What kind of space lover are you ?
Since I was a kid, I have always been very fond of space. I am fascinated by deep space exploration and convinced our Universe is the next world to be explored.
As a student, I wrote a paper about solar sails (a new form of space propulsion), and I am currently launching a company called Gama that will build spatial vessel propelled by photons.
Unistellar is a profitable company after nine months of commercialization, how do you value this metric as an investor ?
I’ve invested in more than 100 companies in the last 10 years, both hardware and software. Most of the time it takes years for startups to achieve profitability; sometimes it never happens.
I am impressed that Unistellar has reached this point in just a few months after commercialization. At the same time, it’s not surprising, considering the quality of the team and the product.
Being quickly profitable offers companies the possibility to define their own strategy without being dependent on external factors. It puts the founders in a good position to build a huge company and disrupt an entire industry.
Unistellar benefits from a strong network effect, where every new user adds value to the community. As one of the co-founders of Fotolia, how important is community for you?
Businesses with a real network effect are rare and offer strong competitive moats. The best products have a robust community of support, as does Unistellar. Building this community from the ground up was complicated, but part of the strength of the eVscope is its innate networking capabilities.
Using a Unistellar eVscope means more than getting access to an amazing product, it is also about joining a community of fans and experts.
Could you give us your perspective on equity crowdfunding, how meaningful do you think it is?
I wish everyone could experience the same feeling I have while investing in startups. Having a financial stake in a company makes you a meaningful part of the adventure. In addition to the thrill of success, it’s an opportunity to open your mind and expand your knowledge.
Equity crowdfunding is a progressive model offering a win-win situation both for investors and entrepreneurs. Investors can diversify their portfolio and support dynamic, growing companies. Entrepreneurs benefit from an alternative funding source, as well as a strong community to champion their products.
As well as being one of the cofounders of the eFounders startup studio, Thibaud Elziere took on the role of CEO of Folk and was the founder of Fotolia, acquired in 2014 by Adobe.
