Romain Afflelou

Romain Afflelou is a highly influential and prolific angel investor based in London, with a significant footprint in the European, particularly French, tech ecosystem. Before transitioning into venture capital, Afflelou honed his strategic and operational expertise by spearheading the digital transformation efforts for the Alain Afflelou Group, a prominent optical retail chain. This invaluable experience in scaling a traditional business through digital innovation provided him with a unique perspective on market disruption and growth strategies, which he now applies to his investment philosophy.

As an angel and early-stage venture capital investor, Romain Afflelou primarily focuses on Seed and Series A rounds, demonstrating a keen eye for high-potential startups poised for significant growth. His investment thesis often revolves around disruptive digital businesses across various sectors, including SaaS, e-commerce, fintech, health tech, and consumer internet. Afflelou is not merely a capital provider; he actively leverages his extensive operational background and deep understanding of digital strategy to mentor founders and accelerate the development of his portfolio companies. His hands-on approach and strategic guidance are highly valued by the entrepreneurs he backs.

Afflelou boasts an impressive portfolio of over 80 investments, according to Crunchbase, with a remarkable track record of identifying future market leaders. His early bets on companies like Doctolib, Back Market, PayFit, Alan, and Ankorstore, which have since achieved unicorn or decacorn status, underscore his foresight. He has also taken a lead investor role in 34 of these deals, indicating a willingness to commit substantial capital and influence. While specific check sizes can vary, his typical first cheques for promising early-stage ventures generally range from $100,000 to $750,000, reflecting his commitment to providing meaningful initial capital to help startups gain traction and scale.

His significant number of successful exits, totaling 23, further solidifies his reputation as a shrewd investor capable of generating strong returns. Romain Afflelou's extensive network within the European tech community, built over years of operational and investment activity, provides his portfolio companies with invaluable access to talent, partnerships, and follow-on funding opportunities. He continues to be a pivotal figure in fostering innovation and supporting the next generation of European tech giants.