French venture capital firm Aquiti has announced the final close of its AVA1 fund at nearly €60 million. The fund will support founders building startups across the Greater Southwest of France, starting from the pre-seed stage.
Through AVA1, Aquiti plans to invest between €100,000 and €3 million in pre-seed and seed-stage startups. The firm has also set aside additional funding for follow-on rounds and aims to build a portfolio of 25 to 30 companies.
“We chose Aquiti because the relationship went far beyond capital. From our first discussions, we found a team that combines a genuinely close human relationship with experience in investing and supporting tech companies as they scale. Most importantly, we share the same level of ambition: to make RelaiSanté a category-defining company and transform the way patients access care and support after hospitalisation,” adds Étienne Boix, co-founder and CEO of portfolio company RelaiSanté.
“Founders should not have to choose between building where they want to live and accessing the capital, network and ambition they need to go far. With AVA1, our goal is simple: be the first partner for the best founders in the Greater Southwest, and stay alongside them as they scale,” says Jean-François Cochy, General Partner at Aquiti and Head of AVA1.
Aquiti Gestion is a French private equity firm that has supported businesses across southwestern France for more than 25 years. The firm manages over €230 million in assets and invests in regional small and medium-sized businesses as well as corporate buyouts.
In 2018, the firm launched Aquiti Ventures to focus on the growing startup market. This dedicated venture capital arm aims to support early-stage startups and help innovative businesses grow.
Aquiti Ventures has a team of five investors who focus on pre-seed and seed-stage startups. The team invests in breakthrough technologies, healthcare and climate solutions, combining the experience of an established investment firm with a modern approach to venture capital.
So far, Aquiti has backed 13 companies across different sectors. Its portfolio includes Synboli, which uses AI for materials discovery, and RelaiSanté, which is developing new approaches to care coordination.
