Newsletter - May 2025
Welcome to the 17th edition of the AFI Ventures’ newsletter.
As a reminder, AFI Ventures (fund managed by Ventech) is an impact VC fund that invests in pre-seed/seed startups with a strong environmental and social ambition, producing a systemic change. We invest once a month in France & Europe tickets ranging from €250K to €500K.
Each month in this newsletter, you'll find :
🔍 A focus or key resources on an impact-related theme
📰Our Top 15 must-read articles on the impact ecosystem🌱 Even more news from the AFI: public fundraisings, portfolio updates, and—new —where we’ve been spotted (at events) & where you can catch us next, plus a job board featuring open roles at our amazing startups.
More insights, more opportunities, more ways to connect. Let’s dive in! 💚
🔍 Focus on...ElseeThis month, we want to shine a light on one of our investments that truly matters in the field of women’s health and gender equity.
🩺 Did you know that women face invisible out-of-pocket healthcare costs of around €2,549 per year? These aren’t just “nice-to-have” extras – they’re essential expenses like psychological support, dietary supplements, and osteopathy, which are never reimbursed by our healthcare system.
That’s why we’re supporting two inspiring and visionary entrepreneurs: Lara and Eugénie, the co-founders of Elsee.
✨ Lara Rouyres is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience (ex-CEO of Dealissime, acquired by LivingSocial, ex-Ceo of Selectionnist), building businesses that put women’s needs at the center. She’s now applying her proven expertise to transform women’s health.
✨ Eugénie Beauchesne brings deep experience in data and operations from her years at Ekimetrics and Alan, turning ideas into actionable solutions. At Elsee, she’s the strategist turning this vision into a real product.
📉 As part of their work, they conducted a study involving 1,500 women and uncovered a sobering truth: women are forced to shoulder alternative health costs alone due to a lack of structured support.
👉 Elsee is redefining the model: offering 50% to 80% reimbursement for these never-covered costs, with a preventive, personalized approach rooted in women’s real lives.
📍 Go meet them at Vivatech on June 12th and 13th in the Femtech zone at the Elsee stand.
📰 Top 15 must-read articles - What Caught Our Eye This Month Climate Change
Nature-based carbon solutions like reforestation or peatland restoration require long-term maintenance and cannot be treated as 'set and forget' offsets, said in BusinessGreen.
A recent report by InfluenceMap reveals that nearly all of the world's top 30 seafood companies and their industry associations lobby against ocean conservation policies, despite publicly committing to sustainability.
The Biodiversity Credit Alliance has released a revised edition of its High-Level Principles to Guide the Biodiversity Credit Market, outlining 21 principles covering certification processes, the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and governance of this emerging market.
The European Union is exploring the creation of a nature credit market to incentivize biodiversity restoration, aiming to mobilize private funding through certified credits for conservation efforts, said by AFP via France24.
Artificial intelligence could revolutionize biodiversity conservation by addressing knowledge gaps in species distribution and interactions, yet remains underutilized in five of seven key areas, according to McGill University in Nature Reviews Biodiversity.
Sustainable production and consumption
AI’s booming energy footprint—driven largely by inference rather than training—is reshaping power grids and could consume as much electricity as 22% of U.S. households by 2028, yet remains shrouded in secrecy from tech giants, said in MIT Technology Review.
Enhanced geothermal systems could meet up to 64% of projected U.S. hyperscale data center electricity demand by the early 2030s, offering a scalable, clean energy solution amid surging AI-driven power needs, according to Rhodium Group.
Big Tech is betting on nuclear to power the AI boom with low-carbon energy, but timing mismatches mean next-gen reactors won’t scale fast enough—leaving fossil fuels to fill the gap, according to MIT Technology Review.
Faced with plummeting demand for solar panels, German startups like Zolar, 1Komma5, and Enpal are pivoting toward software, heat pumps, and energy management tech to diversify revenue and remain competitive, said in Sifted.
Cambridge University researchers took flight on the UK’s first certified electric passenger aircraft, highlighting electric aviation’s potential as part of a broader strategy to decarbonize air travel.
Health & Social Changes
French startups like Hemerion, Robeauté, and TheraSonic are pioneering new brain cancer treatments—from laser-activated drugs to microrobots and therapeutic ultrasound—aiming to overcome the blood-brain barrier and improve precision, said Marion Simon-Rainaud according to Les Echos.
Prime editing, a next-generation CRISPR technique, has been used in a human for the first time—restoring immune cell function in a teen with a rare genetic disorder—marking a major milestone despite economic hurdles ahead, according to Nature.
Over half of French managers experience psychological distress but often stay silent to avoid being seen as weak or incompetent, contributing to a culture of denial around mental health in the workplace, according to Le Monde.
A new wave of startups like Haemanthus, Truvian Health, and Vital Biosciences are reviving the vision of rapid, minimally invasive blood testing—distancing themselves from Theranos by emphasizing scientific transparency and limited initial ambitions, said in Les Echos.
New molecular shuttles that transport large biological drugs across the blood–brain barrier are showing early success in treating conditions like Hunter syndrome and Alzheimer’s, offering hope for a new era in neuropharmacology, said in Nature.
🍃 AFI Ventures HighlightsRecent News from our Portfolio
Dionymer has secured a €300K grant from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region to accelerate the commercialization and industrialization of its polymer materials produced from food waste. Learn more
Sirona Technologies is partnering with the Innoptus Solar Team to offset their emissions by using its Direct Air Capture technology to remove carbon from the air, supporting the team's solar car race across the Australian desert. Learn more
Finres has joined La Ferme Digitale alongside 8 other companies dedicated to innovative, sustainable, and resilient agriculture, aiming to enhance decision-making through science, data, and technology in the face of climate and economic uncertainties. Learn more
Tilt Energy has raised a new €5M seed round led by daphni to accelerate the integration of AI-driven demand-side flexibility solutions, helping businesses, households, and grid operators like RTE optimize energy consumption and reduce carbon impact across Europe. Learn more
ClimeFi has entered into a data partnership with CRYSTALTRADE to enhance its carbon dioxide removal (CDR) project ratings and risk management models, leveraging digital monitoring and verification (dMRV) data. Learn more
Stokelp has launched LiveQuote, a new solution combining AI and human expertise to provide material price quotes within 24 hours, giving businesses access to thousands of European suppliers while reducing costs and securing supply chains. Learn more
Verley has launched FermWhey™ Native, a next-gen fermented whey protein that maintains its purity and structure, offering exceptional bioavailability and versatility for the food industry, with innovations in heat stability and gelling properties. Learn more
Faircraft has acquired VitroLabs Inc.'s strategic assets, adding over 30 international patents to its portfolio and solidifying its leadership in cultivated leather technology, positioning itself at the forefront of luxury, sustainable materials. Learn more
Entroview has released a full demo report showcasing its battery diagnostic system, providing garages and dismantlers with actionable insights to make informed second-life decisions for batteries. Learn more
Alpagga collaborated with Red Sauce - Paris for its soft opening, providing custom kitchen solutions that combine performance, comfort, and the joy of cooking, while supporting a passionate gastronomic adventure. Learn more
Events
We were at:
The Hack Summit in Lausane on May 15th & 16th :Constantin, Sarah, and Charles had the opportunity to attend this year’s Hack Summit, where they also organized a side event in collaboration with Satgana and Serena. It was a great chance to connect with innovators in the tech ecosystem and discuss future ventures.
Nextly, join us at:
VivaTech in Paris on June 11th & 12th : The entire AFI Ventures team will be attending VivaTech next month in Paris. Constantin will be hosting an investor office hour from 4 PM to 6 PM on June 11th, and he will also participate in the investor reverse pitch. We’re excited to meet the brightest minds shaping the future of innovation!
Talent Wanted: Our Startups Are Building the Future
New job offers:
Draftsperson / Project Designer Intern - Optimiz Construction (Paris)
Key Account & Development Manager - Verley (Lyon)
Chef·fe de Secteur - Kheops (Marseille)
Bras droit CEO / Chief of Staff Intern ; Sales Development Representative Intern ; Product Strategist / Product Manager Intern ; Front-end Developer Intern ; Devops / Infra Intern - Highcast (Paris)
Web Backend Developer ; Business Developer France - vorteX-io (Toulouse)
They are still looking for a:
Senior Software Engineer - Tilt Energy (Paris)
Founder Associate (CDI or Freelance) - Elsee (Paris or remote)
Founder Associate (Internship) - Elsee (Paris or remote)
🤝 Our TeamCharles Fourault - charles@afi.ventures
Constantin de Chaudenay - constantin@afi.ventures
Sarah Laznowski - sarah@afi.ventures
Romain Garrigue - romain@afi.ventures
Don't hesitate to reach out if you're an impact entrepreneur or just interested in any of these topics. 🍃