XMP Business Angels, Investment Arm

Business Angels des Grandes Ecoles (BADGE) has established itself as a prominent investment collective since its inception in 2004, channeling over €55 million into 229 innovative startups. This substantial direct investment has catalyzed additional funding, generating more than €140 million in total capital contributions to portfolio companies. Comprised of members with distinguished professional backgrounds, BADGE demonstrates consistent commitment to early-stage funding, as evidenced by their participation in 29 investment rounds during 2024 alone, contributing €4.1 million to high-potential ventures. Their investment approach combines rigorous selection with comprehensive support, resulting in an impressive 80% survival rate for startups funded since 2010.

The investment portfolio reflects BADGE's strategic focus on technology-driven and service-oriented companies with significant growth potential. Their 2024 investment activity illustrates a diversified sector approach with 41% allocated to Health-Biotech, 25% to Digital technologies, 26% to Sustainable Development and Services, and 8% to Industrial innovations. This allocation demonstrates BADGE's commitment to supporting transformative ventures across various industries while maintaining a particular emphasis on healthcare and biotechnology advancements. The group's investment strategy encompasses both initial funding rounds, with €1.4 million distributed across 10 first-time investments, and continued support through follow-on investments totaling €2.7 million across 19 companies.

What distinguishes BADGE is the diverse expertise of its membership base. While many investors come from prestigious engineering and management educational backgrounds, the collective deliberately incorporates professionals with varied skills and experiences. This multidisciplinary approach forms the core of BADGE's identity and investment philosophy, enabling comprehensive evaluation of complex technologies and business models. The group leverages this diversity to identify promising innovations across sectors, providing portfolio companies not only with capital but also with strategic guidance informed by relevant industry experience and technical knowledge.

Since 2004, BADGE has developed a sophisticated infrastructure for identifying and nurturing promising startups, all managed by a dedicated volunteer team passionate about fostering innovation. Their rigorous selection process has evaluated over 8,000 projects, ultimately selecting more than 500 for further consideration. This careful curation has resulted in investments across 239 funded companies supported by BADGE's community of over 300 business angels. The organization's longevity and consistent performance demonstrate its established position in the European early-stage investment ecosystem, particularly for technology-driven ventures requiring both capital and strategic expertise to achieve their growth objectives.