Partech Partners

Partech Partners Research Investment Thesis Partech Partners is a globally-distributed, stage-agnostic technology investment firm with a philosophy of supporting founders across the entire venture spectrum. Founded in 1982 as a corporate venture arm of Bank Paribas, the firm evolved into an independent platform after the dot-com era. Their thesis centers on identifying ambitious founders solving large problems through technology, with particular strength in the European market and growing expertise in Africa and emerging markets. The firm believes that the best founder teams are independent thinkers who challenge conventional wisdom. Partech positions itself as a multi-stage, multi-geography platform designed to provide not just capital, but also operational expertise, global networks, and hands-on support from day one through scale. Sector and Stage Focus Partech operates across multiple funds, each with distinct stage and sector focus: Seed Fund (since 2013): Day 1 to Series A investments of €300k-€3m. The team backs entrepreneurial talent and future disruptors with a broad, open-minded approach unconstrained by industry or geography. Notable feature: 100 entrepreneur co-investors in the fund, with 35 previously backed by Partech. Venture Fund: Series A and Series B investments of €5-12m focused on European companies with proven mission-critical software. Core sectors include Digital Transformation, Security, Cloud Infrastructure, Fintech/Insurtech, Healthcare, and B2B platforms. Target companies have €1m-€10m ARR range. The team provides hands-on support in product, engineering, sales, and marketing. Africa Fund (since 2017): Seed to Growth (Series C+) investments of €1-€15m across the African continent. Focuses on tech-enabled businesses addressing large opportunities. Ground-based team leverages operational expertise and Partech's global networks. Growth Fund (since 2015): Invests in European scale-ups with €10m-€100m+ run rate, providing €25-€70m checks (up to €100m with LPs). Focuses on companies on path to profitability. Takes both minority and majority positions with concentrated portfolio approach. Impact Fund (newest): €15-€40m checks for companies with proven business models addressing environmental and social challenges. Designated Article 9 fund under SFDR regulations. Investment Activity and Momentum Partech has been actively deploying across all funds in 2025-2026: Recent Activity: January 2026 investment in Modeinspect; December 2025 Seed investment in Track Titan (learning platform for racing enthusiasts); ongoing investments across all funds. Codebase shows 690+ historical investments with 220 current portfolio companies. Portfolio Health: 220 active portfolio companies across 40 countries and 4 continents. Strong exit track record includes AB Tasty's integration with VWO (January 2026), Ornikar acquisition, Sketchfab acquisition. Multiple successful secondary sales and liquidity events demonstrate robust exit ecosystem. Fund Momentum: All funds actively deploying capital. Partech Africa II catalyzing African VC market. Published comprehensive 2025 Africa Tech VC Report showing continent's ecosystem rebounded to $4.1B funding ($2.4B equity). Geographic and Sector Concentration Primary Geographies: Europe (primary focus including France, Germany, UK), Africa (growing with dedicated team), North America (San Francisco office with selective expansion), Southeast Asia and MENA region (emerging strength). Sector Strengths: Enterprise Software & Cloud Infrastructure (Bitrise, CloudQuery, Alpic), Fintech & Payments (Xendit, Yoco, Nomba), Marketplace & E-Commerce (ManoMano, Channable, TradeDepot), Healthcare & Biotech (Cardiologs, Alan, Plumerai), Consumer & Lifestyle (Evaneos, Ornikar, KoRo, Neoplants), Professional Services & Education (CoachHub, Studocu, Almentor). Team and Decision-Making Partech operates with 50+ General Partners and Partners across six global offices. Leadership includes Founding Partners Jean-Marc Patouillaud and Philippe Collombel alongside experienced GPs like Bruno Crémel, Cyril Collon, and Romain Lavault. Team brings ex-entrepreneur and operator backgrounds. Decision Process: Partnership-based approach with each fund's lead partners directing strategy. Typical timeline 1-2 months for established relationships. Not strictly requiring warm introductions given extensive global network and active sourcing capabilities. Lead vs Follow Tendency Partech demonstrates a balanced lead/follow approach depending on fund and round: Seed Fund : Willing to lead as sole or co-lead investor, co-invests with 100 entrepreneur co-investors Venture Fund : Leads or co-leads Series A/B rounds Africa Fund : Lead or co-lead position, partners with regional and global players Growth Fund : Lead or co-lead with concentrated portfolio approach Multi-stage, multi-geography positioning enables flexibility based on opportunity, geography, and fund strategy. Portfolio Composition Partech's 220-company portfolio demonstrates sector and geographic diversity: Notable Companies & Exits: Ecovadis (sustainability ratings, unicorn trajectory), CoachHub (digital coaching at scale), Bitrise (mobile DevOps), ManoMano (European DIY marketplace), Alan (digital health insurance), Brevo (CRM platform), Plumerai (AI for edge devices), Cardiologs (AI cardiac diagnostics), Evaneos (travel marketplace), Xendit (Southeast Asia payments). Recent Exits: AB Tasty entered definitive agreement with VWO (January 2026); Ornikar acquired; Sketchfab acquired by Sketchlab. Multiple secondary sales and successful exits demonstrate strong exit ecosystem. Company History and Evolution Partech's 44-year history reflects resilience and evolution: Founded in 1982 as Paribas Technologies corporate venture arm; survived dot-com bubble with recovery through new investor backing; launched Seed franchise in 2000s; pioneered European growth stage investing; expanded to Africa with dedicated fund; currently manages €2.7B AUM across five funds with 220 portfolio companies in 40 countries. Value-Add Services Beyond capital, Partech provides: hands-on product & engineering support from experienced operators; functional expertise in sales & marketing and go-to-market; M&A strategy and execution expertise; proven playbook for European companies expanding to US; embedded Scaleup Success Managers; access to talent networks across geographies. Sustainability expertise across all funds with dedicated CSO (Samuel Monteiro). Competitive Positioning Partech differentiates through: 44-year operating history and brand; truly global, stage-agnostic platform; multinational team with local expertise; multi-fund approach matching founders at every stage; strong exit ecosystem and liquidity experience; thought leadership in emerging markets (annual Africa Tech VC Report). Market Outlook Partech positions for continued growth in: African technology ecosystem (dedicated fund, annual reporting); European scale-up expansion to global markets; impact investing and sustainability-focused businesses (Article 9 SFDR fund); enterprise software and digital transformation; fintech and emerging market payment solutions.