[AWS Summit Paris 2024] Winning Fundraising Strategies for 2024
The AWS Summit Paris 2024 session “Levée de fonds en 2024 – Les stratégies gagnantes” (SUP112-FR) offered a 29-minute panel with investors sharing insights on startup fundraising. Anaïs Monlong (Iris Capital), Audrey Soussan (Ventech), and Samantha Jérusalmy (Elaia) discussed market trends, investor expectations, and pitching tips for early-stage startups. With European VC funding down 40% to €45B in 2023 (2024 Atomico), this post outlines strategies to secure funding in 2024.
2024 Fundraising Market
Samantha Jérusalmy described 2024 as challenging post-2021 bubble, with investors prioritizing profitability (80% of VCs, 2024 PitchBook). However, Audrey Soussan highlighted ample liquidity, with early-stage deals (Seed/Series A) making up 60% of EU funding in 2023 (2024 Dealroom). Anaïs Monlong noted a tripling of VC assets in five years, driven by corporate interest in tech, especially AI (€10B raised in 2023, 2024 Sifted). Sectors like cloud-enabled industries and data utilization remain attractive.
Investor Expectations
Samantha explained VC business models: funds (e.g., €150–250M) seek 10–30% stakes, aiming for exits at €1B+ to return multiples (2–5x). A €1B exit with 10% yields €100M, insufficient for a €200M fund without multiple “unicorns.” Investors need billion-euro addressable markets. Audrey advised Seed startups to show €50K monthly revenue or design partners, while Series A requires recurring revenue. Anaïs emphasized strong tech cores (e.g., Shi Technology, Exotec) for industrial transformation.
Pitching Best Practices
Anaïs recommended concise pitch decks: market size, product screenshots, team background. Avoid premature valuation claims, as pricing varies widely. Target one fund contact to ensure follow-up, leveraging their sector fit. Audrey suggested sizing rounds for 18–24 months at the lower end, adjusting upward if oversubscribed. Overshooting (e.g., €5M to €1M) signals weakness. Samantha stressed pre-pitch fund alignment, avoiding large funds for sub-€1B markets.
Valuation Strategies
Samantha likened valuation to a “marriage,” advising entrepreneurs to build rapport before discussing terms. Audrey urged creating competition among investors to optimize valuation, but warned high valuations risk harsh terms or down rounds (lower valuations in later rounds). Anaïs clarified valuations aren’t discounted cash flow-based but market-driven, aligning with recent deals. All advised balancing valuation with investor value-add and long-term equity story to avoid Series A/B traps.