From school yard friends to a career in venture capital, Alban Oudin and Maxime Le Dantec met while studying at Centrale Paris, one of France’s top engineering schools. After their studies, Alban co-founded ShapeHeart, a patented smartphone accessory line for runners, while Maxime co-founded Conv.ai, a software that automates customer service conversations. With a shared passion for entrepreneurship and tech, Alban and Maxime then moved into venture capital - Alban at Xange and Maxime at Balderton -  soon being recognised as among the brightest young talents in that field. The culmination of these  shared experiences is what inspired them to create Resonance with Otium Capital.  

When Alban and Maxime first spoke with us, they had a vision of what they wanted the fund to be about, but not yet an idea of what they looked, felt and sounded like. It was our job to help bring that to life. After their  Balderton and XAnge experiences, they knew they wanted something different. They envisioned a fund that put entrepreneurs first, especially through the experience of raising funds. They believe that some entrepreneurs are overlooked because they don’t fit the founder stereotype, and that the time taken and attention paid by most funds is suboptimal for entrepreneurs. Hence, Resonance.

Do you even Resonate?

The name was the starting point,  and our job was define the brand, positioning, and of course create a spiffy looking website which  would explain this ethos to entrepreneurs. The name gave us the thought of a vibe, a way of matching someone else’s strengths, weaknesses and in effect their frequency, with your own. Of sound waves and currents. All of which led us to consider a number of options, before settling on the wave.

After months of collaboration, we are super happy to present Resonance to the world.

Who are Resonance?

They’re a €150 million fund aiming to invest in seed and series A for European tech startups. They’re also backed by Otium Capital, the family office of Pierre-Edouard Stérin, a successful French entrepreneur and founder of Smart Box. Resonance plans on donating all profits after fees and reinvestment into Le Fonds du Bien Commun, a philanthropic initiative created by Pierre-Edouard Stérin. As an evergreen fund, they don’t chase exits within a time constraint, giving founders the chance to build at a pace that more closely matches their business goals and long-term ambitions.

Resonance plans is to do only a few deals each year, in order to dedicate enough time, energy and resources to their entrepreneurs. Helping with recruitment, fundraising, and long term strategy, their sole mission is to do everything in their power to help the businesses they back to succeed.

One of the biggest pluses for anyone who takes a place in their portfolio, is that they know first hand what entrepreneurs want and what the market for funding  lacks. Alban and Maxime are on your frequency.

Find out more about Resonance on their website.