What Hexa does

Hexa is a Paris-based multi-stage startup studio that co-creates and invests in B2B software companies across three distinct tracks. Founded in 2011 as eFounders and rebranded as Hexa in 2022, the studio has launched 50+ companies, producing three unicorns (Aircall, Front, Spendesk), 12 exits, and a combined portfolio valuation of approximately $5B backed by $1B+ raised by portfolio companies. The portfolio spans 2,600+ employees across the ecosystem, with institutional follow-on capital from Sequoia, Index, General Atlantic, Accel, Balderton, Creandum, Point Nine, YC, and Frst.

The studio operates three tracks: Hexa Start (0→1) deploys approximately €700k of capital and operator support for 33.33% equity at incorporation through a 12-month program; Hexa Sprint (1→10) is a 6-month cohort-based acceleration program investing €500k for roughly 10% at seed, organized around sector-specific verticals including AI for Work, Energy Resilience, and European Defense; and Hexa Scale (10→100), launched in early 2025, acquires majority stakes (typically €5-20M) in profitable small-cap SaaS companies with $1-10M ARR. A 30+ person in-house operator team across 10 functions (product, GTM, design, legal, etc.) supports portfolio companies via a codified "10x Method" cadence-based playbook that has now been published as a book.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: long-term equity stakes across 50+ portfolio companies (33.33% at Start, ~10% at Sprint, majority at Scale), fund management fees and carry on multiple LP vehicles (including the €15M Hexa Build 1 fund and dedicated Scale funds), bank debt (a €29M facility signed with BNP Paribas Fortis and co-lenders in March 2025), and a strategic equity investment from Sopra Steria in November 2025. The parent entity, Hexa SA, is headquartered at 12 rue Martel, 75010 Paris, with a new regional hub (Hexa House San Francisco) opened in December 2025.

Name

Hexa

Legal name

Hexa SA

Website

https://hexa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hexa is a Paris-based multi-stage startup studio that co-creates B2B software companies via three tracks (Start, Sprint, Scale), supporting founders with 30+ in-house operators, a codified "10x Method" playbook, and tier-1 VC follow-on capital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Building / Startup Studio Services

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)

Keywords

• Startup studio services
• Venture building platform
• Pre-seed equity investment
• Startup acceleration programs
• Company creation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equity stakes in Hexa Start companies: Hexa invests €700k at incorporation in exchange for 33.33% of each new studio company. Revenue/return is realized via long-term equity ownership, typically monetized at exit (acquisition, IPO, or secondary) — founders and Hexa are diluted pro-rata on future rounds.
2. Hexa Sprint equity investment: Hexa writes a €500k first check in cohort companies via a €20k convertible (4%) + €480k convertible (MFN, €8M cap), targeting ~10% ownership at seed. Returns realized through long-term equity appreciation.
3. Hexa Scale majority investments: Hexa acquires majority stakes (typically 51%+) in profitable small-cap SaaS companies (€1–10M ARR) via €5–20M checks, then provides liquidity to existing shareholders plus growth capital. Revenue derived from capital gains on exits and dividends.
4. Fund management fees and carry: Hexa operates multiple investor-facing vehicles (Hexa Start Funds, Hexa Build 1 €15M fund, Hexa Scale Funds) that give LPs exposure to seed rounds and scale-stage investments — generating management fees and performance carry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hexa is a multi-stage startup studio that co-creates, accelerates, and scales software companies alongside founders across three tracks: Hexa Start (0→1, €700k investment for 33.33% equity, 12-month studio program with idea matching, co-founder pairing, and full operational support), Hexa Sprint (1→10, €500k pre-seed investment for ~10% equity, 6-month sector-specific cohort acceleration in AI for Work, Energy Resilience, and European Defense), and Hexa Scale (10→100, €5–20M majority investments in profitable SaaS companies with $1–10M ARR, combined with 9–12 months of hands-on operator support).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hexa Start A 12-month founder studio program that matches entrepreneurs with validated ideas and co-founders, covers all costs (~€700k investment for 33.33% equity, post-seed 25%), provides in-house product, design, GTM, legal and finance support, and places founders in San Francisco during the build phase. Aims to launch category-defining software companies in partnership with Hexa partners.
• Hexa Sprint A 6-month pre-seed acceleration program for founding teams with an idea, structured around sector-specific cohorts (AI for Work, Energy Resilience, European Defense). Hexa writes a €500k first check (~€20k for 4% convertible + €480k convertible with €8M cap and MFN), targeting ~10% ownership at seed, and provides cohort-based acceleration with Hexa partners and operators across product, GTM, and fundraising.
• Hexa Scale A majority-stake growth investment program targeting profitable small-cap SaaS companies with $1–10M ARR, post-PMF, growing 10–40% YoY. Hexa invests €5–20M for a 51%+ stake, providing liquidity to existing shareholders and a dedicated Scale partner who works 1–2 days/week for 9–12 months alongside founders, plus specialized support across product, R&D, sales, GTM, branding, hiring, finance, and legal.
• Hexa Build 1 Fund A €15M fund vehicle established in 2024 to systematically deploy capital into the next ~20 startups created by Hexa Start, allowing the fund to participate in seed rounds and provide ongoing pro-rata support to portfolio companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ companies launched with combined $5B portfolio valuation
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability18 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered foundry partner ecosystem link, strategic hexa scale portfolio company and first hexa scale majority investment.

• WAT (Belgian incubator)foundry partner ecosystem linkStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026WAT, an incubator in Brussels founded by Hexa's founder Thibaud Elzière, created the startup Enobase which has now been integrated into Hexa's Hexa Sprint 'AI for Work' vertical as part of Elzière's initiative to support AI-driven transformation in enterprises.
• Filizstrategic hexa scale portfolio companyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025Hexa Scale invested €6M in Filiz (a French EdTech SaaS for private schools based in Olonne-sur-Mer) to support its expansion across Europe. Filiz aims to 10x revenue within five years and become the European standard for education operations software.
• Veevartfirst hexa scale majority investmentStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2025Hexa acquired a majority stake in Veevart for €5 million as its first Hexa Scale investment. Veevart is an all-in-one vertical SaaS platform for museums founded in 2014 and profitable. Targets $20M ARR using Hexa's operational expertise.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Antler: Global startup studio and early-stage VC that recruits founders, matches them with ideas and co-founders, and provides pre-seed capital. Most direct comparable to Hexa Start in terms of founder-matching and global reach.
• Atomic: US-based startup studio focused on building and funding B2B SaaS companies from inception, taking significant equity in exchange for capital and operator support — closely aligned with Hexa's 0→1 studio model.
• High Alpha: Indianapolis-based startup studio that conceives, launches, and funds B2B SaaS companies, providing product, design, and go-to-market support — a close functional peer to Hexa in model and target vertical.
• Pioneer (formerly Rocket Internet): Berlin-headquartered company builder that creates and scales internet/tech companies globally. Pioneer is the most direct large-scale European peer to Hexa in the company-building model.
• Betaworks: New York-based startup studio that builds and invests in early-stage technology companies, applying a 'camp' methodology similar to Hexa's studio approach but with a more tech/culture focus.
• Science Inc. US-based startup studio and venture firm that builds, launches, and funds software businesses, providing operating support and capital — comparable in structure to Hexa's multi-stage studio approach.
• Idealab: One of the longest-running US startup studios, founding and operating internet/software companies for over 25 years — a peer in studio longevity, although with a different vertical focus than Hexa.
• Expa: Founder-led startup studio created by Garrett Camp (Uber co-founder) that builds and funds new technology companies, providing founder support, capital, and shared resources — comparable in operator-led, multi-stage studio design.

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator: Largest and most established global startup accelerator, providing seed funding, mentorship, and a powerful alumni network. Hexa portfolio companies (Front, Slite) have participated in YC batches, and YC co-invested in Parallel's $20M Series A — a broader incumbent with overlapping founder ecosystem.

Regional players

• The Family: European startup support organization providing founders with education, community, and operational resources. Closest European peer to Hexa on the founder-services side, though without the same equity-for-capital studio structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hexacc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@joinhexa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hexacc
• Instagraminstagram.com/joinhexa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments58 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hexa