Motier Ventures, a prominent early stage tech investment firm based in Paris, recently unveiled a new startup hub called La Maison. This innovative venture comes as a result of the family office of the Houzé family, who are the owners of the upscale fashion retailer, the Galeries Lafayette Group.
The Galeries Lafayette Group is renowned for its physical retail stores, and they believe that having a physical space for startups will give them a competitive advantage over other tech investment firms. This move signifies a shift in the French tech ecosystem, offering early stage startup founders in Paris a plethora of options when it comes to raising a seed round.
With unicorn founders turning into angel investors, family offices diversifying their investment strategies, and early stage VC firms vying for the best deals, startups now have the luxury of choosing who they want on their capitalization table. Some investors promise introductions to potential clients and business partners, while others focus on providing a quick and efficient financial transaction to allow entrepreneurs to focus on their startup.
Motier Ventures has adopted an ecosystem-first approach, deploying capital rapidly over the past three years and investing in 85 companies, particularly in promising AI startups like Dust, H, and Mistral. They have also organized numerous events that have brought together founders and investors in the French tech ecosystem. Their latest endeavor, La Maison, is set to open in early 2025 on the top three floors of the Lafayette Gourmet building next to the Opéra Garnier.
The fourth floor of La Maison will serve as a versatile space for events, demo days, hackathons, and cocktail receptions. Partner Guillaume Houzé expressed their vision of supporting exceptional teams by providing not just a workspace, but also a place for inspiration and collective reflection on the vision of society they aim to build.
In many ways, La Maison’s concept is reminiscent of the early days of The Family, a local tech hub that served as a startup accelerator and a hub for the French tech ecosystem. However, with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Family had to shut down its space. La Maison aims to fill this void and become a new default space for hosting small meetups, fostering an environment where the next generation of tech entrepreneurs can feel supported, inspired, and connected on a daily basis.
With a focus on cultivating creativity and collaboration, La Maison represents a new chapter in the French tech ecosystem, offering a space where innovation and entrepreneurship can thrive.
