Frequently asked questions

Three things : a technology inspired by, derived from or built with the living world; a meaningful industrial and environmental problem, with a path to paying customers; and committed founders, ambitious and ready to work as one team. We usually meet companies between proof of concept and pre-seed (TRL 3 to 5).

Matching with the project owners is where we pay attention the most. Project owners choose us as we choose them to become long-term partners. We need inspiring and engaged project owners, being confident in the future while facing the upcoming challenges with humility. We look for project owners who understand the power of the collective to go further and quicker, ready to share risks, successes, and enjoy the roller coaster together.

Send us your deck through our Pitch us form, any time of the year. We read every deck and answer within 10 days. No introduction needed, and no need to wait for the Out of the Lab Prize.

Incubators usually batch cohorts, give advice, and expect you to move fast through a curriculum. At Anima, we don’t consult, we co-build, we are operators working as members of your team. We go deep with individual companies, bringing specialized expertise (materials supply chains, water regulatory frameworks, biotech scaling) tailored to what you’re building. We’re not on a cohort schedule, we move at the pace that makes sense for your company.

Incubators are good for getting unstuck, Anima is good for building a derisked company.

Not exactly, but we are still investors. We invest our own capital at pre-seed, and our team works inside yours. Most VCs wait for product-market fit, then let you execute. We come earlier and help you build what investors will want to see next: first customers, a team, a business model. Nevertheless, our founding partner Alpha Star Capital can join follow-on rounds as your first VC.

If your technology copies a strategy found in nature, turns biological matter into high-performance products, or relies on living organisms or proteins, it is. Our ventures range from plant-based materials to rare-earth recovery and AI for R&D. We scout worldwide. When in doubt, pitch us!

Yes, it’s part of the job. Once the company has built traction with us, we shape the story and the materials with you, and introduce you to investors in our network. We also help you secure the best non-dilutive funding to complete your rounds.

You should!
We are always looking for either exceptional CEOs to match with more scientific founders profiles, and seasoned entrepreneurs with a specific industry expertise to kickstart ventures with us, powered by Asteria. 

Anima is deeply involved in each project. For 9 to 18 months, our operators work with you on strategy, product, design, go-to-market, brand, hiring and fundraising. The goal is a strong, independent company with its own team, and what we do is basically covering the costs of the missing and key resources until the company becomes independent.

We are entrepreneurs first. In each expertise that we deliver, from strategy to funding, through operations, company culture, product, design, branding and impact, we do it the entrepreneurial way, meaning that we focus on execution. The priority of each member of the team is to enable soft skills development for the founders and build a fully independent team of talents to run the venture.

Proof of concept to pre-seed. You need validated science, a founding team and a meaningful problem. You don’t need product-market fit: that’s what we build together. Grants, public funding or an angel round are fine. If you’ve already closed a seed round or have significant revenue, you’re probably past our sweet spot. If you have a doubt, think we can still support, or still want to work with us desperately, send your deck!

We stay on your cap table and by your side for your next rounds, with the ability to follow-on with Alpha Star.  We will still be your partner, supporting as much as you need it and as we can.

We are based in the heart of Paris in le Marais. Our founders get open access to the house! Though we back projects all around the world, and organise ourselves to be available to each of you!

It depends on what the company needs, the entrepreneurial maturity and the business maturity. Some partnerships are fully operational, with little or no cash at first. Others include a first cheque of 50k€ to 200k€.  For the most advanced companies, our investment can grow up to €1M for the pre-seed round.

Our stake reflects two contributions: the capital we invest, and an operating team working inside your company for 9 to 18 months. Depending on the mix, it ranges from 7% to 25%. We discuss it openly from the first meetings, and we’re happy to put you in touch with our founders so you can ask them how it went.