Discover our Team: Driving DeepTech Innovation

Technofounders, a leading Startup Studio in the European DeepTech ecosystem, brings together a diverse team of experts dedicated to creating, financing, and accelerating virtuous industrial DeepTech projects. With specialized Venture Partners, dedicated Support Services, and experienced Managing Partners, Technofounders has built a comprehensive team structure that supports DeepTech startups from their earliest stages through to successful market entry and growth.

A Comprehensive Team Approach

What distinguishes Technofounders’ team structure is its comprehensive, stage-specific approach. From pre-seed to exit, the organization ensures that DeepTech startups have access to the right expertise at the right time:

  1. Feasibility Phase: Venture Partners evaluate technologies and potential commercialization paths
  2. Pre-Seed Phase: Venture Partners serve as interim CEOs while building initial products and teams
  3. Seed Acceleration: Operating Partners provide operational and strategic support while Support Services handle administrative functions
  4. Growth Phase: Managing Partners offer strategic guidance through board participation

The Managing Partners: Strategic Guidance

The Managing Partners provide strategic oversight throughout a startup’s journey, with particularly important roles during the later stages (Series A and beyond). They bring extensive entrepreneurial experience and industry connections. Their contributions become increasingly focused on strategic guidance as companies mature, taking board positions rather than operational roles.

During the acceleration and growth phases, Managing Partners help companies navigate:

  • Strategic priorities
  • Funding strategies
  • Exit planning and execution

Olivier Le Blainvaux

Managing Partner

Olivier Le Blainvaux, Managing Partner

French entrepreneur and co-founder of Technofounders. A graduate of École Polytechnique (2006–2010), he began his career at McKinsey & Company before transitioning to entrepreneurship. He is actively involved in identifying disruptive technologies and structuring investment vehicles to fund innovative projects
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Pierre Le Blainvaux

Managing Partner

Pierre Le Blainvaux, Managing Partner

French entrepreneur and co-founder of Technofounders. A graduate of École Polytechnique, Pierre focuses on creating impactful industrial companies by leveraging existing research projects. Pierre serves as the studio's president and actively collaborates with major research institutions in France to transform innovative technologies into successful businesses.
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Sébastien Wuidart

Managing Partner

Sébastien Wuidart, Managing Partner

French professional specializing in fundraising and investor relations. Sébastien has extensive experience in the commercial and financial sectors, previously holding roles such as Commercial Manager at Groupe Joly. He is actively engaged in connecting innovative startups with investors and fostering technological advancements
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The Venture Partners: Scientific and Market Specialists

The Venture Partners at Technofounders play a crucial role during the pre-seed phase, working as interim CEOs while projects are being evaluated and developed. These experts bring specialized domain knowledge in areas like healthcare, agriculture, materials, energy, and security.

During the pre-seed phase, Venture Partners dedicate themselves 100% to the project while working alongside research teams to develop initial proofs of concept, clarify use cases and business models, and recruit the permanent leadership team.

Sébastien Balas

Venture Partner for Healthcare

Sébastien Balas, Venture Partner for Healthcare

With a Master's in Biomedical Engineering from EPFL and an MBA from INSEAD, Sébastien combines technical expertise with business acumen. His professional experience includes a master's project at Moderna Tx and three years in management consulting for pharmaceutical and MedTech companies at Deloitte Switzerland. His track record includes creating two healthcare startups with Technofounders and analyzing over 150 DeepTech projects in the health sector.
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Thibault Gerard

Venture Partner for Industry

Thibault Gerard, Venture Partner for Industry

As a double graduate from Mines de Nancy and École des ponts et chaussées, Thibault brings strong engineering expertise combined with 5 years of strategy consulting at EY. His focus areas include industry, AgriTech, energy, and electronics, with particular skills in market analysis, customer needs assessment, competitive positioning, and growth strategy. He has evaluated over 50 DeepTech projects in industrial applications, AgriTech, energy, and electronics.
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Thomas Nicolas

Venture Analyst for Healthcare

Thomas Nicolas, Venture Analyst for Healthcare

With a pharmaceutical background from Université Paris-Saclay and engineering sciences from the University of Montpellier, Thomas brings valuable expertise in MedTech, biotech, pharmacology, and biology. His experience includes R&D at Bone 3D and founding Spectrome, giving him practical insights into healthcare startup development. He has analyzed over 50 DeepTech projects in the health sector.
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The Support Services Team: Specialized Expertise

Technofounders’ support services team provides crucial shared functions across their portfolio, enabling startups to focus on their core technology and business development. These services are particularly valuable during the early stages when startups lack the resources to build complete administrative teams.

Legal Services

The legal team specializes in DeepTech startup needs, including:

  • Negotiations with Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs)
  • Intellectual property management
  • Corporate operations (capital increases, convertible bonds, share warrants)
  • Management packages (BSPCE, BSA)
  • General secretarial services (annual general meetings, cap table management, KYC)


Their pragmatic approach and competitive rates make them particularly valuable for early-stage companies.

Verena Kuhn

Head of Legal

Verena Kuhn, Head of Legal

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Financial & Operational Support

The finance team provides specialized support in:

  • R&D phase monitoring (Research Tax Credit, Young Innovative Company status, grants, capitalized production)
  • Transition to industrialization (cost of goods calculation, working capital management)
  • Cash management (runway, treasury forecasting, working capital)
  • Additional services beyond traditional outsourced CFO roles, including purchasing, customer administration, reporting, management control, and non-dilutive funding (loans and grants)

Nicolas Barbier

Operating Partner

Nicolas Barbier, Operating Partner

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Paulin Dong

Financial Controller

Paulin Dong, Financial Controller

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Marketing

The marketing team ensures clear and consistent communication to strengthen Technofounders’ visibility and positioning in the deeptech ecosystem.

  • Communication and marketing strategy
  • Content creation (newsletters, website copy, articles)
  • Social media and investor outreach campaigns
  • Relay of the latest portfolio news to the broader community, turning key milestones into compelling content.


These services provide a consistent voice across all audiences and help tell the Technofounders story — its mission, model, and vision. 

Noémie Potdevin

Head of Marketing

Noémie Potdevin, Head of Marketing

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HR Services

Human resources services are standardized and outsourced, focusing on operational aspects:

  • Payroll management
  • Employee onboarding and offboarding
  • Access to preferential rates for services, health insurance, and welfare thanks to group pricing

Funding Services

With an established track record, the funding team:

  • Supports management in structuring financing rounds
  • Assists in deployment (roadshows, valuation negotiations)
  • Provides access to their network of qualified DeepTech investors