight robotic arm, which will be available for pre-production at the end of 2024. This product represents a major breakthrough in the robotics market.
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Despite their performance, silicon solar panels have some notable limitations: their rigidity, weight and unattractive appearance restrict their use. They are difficult to integrate on surfaces that are curved, small or require careful design. Optipus PV offers an innovative solution with Energy Skin. These lightweight, flexible and colorful photovoltaic modules push back the boundaries of organic photovoltaic (OPV) technology, combining efficiency and design diversity. The start-up initially targets consumer electronics products for renewable energy supply, with extended potential applications: listed buildings, electric bikes and cars, boat sails, and much more.
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Knock Knock offers a penetration test orchestration and automation platform designed for pentesters and cyber defense experts, enabling them to maintain continuous cybersecurity monitoring. This solution fosters seamless collaboration between offensive and defensive teams. This strategic positioning enables Knock Knock to target the pentest software market, valued at $2 billion by 2024, with annual growth of 14.4%. In addition, it paves the way for the vulnerability management market, estimated at $14.4 billion in 2024, a fast-growing sector due to increasing geopolitical tensions and tightening regulations.
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SeaBeLife is developing innovative drug candidates capable of combating cell death. The innovation focuses on the simultaneous inhibition of two types of cell death by necrosis. The therapeutic potential is major, as activation of these pathways is one of the recent explanations for several serious pathologies with limited therapeutic alternatives. In particular, acute renal and hepatic failure, for which SeaBeLife has obtained encouraging preliminary results in animal models and is currently in regulatory preclinical development in acute hepatic failure. Beyond these acute pathologies, cell death is also a therapeutic target for SeaBeLife in widespread chronic pathologies such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, or AMD. Promising results in cellular models have already been generated by SeaBeLife, and one of these molecules is in preclinical development for dry AMD.
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Visionairy is a deeptech startup specializing in the automation of industrial quality control using artificial intelligence. Based on technology patented by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Visionairy is developing an advanced software solution that integrates with commercially available cameras to create, test and deploy visual inspection AI on production lines. Its platform enables manufacturers to digitalize quality by automatically detecting defects, optimizing processes and reducing the costs associated with non-conformities. Already deployed in over five countries, Visionairy's customers include major players such as Toshiba, Krys and Claas.
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Symbiose is an innovative platform leveraging AI to revolutionize forest management through advanced remote sensing and fundamental models. By integrating various sources of Earth observation data, such as hyperspectral imagery, LiDAR and radar, Symbiose provides accurate, real-time analyses of forest condition, climate risk and asset valuation. Thanks to the use of large language models (LLMs), the platform integrates a virtual forest expert capable of formulating personalized, actionable recommendations. It enables forest owners to optimize their resources, anticipate risks and promote sustainable management in the face of climatic challenges.
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Digital InPulse reinvents itself for a 12th edition dedicated to business competitiveness and female entrepreneurship
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Applications for the 2025 edition of the Digital InPulse competition are now open! This emblematic program, which has supported French innovation since 2014, returns in a new format featuring two categories : the first dedicated to start-ups developing solutions for greater competitiveness, and the second aimed at women entrepreneurs. The Comité Richelieu, a long-standing partner of Digital InPulse, is joined this year by the Think & Do Tank Marie Claire - Agir pour l'Égalité, an initiative that aims to reflect on the major challenges of gender equality.
Tech for Competitiveness
After a year dedicated to the cultural industry in 2024, Huawei wishes to highlight projects aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of organizations. This first category of the competition is open to French start-ups designing :
- Business intelligence tools;
- Solutions to facilitate teamwork, maximize productivity and optimize costs;
- Innovations that accelerate research and development;
- Technologies that support sales or enhance customer satisfaction.
Women for Innovation
In a bid to promote and support female entrepreneurship, Huawei has teamed up with Think & Do Tank Marie Claire - Agir pour l'Égalité to create a new category within the Digital InPulse competition: Women for Innovation, designed to showcase start-ups run, founded or co-founded by women. Female entrepreneurs are invited to share a short video presenting their company, their career path and the passion that drives them.
Two categories for a single competition
Five start-ups will be selected in each category, for a total of 10 winning companies. Auditions will be held from June to July 2025 in five major French regions:
- Ile-de-France;
- Nord-Est (Hauts-de-France, Grand Est, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté);
- South-East (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, PACA);
- South-West (Occitanie, Nouvelles-Aquitaine);
- North-West (Centre-Val de Loire, Pays de la Loire, Bretagne, Normandie).
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>>> EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Paul Leondaridis, President / Yannis Sahraoui, Managing Director
Dimitri Lionel A.Omgba, Communications Manager [Send your subject to the editor]
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