Les Business Angels des Grandes Écoles

Les Business Angels des Grandes Écoles (BADGE) is a prominent French business angel network, established in 2004. Comprising over 400 alumni from France's elite "Grandes Écoles," BADGE's core mission is to identify, finance, and mentor innovative early-stage companies with high growth potential. They leverage the diverse expertise and extensive networks of their members to provide not just capital but also strategic guidance and operational support to their portfolio companies, fostering their development within the French and international markets.

BADGE primarily targets startups in their seed, pre-seed, and Series A stages, focusing on a broad range of sectors including digital technology, healthcare, deep tech, industrial innovation, and services. They seek companies demonstrating strong innovation, a clear market opportunity, and a robust management team. The network emphasizes a hands-on approach, with members often taking active roles as advisors or board members, contributing their industry knowledge and entrepreneurial experience to help startups scale effectively.

Since its inception, Les Business Angels des Grandes Écoles has demonstrated significant activity in the French startup ecosystem. The network typically provides initial investments ranging from €50,000 to €500,000 per project, often participating in co-investment rounds with other angel groups or venture capital firms to provide larger funding envelopes. As of recent data, BADGE has collectively invested over €60 million into more than 300 companies, solidifying its position as a key player in early-stage financing in France. They review over 1,000 projects annually, indicating a highly selective process.