MILLIONS

BICYCLES WERE SOLD LAST YEAR COMPARED TO 1.6 MILLION NEW CARS.

BUSINESS ANGELS: DIVERSITY IN POWER

Public Effort On The Horizon

The moral is that cycling increases where it is given the means to increase. This is not yet the case, with local authorities spending ten euros per inhabitant per year on cycling, compared to 300 for cars. The State is aware of this: while it had planned in 2018 to commit 350 million euros over seven years to cycling, an additional 150 million was released as part of the recovery plan and 250 million should be spent in 2023 alone, 200 of which will be dedicated to infrastructure. A good reason to re-inflate the tyres of your old bicycle...

*Opinion poll for “Vélo & Territoires”, October 2022 since 2011.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THE ROLE OF A BUSINESS ANGEL TODAY?

For an investor, taking a share in the capital of a company in which you believe is certainly a way of diversifying your assets, but first and foremost a commitment that requires passion, dedication and curiosity. You don’t just invest your own money, but also your time. Why do you do this? Because we believe in the growth potential of a young company whose beginnings we are accompanying and because we believe in the team that leads it. Whether they are young or not so young, these new entrepreneurs need funds, of course, but also support. Our role is to bring them our experience, our network of contacts and our advice.

IN THE MEDIA, BUSINESS ANGELS ARE OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE WORLD OF HIGH

TECH AND DIGITAL. IS THIS REALLY TRUE?

The projects we support are much more diverse than you might think, as is the profile of the business angels. The cliché of the billionaire who invests in a start-up does not correspond to the reality of the profiles and backgrounds of the investors that France Angels has brought together since 2001. Since Covid, there has been a real appetite for projects focused on people, health and society. Tech is certainly an area of opportunity. We are probably not going to invest in classic business, but all sectors have their assets, including within the societal or environmental field in all the regions where we are establishedproximity is particularly important to us. Last November, for example, we launched AgriAngels, a new network dedicated to projects being set up in the agricultural world. A growing number of our members are turning to impact projects.