Deep-tech VC, Paris

Elaia

Venture capital firm · Paris · Founded October 2002

Quick read

Elaia is a Paris-based deep-tech and digital VC founded in 2002, investing from seed through growth across Europe. It backs science-driven founders in AI, B2B software, and hardware — with notable wins including Criteo, Mirakl, and Aqemia. A joint venture with Lazard, Lazard Elaia Capital, extends its reach into late-stage and growth equity (Series C+).

Key facts

Founded
October 2002
Founders
Xavier Lazarus
Employees
49
Sectors
ai, enterprise, hardware, saas
Website
www.elaia.com

Investment thesis

Elaia backs science-driven founders across digital and deep-tech — AI, enterprise software, and hardware — from seed through growth, with a focus on building European technology champions. Through Lazard Elaia Capital, it also targets B2B growth tech companies at Series C+ to buyout stages.

Recent activity

  • Feb 2026fundraise
    Elaia announced the first close of its fifth flagship fund, DV5, at €120 million, targeting a final close of €300 million. swanbase.co
  • Jun 2024leadership
    Lazard Elaia Capital (LEC), the joint venture between Lazard and Elaia Partners, hired Alexandre Margoline and Anna Vershebeniuk to work alongside Xavier Lazarus. LEC plans to launch its first growth equity fund targeting B2B European tech at Series C+ through buyout stages, pending regulatory approvals. lazard.com
  • Jun 2024leadership
    Elaia Partner Sébastien Jerusalmy ran for a board seat at France Digitale, with member voting open until June 18, 2024. x.com
  • Mar 2026investment
    Portfolio company Gleamer was acquired by RadNet, marking Elaia's most recent portfolio exit as of March 2026. tracxn.com
  • Feb 2026investment
    Elaia co-invested in a €10M round for MyC, a startup digitising medical operations at complex worksites, alongside OSS Ventures, IXO, and others. tracxn.com
  • Jan 2026investment
    Elaia participated in Aviwell's €11 million Series A. Aviwell builds an AI-powered microbiota platform for sustainable animal nutrition; co-investors included Blast.Club and SWEN Capital Partners. tracxn.com
  • Feb 2026press
    Portfolio company DentalMonitoring secured $100M for its ortho AI platform, with Lazard listed among deal advisors. tracxn.com
  • Feb 2026fundraise
    Elaia held the first closing of its fifth Digital Venture Fund (DV5) at €120M. LPs include Bpifrance (investing under France 2030 and the Spark fund), CNP Assurances, MACSF, BNP Paribas, SMABTP/ArundoRe, J.P. Morgan, AG2R LA MONDIALE, and others. Lazard Frères Gestion supported structuring the close. The fund backs B2B tech companies from Pre-Seed to Series B, writing €1M–€15M tickets across Europe. vcwire.tech
  • Feb 2026investment
    DV5's first investment went to Mimic Robotics, a Zurich-based physical AI and robotics company. everythingstartups.com
  • 2026leadership
    Alexis was promoted to Partner at Elaia. He led the development of Elaia's DV investment strategy and teaches VC at École Polytechnique and through France Invest. fr.linkedin.com
  • 2026press
    Sébastien Lefebvre, Partner at Elaia focusing on AI and deeptech investments, spoke at 4YFN Barcelona 2026. 4yfn.com
  • Feb 2026investment
    MyC raised €10M to digitalise medical operations at complex worksites, with Elaia participating in the round alongside OSS Ventures and IXO. tracxn.com

Notable investments

Key people

Named individuals at the firm. We don't expose direct email or phone — use their LinkedIn for outreach.

  • Xavier Lazarus · CEO & Co-founder
  • Marie Brayer · Partner
  • Anne-Sophie Carrese · Partner

Sources

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Frequently asked

What is Elaia?+

Elaia is a Paris-based deep-tech and digital VC founded in 2002, investing from seed through growth across Europe. It backs science-driven founders in AI, B2B software, and hardware — with notable wins including Criteo, Mirakl, and Aqemia.

Where is Elaia headquartered?+

Elaia is headquartered in Paris, France.

When was Elaia founded?+

Elaia was founded in October 2002 by Xavier Lazarus.

What sectors does Elaia invest in?+

Elaia focuses on ai, enterprise, hardware, saas. They primarily invest in these sectors.

Who is the CEO of Elaia?+

Xavier Lazarus is the CEO of Elaia.

How do I prepare for a meeting with Elaia?+

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Generated by briefthecall.com from public web sources. Last updated August 9, 2026. Each claim is linked to its source above.

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