Time4 is a French pre-seed and seed fund launched in 2024 as an alliance between VC firm daphni, nonprofits Les Déterminés and Live for Good (Entrepreneurs for Good), and HEC Paris. The fund was created to address a documented gap in French venture capital: most VC-backed founders are Paris-based and come from a small number of elite schools, leaving vast entrepreneurial talent across rural regions, priority neighborhoods, and non-traditional backgrounds without access to early capital.
Time4 invests across all sectors and is not tech-exclusive. The fund prioritizes double-impact companies that combine economic growth potential with positive social outcomes. Founders may come from rural France, QPV (priority urban policy areas), underrepresented communities, or non-traditional educational backgrounds.
Time4 reached a €50 million first close in early 2026, just one year after its launch, against a €100 million target. Lead LPs include MGEN, Bpifrance, Covéa, and BNP Paribas, along with individual investors Christine Kolb, Lenny Vercruysse, and Philippe Oddo through FIDAT Ventures.
The fund plans to invest in approximately 60 startups at check sizes between €100K and €1M, making it one of France's largest seed funds by portfolio count. Each investment comes with 24 months of structured support through JPMorgan Chase, including mentoring, bootcamps, and VC-Ready preparation. The fund is currently raising toward its €100M final close.
France
