Sowefund
Sowefund is a Paris-based, AMF-regulated equity crowdfunding platform enabling 160,000+ retail investors to co-invest alongside professional VCs and business angels in French tech and impact startups, having facilitated EUR 120M+ across 140+ rounds since 2014.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Sowefund does
Sowefund is a Paris-based equity crowdfunding platform operating under French SAS structure (SOWEFUND SAS), founded in 2014 to enable retail investors to co-invest at identical terms alongside professional venture capital funds, business angels, and institutional investors in French tech and impact startups. The platform is regulated as a Prestataire de Services de Financement Participatif (PSFP) with the AMF under registration number FP-2023-9 and is registered as a payment services agent with ACPR (identifier 73490) for payment service provider Lemon Way. Over 10 years, Sowefund has built a registered community of 160,000+ investors and facilitated more than EUR 120 million in capital across 140+ funding rounds for 120+ companies spanning e-commerce, fintech, energy, mobility, healthtech, foodtech, industrial, hospitality, and carbon capture.
The core product is a web-based equity crowdfunding platform at sowefund.com that handles the full investment lifecycle: KYC verification, electronic signature (via Universign/Cryptolog), payment processing (via Lemon Way), legal structuring through holding companies, shareholder agreement negotiation, and ongoing investor reporting. Sowefund claims to select only 1% of deals reviewed, with due diligence performed by an internal Entrepreneur Success team. The Smart Allocation sub-brand extends the platform to wealth management advisors (Conseillers en Gestion de Patrimoine), enabling B2B2C distribution to high-net-worth clients. Notable funded companies include Mon Petit Placement (EUR 4.2M in 24 hours with 2,700 investors), Campsider (EUR 2.5M with 600 investors), Ekwateur (EUR 2.3M across two campaigns, later EUR 30M exit producing x2.15 returns for early Sowefund investors), Anodine (EUR 2.5M seed led by Sowefund), and Ascendance Flight Technologies (EUR 13.2M Series A currently raising).
Sowefund's revenue model is multi-layered and transaction-driven: investor entry fees (1-5% via holding, 5% direct), follow-up fees (5% of total investment over holding period), holding operating fees (2%), carried interest (19.5% of exit proceeds post-return-of-capital via subsidiary SWF PARTNERS SAS), company listing fees (EUR 15K-20K), company success commissions (up to 9% of amounts raised), and recurring annual holding administration (EUR 2,500/year + EUR 5/investor/year, minimum EUR 5,000). Distribution relies on self-serve platform access, the Smart Allocation CGP channel, and PR-driven marketing (Maddyness, French Tech Journal, Fundtruck events). The company has raised approximately USD 1.66 million across two funding rounds in 2014 and 2016, and acquired competitor SmartAngels.fr in January 2020.
Sowefund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sowefund
- Legal name
- SOWEFUND SAS
- Website
- https://sowefund.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sowefund is a Paris-based, AMF-regulated equity crowdfunding platform enabling 160,000+ retail investors to co-invest alongside professional VCs and business angels in French tech and impact startups, having facilitated EUR 120M+ across 140+ rounds since 2014.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sowefund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Equity Crowdfunding Platform
- NAICS
- Finance and Insurance (52)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds (BPADACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
Keywords
Where Sowefund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sowefund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Investor Entry Fees: Fees charged to investors upon subscription, ranging from 1% to 5% of the investment amount (via holding) or 5% (direct investment), covering payment partner Lemonway services and pre-closing services.
- Investor Follow-up Fees: 5% of total investment amount charged for participation follow-up, reporting production, and exit process management during the holding period.
- Holding Operating Fees: 2% of investment amount deducted for holding company operating costs including lawyers, evaluators, domain experts, banking, and accounting fees.
- Carried Interest: 19.5% of exit proceeds (carried interest) allocated to Sowefund via SWF PARTNERS SAS, paid after investors receive their initial capital back.
- Company Listing Fees: One-time listing fees of EUR 15,000 to 20,000 depending on the type of fundraising, charged to target companies for platform publication services.
- Company Success Commission: Commission up to 9% of amounts raised from successful campaigns, billed as a fixed fee HT to the target company for high-value advisory services.
- Annual Holding Administration: Annual fees of EUR 2,500 for holding administration plus EUR 5 per investor per year (minimum total EUR 5,000) for investor relationship management.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Holding Investment Entry Fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Direct Investment Entry Fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Exit Fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Follow-up and Participation Management |
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Multi-year contract | Carried Interest |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Company Listing Fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Company Success Commission |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Holding Administration |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Sowefund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sowefund operates a regulated equity crowdfunding platform that enables retail investors to co-invest alongside professional investors (VCs, business angels, and institutional funds) in rigorously selected French tech and impact startups. The platform supports both holding-based and direct investment structures with tax-advantaged wrappers (IR-JEIR, PEA-PME, 150-0 B Ter) and charges transaction-based fees to investors plus listing and success commissions to fundraising companies.
Product overview
Sowefund operates a unified equity crowdfunding platform enabling co-investment in French tech and impact startups. The core offering is the web-based investment platform at sowefund.com, which connects entrepreneurs raising capital with retail and professional investors through curated funding campaigns. The Smart Allocation sub-brand provides wealth management professionals (CGP) with tools to allocate client portfolios into private equity. The platform also offers community engagement features for companies to build shareholder communities, investor relations management, and access to tax-advantaged investment vehicles (IR, JEI, PEA-PME, 150-0 B Ter).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Equity Crowdfunding Platform Web-based equity crowdfunding platform enabling retail investors to co-invest in French tech and impact startups alongside professional investors (VCs, business angels, institutional funds), with KYC verification, electronic signatures, and payment processing via Lemon Way. Supports holding-based and direct investment structures with tax-advantaged wrappers (IR-JEIR, PEA-PME, 150-0 B Ter).
- Smart Allocation
Quantifiable outcome
- EUR 120M+ raised for 120+ companies over 10 years
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Sowefund
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sowefund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Sowefund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.
- Lemon WaycorePayment service provider enabling secure fund collection and distribution. Sowefund is registered as payment services agent (PSFP) for Lemon Way (ACPR registered, No. 16568). Lemon Way processes KYC verification and financial flows for platform transactions.
- Cryptolog / UniversigncoreElectronic signature service for processing legal investment contract documents and investor dossier data collection.
- France AngelsmoderateNational federation of business angels; Sowefund is member, providing visibility and network access in French startup ecosystem.
- La French TechmoderateFrench government initiative supporting tech ecosystems; Sowefund recognized as approved platform under La French Tech umbrella.
- Finance InnovationminorFinance Innovation cluster recognizing Sowefund as innovative financial services provider.
- Financement Participatif FrancemoderateNational crowdfunding industry association; Sowefund is member and subject to its code of conduct and mediation framework (MCP Mediation).
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sowefund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anaxago: French equity crowdfunding platform connecting retail investors with startups and real-asset deals. Closest direct competitor to Sowefund in the same PSFP regulatory regime and target investor base.
- Wiseed: Leading French equity crowdfunding platform historically focused on real-estate and startups. Competes with Sowefund for both investor capital and quality French deal flow.
- Companisto: Germany-based equity crowdfunding platform enabling retail co-investment in startups. Comparable business model with European scope, similar tax-advantaged angle and startup-focused origination.
- October (formerly Lendopolis): French online lending and investment platform operating under similar AMF regime. Comparable customer base of retail and CGP-driven investors seeking private-market exposure.
Broad incumbents
- Seedrs / Republic Europe: Major UK-origin equity crowdfunding platform (now part of Republic) offering retail access to private companies across Europe. Operates at greater scale and brand reach than Sowefund.
- Crowdcube: Established UK equity crowdfunding platform with significant European footprint. Competes for cross-border deal flow and brand recognition in the retail private-investor category.
- Wefunder: US equity crowdfunding platform enabling retail investment in startups under Regulation Crowdfunding. Comparable business model and retail-investor onboarding mechanics.
- StartEngine: US-based equity crowdfunding platform with broad sector coverage. Comparable in enabling retail investors to access vetted startup equity offerings online.
Others
- Bpifrance: French public investment bank that co-invests with Sowefund on platform deals. Both an ecosystem partner and a potential competitor as it expands direct retail-investment products.
Regional players
- Koregraf: Spanish equity crowdfunding platform focused on regulated investment opportunities. Comparable model operating in a different European geography under similar EU-style regulation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sowefund social profiles
Digital presenceSowefund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sowefund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Sowefund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sowefund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments9 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sowefund
What does Sowefund do?
Sowefund operates a regulated equity crowdfunding platform that enables retail investors to co-invest alongside professional investors (VCs, business angels, and institutional funds) in rigorously selected French tech and impact startups. The platform supports both holding-based and direct investment structures with tax-advantaged wrappers (IR-JEIR, PEA-PME, 150-0 B Ter) and charges transaction-based fees to investors plus listing and success commissions to fundraising companies.
Is Sowefund a public or private company?
Sowefund is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sowefund founded?
Sowefund was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sowefund based?
Sowefund is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Sowefund make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Investor Entry Fees are the primary driver. The others are investor Follow-up Fees, holding Operating Fees, carried Interest, company Listing Fees, company Success Commission and annual Holding Administration.
Who are Sowefund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anaxago, Wiseed, Companisto and October (formerly Lendopolis). Broad incumbents are Seedrs / Republic Europe, Crowdcube, Wefunder and StartEngine. Bpifrance is listed as an others. Koregraf is listed as a regional player.
Does Sowefund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sowefund.
What industry is Sowefund in?
Sowefund's product category is Equity Crowdfunding Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADACAO, Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds, with a secondary code of FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated). Its NAICS code is 52 and its SIC code is 6282.