Mozza, a respected product studio for top-tier startups across Europe, is announcing the launch of Mozza Angels, a business angel syndicate that aims to elevate the product culture in the European tech ecosystem.
Bringing together more than 50 of Europe’s leading product operators, the syndicate aims to revolutionize venture investing by prioritizing product excellence within emerging startups. Mozza Angels supports founders at every stage of their development, providing them with funding as well as collective operational expertise (network, methodology, etc.) to help them accelerate their growth. The network has already invested in 6 companies, including Green Got and Roundtable.
According to Mozza, they are the first network of angels composed of product specialists in Europe, who are relatively less represented in venture capital investment than their business or technical counterparts. These experts, who have contributed to the success of successful tech angels in Europe and the USA, can bring considerable value to founders.
On the operational side, they can help them align their product to the market, structure and develop their team or integrate new methodologies. On the investment side, they can invest an average of €100k per deal between now and 2024.
Mozza Angels is led by Antoine Sakho, a seasoned angel investor with a deep understanding of the European tech landscape, and Adrien Montcoudiol, the CEO of Mozza. Sakho was formerly Head of Product at Busuu, which was acquired by Chegg for over $400M. Since then, he has been coaching CPOs/VPs of Product and advised high-profile companies such as Strapi, Multis, and Ki Insurance.
“Our ambitions are sky-high,” comments Antoine Sakho. “In 2024, we plan to invest €1 million or more, averaging €100k per deal at our current pace. Achieving this scale will unlock even more exciting opportunities for Mozza Angels and its members.”
“Mozza Angels represents a significant milestone for the European tech ecosystem,” says Adrien Montcoudiol. “We are committed to fostering a strong product culture and providing unparalleled support to early-stage startups and scale-ups. By bringing together our collective expertise and network, we can drive product-market fit, scale product organizations, and contribute to the growth of Europe’s startup landscape.”
The syndicate boasts an impressive roster of product operators who have made significant contributions to the tech industry. Founding members include Benjamin Lauzier, former Product Director at Lyft and former VP of Product at Thumbtack; Jordane Giuly, co-founder and former CPO of Spendesk; Aurélien Georget, co-founder and CPO at Strapi; Eveline Moczko, former Head of Product at Blinkist; Rémi Bardoux, former CPO at Lydia, the French mobile payment app; Sarah Setti, CPO at October and founding member of Comète, a business club for women leaders; Grégoire Charles, former Head of Product at Hexa; John Vars, former CPO at TaskRabbit & Qonto.
Mozza Angels’ collective mission is to leave a lasting mark on the venture capital sector. Over the course of its nine-month alpha phase, Mozza Angels has already achieved notable milestones. The syndicate has successfully closed six deals leveraging Roundtable for its members to co-invest. Mozza Angels has aligned with top-tier venture capital firms, such as Gradient Ventures, Redstone, XAnge, Moonfire, Possible Ventures, and Atomico, to invest in promising startups. Several portfolio companies have also raised successful follow-on rounds, including Green Got securing €5 million.
The current Mozza Angels portfolio includes Green Got, a sustainable neobank driving the ecological transition; Yello, a venture founded by three Meta product veterans, exploring opportunities behind LLMs; Omena, the super-app for women navigating menopause; Roundtable, the community-led investment platform, think European AngelList with boosted social features.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2023/07/paris-based-mozza-angels-wants-to-become-europes-first-product-led-angel-investing-syndicate/
