BGV 2024 Year in Review
We had an amazing year at BGV, filled with exciting milestones, new initiatives, and events. This year, we’re thrilled to share our Year in Review in a fresh, dynamics, format – one we hope you will enjoy!
Our journey though 2024 was packed with memorable moments. Here’s a chronological view:
🌟– Event
🌱– Investment
💡– Publication
👥– Team expansion
🏆– Milestones
January
🌟We launched 2024 on a high note with a mid-year strategy meeting on January 30, where we aligned our strategic goals and key priorities for the year ahead.
💡We released our annual ESG report, showcasing key sustainability and diversity achievements at BGV and across our portfolio.
February
🌟 We participated in the World AI Conference in Cannes, France, where Sarah Benhamou shared BGV’s perspective on investing in enterprise AI.
March
🏆 We announced our VCaaS (Venture Capital as a Service) strategic alliance with Marubeni Corporation. This agreement is aimed at accelerating innovation and fostering growth opportunities centered on AI. Through this alliance, both companies will accelerate innovation in tech, create new business opportunities, enhance competitiveness in the global market, and further promote business development.
🏆 We officially launched the Human AI Advisory Council to help shape the global AI innovation, investments, and talent dialogue.
🌱We invested in Greenly, a company at the forefront of sustainability reporting and carbon management. Greenly demonstrates how technology can empower businesses to achieve both operational and sustainability goals.
April
🌟 On April 18, we hosted an internal session for our portfolio companies as part of our operational playbook series—this time focusing on operationalizing sustainability.
🌱 We announced our investment in FirstHive, a leader in the customer data platform (CDP) space. We invested in FirstHive because of its proven success with top-tier brands, its expansion potential in the U.S. market, and its ability to compete with industry giants.
👥 Nao Shibata has joined us as a Visiting Associate from Marubeni Corporation, further strengthening our VCaaS strategy where she is contributing to the development of our investment theses across the US-Japan corridor.
🌟 Celebrated 10 Years of Innovation and Impact at BGV! This year marks a special milestone for BGV as we celebrate a decade of growth and success from our base in the heart of Silicon Valley. Over these past ten years, we have empowered over 40 founder/portfolio companies, witnessed a remarkable 10X increase in Assets Under Management, achieved 12 exits, and tripled our core team.
May
👥 Lucas Lee joined as a Senior Accountant to support our expanding BGV investment platform, bringing four years of experience in partnership tax from Ernst & Young.
🌱 We invested in Firmly AI, a solution that empowers merchants to take their eCommerce stores anywhere, making every moment shoppable. With zero changes to merchants’ sites and no-code implementation, Firmly enables Publishers, Networks, Creators, Merchants, and Agencies to turn any impression into a shoppable one.
💡 We published our landmark white paper on an alternative paradigm for AI innovation. This comprehensive document provides actionable insights and a roadmap for shaping the future of AI by achieving responsible AI development that prioritizes human dignity and fairness while unlocking the technology’s transformative potential.
🌟 On May 21, Anik Bose, our General Partner, co-hosted an inspiring discussion in Paris with AI Collaboration, Omidyar Networks, and EAIGG to discuss the above white paper. We discussed the formation of an Alliance to catalyze cross-border partnerships between European tech hubs and Silicon Valley.
💡 We published one of our most widely read articles: “Navigating Barriers to Generative AI Adoption in Enterprises.” The article resonated with many and sparked important conversations on how enterprises can overcome these hurdles to fully leverage Gen AI’s potential.
June
👥 We welcomed Etienne Arsac as an Associate in our French office. Etienne brings expertise in deal sourcing and dealmaking – with a focus on innovative software & AI companies in France and Europe.
🏆 We conceptualized the Human AI Accelerator in June as part of the Ethical AI Governance Group committed to advancing responsible AI innovation for the benefit of humanity regardless of geography.
July
🌟 On July 12, we celebrated Bastille Day at BGV in partnership with French Tech, hosting a lively event in our courtyard. It was a great opportunity to connect with the broader tech community and celebrate French innovation.
🌟 On July 16, we held our mid-year strategy meeting, which featured a standout session on investment themes. We were also honored to host several esteemed partners, including Marubeni, our Japanese partners, and Astorya VC from Europe, and Ilya Strebulaev, a Stanford Professor of Finance, who shared invaluable insights with our team.
👥 Our French office welcomed Analyst intern Antoine Santi. Antoine brings strong expertise in fundraising and financial due diligence.
💡 We released our whitepaper, “Enterprise 5.0: The Autonomous Enterprise”, which explores the transformative shift toward autonomous enterprises and highlights strategies to balance cutting-edge technologies with human ingenuity for a sustainable and ethical future.
August
👥 In August, we were thrilled to expand the Human AI Accelerator team with remarkable individuals who bring diverse expertise and vision to our mission: Tobias Yergin, Larry Chao, Olivia Gamblin, and Christian Arnold.
💡Ethical AI Data Base (EAIDB) released the latest Responsible AI Ecosystem Market Map highlighting ~300 innovative startups driving safer, more trustworthy AI. The report explores funding trends, competitive pressures, M&A activity, and solutions to challenges like security, hallucinations, and content attribution.
🌱 We invested in Lyzr AI. With Lyzr, you can build fully autonomous AI agents that run locally on your cloud server, ensuring 100% data privacy and compliance. As the enterprise alternative to LangChain, Lyzr is redefining how businesses create and deploy secure, autonomous AI solutions.
September
🌟 On September 18, we hosted our flagship conference, the BGV Summit: Advancing Human-Centric AI. This event brought together our partners, LPs, and portfolio companies to reflect on the importance of Human-Centric AI and discuss how we can advance AI safely while fostering trust across the ecosystem.
👥 In September, we also welcomed Eve Sebag as an Analyst Intern in our French office. Eve brings strong experience in venture capital in France, where she has contributed to deal flow, due diligence, and the development of investment theses.
October
🌟 Eric Buatois and Mas Sakamoto hosted a BGV-NVIDIA summit in Tokyo, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the latest trends in AI innovation and investments.
💡 The released EAIGG Annual Report focused on advancing the case for Human-Centric AI by reviewing the supply-side domination by big tech, demand-side risk/trust, and ROI adoption challenges enterprises face. It concluded with an alternative paradigm of Human-Centric AI innovation.
🌱 We announced that we proudly led the Series A for COVU earlier in the year, an AI-powered services platform transforming independent insurance agencies. This marked a full-circle moment for us, as we first invested in COVU during its seed round.
🌱 We announced our seed round investment in Affineon, an AI platform streamlining inbox workflows for clinicians. Affineon aligns with our Enterprise 5.0 strategy, applying LLMs to improve healthcare operations.
🌱 We invested into WorkHelix. By combining advanced research with comprehensive data analysis, WorkHelix evaluates the potential of Generative AI within organizations. Their innovative software then generates dynamic, interactive roadmaps tailored to each company’s unique needs, paving the way for seamless AI integration and transformative growth.
November
🌱 We made our investment into Interactly.ai. Interactly.ai is transforming healthcare administration with its innovative AI-powered solution, serving as the ultimate AI healthcare admin teammate. By handling tedious “busy work,” Interactly.ai allows healthcare professionals to focus on what truly matters: improving care through meaningful human interactions.
🌱 We were thrilled to invest in Outbuild, a scheduling and planning software set to revolutionize the construction industry. Serving over 4,000 projects globally, Outbuild is on track to scale rapidly and transform how construction teams collaborate.
👥 In November we also welcomed new members from France to the Human AI Accelerator team, including Thibault Bechetoille and Pierre Lahbabi, who have been instrumental in expanding its reach and impact in France.
December
🌱 We invested in Source Defense. They use a first-of-its-kind real-time sandbox isolation technology to provide a unique client-side website security solution focused on preventing malicious activity originating from website supply chain vendors.
🏆 EAIGG’s global presence grew significantly in 2024, and our membership now includes over 5,000 individuals and organizations committed to responsible AI.
🌟 On December 16, we hosted the BGV Holiday Party, a celebration that brought together over 100 guests, including our portfolio companies, LPs, co-investors, and partners. A perfect way to close out an incredible year.
Looking Ahead
2024 has been a year of significant growth, innovation, and impactful investments at BGV. From strengthening our ESG commitments to backing groundbreaking AI solutions, we’ve seen firsthand how technology is reshaping industries. As we move into 2025, we remain focused on accelerating responsible AI innovation, scaling our portfolio companies, and creating lasting value across the enterprise sector. Thank you to our partners, portfolio companies, and the entire BGV team for making this year unforgettable. We look forward to building on this momentum and driving positive change in the coming year!