Karista: a new name for a new step

Founded in 2001, CapDecisif Management is a venture capital management company specializing in digital and healthcare. Through its six funds, including two active funds and another one in the process of being raised, CapDecisif Management has supported more than 85 start-ups in France and abroad. It includes two French biotechs on Nasdaq (DBV Technologies and Erytech Pharma).

By renaming itself Karista, from the name of a boat mentioned by Jules Verne in his adventure novel “The Archipelago on Fire”, the company which is specialized in the early-stage investment claims more than ever strong values and new ambitions:

“The pioneering spirit, adventure and technology are important to us. They express our desire to broaden our horizons”, explains Olivier Dubuisson. “We are entering a new, more open phase of our development. We are moving from a series of generalist funds to multiple specialized funds, notably in the digital health and NewSpace sectors with several innovative projects in progress and a European dimension. “

Karista wants to become a European multi-fund venture management platform, and a “game changer” for its young portfolio companies. Karista is often the first investor and will mainly intervene in Seed and Series A rounds in companies led by ambitious teams who want to disrupt their market. What Karista is looking for are companies developing real technological assets in the fields of health, digital, technology, and NewSpace.

After several recruitments and the renewal of its management, Karista now brings together a team of complementary investors and multispecialist in early stage. Olivier Dubuisson, Chairman of the Board and Catherine Boule, Managing Director, working together since 2003, were joined in the capital of the management company by Yvan-Michel Ehkirch, partner, Baudouin Hue, partner, and Agathe Testu, secretary general. They form the basis of a strengthened partnership which is intended to expand alongside with the development of Karista. Today, they want to give a new impulse to the structure:

“We have assembled a team of experts, recognized for their complementarity and their network” explains Catherine Boule. Today, we are keen to put this team, involved on a daily basis, at the service of our startups to help them develop in France and internationally.”

Final closing for the Digital Health Fund

In parallel with this brand-new identity, Karista announces the final closing of its Digital Health Fund (CapDecisif IV) at € 50 million by July 2020, thus achieving its objective. This Fund specializing in digital health welcomes investors with very diverse profiles ranging from institutional investors like Bpifrance or Harmonie Mutuelle / groupe VYV, to corporates such as Philips, OBRATORI – L’OCCITANE Innovation Lab (Groupe L’OCCITANE), or Vivalto but also the Institut Pasteur. This Fund brings together the leading and complementary players in the world of healthcare. It has a clear objective: to create a benevolent ecosystem to participate in the selection of start-ups chosen by the Fund and accelerate their growth.

In total, the Fund should finance around fifteen start-ups in France and in Western Europe via initial tickets going from €500K to €1.5M. The Fund can invest up to €4M per company. Today, it has invested in three start-ups: Incepto, specialist in Artificial Intelligence in the field of medical imaging, CozyCozy an independent comparator of all tourist accommodation offers, and Implicity, a SaaS platform for remote monitoring of patients with implantable pacemakers and defibrillators.

Objectives for 2020 and 2021: a venture platform

Karista becomes a European multi-fund venture management platform, with the management of the Paris Region Venture Fund, a €50M fund from the Ile-de-France Region, the digital health Fund (CapDecisif IV), and the NewSpace fund in partnership with the CNES (CosmiCapital).

The selected themes for each of these funds are the outcomes of a brainstorming between Karista and all its partners. “As investment experts in emerging sectors with a high technological stake, we build our Funds with investor partners and corporations having strategic ambitions with these disruptive activities. The theme is also chosen according to the competitive environment offered by the other management companies “, explains Baudouin Hue

Digitization and positive impacts

Karista is anticipating the acceleration of the digitalization, the use of data and AI. The company wants to seize investment opportunities in a global context valuing social impact and resource management more than ever.

“Investing in future technological or economic leaders, the impact challenges are intrinsically addressed by our thematic funds with, for example, access to healthcare for the Digital Health Fund, economic development with the Paris Region Venture Fund, or the management of natural resources via CosmiCapital. With these funds, we bring a decisive financial support to the entrepreneurs who commit themselves, and an assurance to our investors on the destination of the funded target”, concludes Yvan-Michel Ehkirch.

About Karista

Karista, formerly CapDecisif Management, is an independent venture capital company specializing in early-stage, particularly in the digital and health fields. Since its creation in 2001, the company has supported more than 85 companies in Western Europe and generates sustained performance for its investors. The Karista team is recognized for its complementarity and its network. Karista is a signatory to the Sista charter.