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Serena

Serena is a Paris-based deep-tech and enterprise VC founded 2008, with ~€500M AUM. Fund IV €300M (2023 vintage). Invests Seed to Series B across B2B SaaS, fintech, deep tech and quantum.

Stage Pre-Seed → Series B
Ticket $100k - $17.5M
Quantum focus Quantum Computing · Hardware, Quantum Computing · Software
Geography France

Investment thesis

Serena is a Paris-based deep-tech and enterprise VC founded 2008, with ~€500M AUM. Fund IV €300M (2023 vintage). Invests Seed to Series B across B2B SaaS, fintech, deep tech and quantum. Cheques €1-10M, frequently leading.

Quantum bet: Quandela (French photonic-qubit PROQCIMA selectee with indistinguishable single-photon sources from quantum dots, CNRS/Sorbonne spin-out). Serena participated in Quandela's Series A/B rounds alongside Omnes, Bpifrance, BNP Paribas Développement and Crédit Mutuel Innovation.

Value-add: Strong French B2B SaaS operator network; shared LP base with Bpifrance and CEA strategic programs; useful for enterprise-scale Quandela follow-on syndication.

Not a quantum specialist — single high-conviction French photonic bet inside a broader SaaS mandate. Relevant as an incumbent French deep-tech co-investor.

Anti-thesis

The patterns that trigger a fast no with this fund.

  1. No publicly traceable lead position in a flagship European quantum company (Pasqal led by Quantonation, not Serena), quantum is listed as a sector but not demonstrated
  2. AI & Data is the dominant thesis (Applied AI), quantum mentioned alongside many verticals signals breadth, not conviction
  3. French-Europe focus and Series A entry point clashes with the pre-seed / seed lab-stage origin of most quantum hardware companies
  4. No partner-authored quantum thesis post or technical position paper, absence of public POV is a tell for opportunistic rather than thematic coverage
  5. EUR 1B program spread across climate, AI, deep tech, applied AI suggests quantum sits in a long tail of opportunistic bets

Notable quantum portfolio

Full portfolio →
Quandela

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