321

What they do

Founded in 2019 by serial entrepreneurs Patrick Amiel and Romain Ledru-Mathé, 321 operates as a "Make or Buy Factory." They bridge the gap between corporate power (capital, reach, trust, and distribution) and entrepreneurial DNA (speed, execution, and risk-sharing) to create new growth engines. They partner with CAC40 and SBF120 companies-such as BNP Paribas, PMU, and Stellantis-to either build startups from scratch or acquire and integrate existing ones. They are highly regarded in the French ecosystem for their unique co-founding model that de-risks corporate innovation by placing seasoned entrepreneurs at the helm of corporate spin-offs.

What they look for

321 believes that large corporations could disrupt the world and innovate relentlessly if they changed the rules of engagement. Their thesis is to transform "sleeping" corporate assets (brand, people, expertise, customers, distribution networks) into an unfair competitive advantage for new startups. They operate a dual "Make or Buy" strategy: either building a product from scratch in under 6 months or scanning the market to acquire/partner with existing startups that fit the corporate's strategic goals.

Stage

Pre-seed, Seed

Sectors

Fintech, HR and recruiting, Media, Mobility and logistics, Consumer, Climate, Deeptech, AI

Based

Paris, FR