What Da Vinci Labs does

Da Vinci Labs is a Tours-based deep tech incubator and accelerator founded in 2026 that operates under the Zaz Ventures Group umbrella (parent Zaz Ventures SRL, Brussels). It supports startups and research teams working in quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology, with a disclosed portfolio of seven companies (Every1Counts, JOGL, Lovaltech, MS4ALL, Omnix Medical, Pasqal, Probabl) and nine projects anchored in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

The core product surface combines three programs: the Da Vinci Launchpad venture studio, an Acceleration Programme offering pre-seed investment tickets of €50k–€200k, and dedicated Grant Writing Services that help portfolio companies access regional grants up to €50k and larger national and European instruments (Horizon Europe, EIC, Bpifrance, France 2030). Programming is extended through a slate of community events including the Quantum HackLab (October 2026), the Quantum Challenge (January 2027), and a Summer School, plus cross-border activity via the UASEEDs project in Ukraine. The team consists of 11 specialists spanning science, grants, and venture building.

The business model is a hybrid of pre-seed equity participation, grant channelling, and program/service revenue, with credibility leveraged from Zaz Ventures Group's track record of securing €1.7B+ in public funding. Go-to-market is regional-first (Centre-Val de Loire) with selective European positioning via membership in the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC) and alignment with the French national quantum strategy. Customer segments are early-stage deep tech founders, academic research teams (notably from Université de Tours), and public funders seeking delivery partners for sovereign technology programs.

Name

Da Vinci Labs

Legal name

Zaz Ventures SRL

Website

https://davincilabs.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Da Vinci Labs is a French deep tech incubator and accelerator combining venture-building programs with grant writing and pre-seed investment (€50k–€200k) to support startups and research projects in quantum, AI, and synthetic biology. Part of Zaz Ventures Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tours

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant Writing Services: Fee-based grant writing and consulting services for securing non-dilutive public funding (Bpifrance, France 2030, Horizon Europe, Eureka Eurostars, EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition, EIC Accelerator). Operates on 'no win, no pay' model where fees are only charged if project is funded.
2. Equity Investment: Pre-seed and seed investment in startups emerging from incubation programs. Ticket sizes range from €50k to €200k. Da Vinci Labs may take a seat on strategic board to shape company growth path. Also plays lead or co-lead role in syndicating early investment rounds.
3. Regional Grant Administration: Facilitates access to regional grants of up to €50k for startups incorporated in Centre-Val de Loire region through France 2030 initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Da Vinci Labs is a deep tech incubator and accelerator that supports scientists and entrepreneurs developing solutions in quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology. It offers structured venture-building programs (Da Vinci Launchpad, Acceleration Programme), non-dilutive public funding support through grant writing services, and direct pre-seed/seed investment of €50k–€200k, helping startups transition from lab to market.

Product overview

Da Vinci Labs is an incubator and accelerator for deep tech innovation, operating as a venture studio that combines structured venture-building programs with expertise in public and private innovation funding. The organization supports a portfolio of companies and research projects across three core technology domains: quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology. Its core programs include the Da Vinci Launchpad (venture studio with venture-building support), the Acceleration Programme (for startups with prototypes), and Grant Writing Services (non-dilutive public funding support). The portfolio includes portfolio companies (Every1Counts, JOGL, Lovaltech, MS4ALL, Omnix Medical, Pasqal, Probabl) and co-ported research projects (DIAMETER, EMERGE, EQUALITY, PAT4CGT, QLASS, SWIFTT, SYNBEE, UASEEDs). Da Vinci Labs also operates a community and events program including La Fabrique Deep Tech, Summer/Winter Schools, Cafés de Léo, Da Vinci Dialogues, Cercle de Léonard, and Leonardo Rebooted!, along with The Chronicle newsletter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Da Vinci Launchpad (Creation & Incubation Programme) Structured venture studio program guiding aspiring founders through the critical first steps of building a deep tech startup, including call for applications, team formation, hackathons, business plan training, and 6–12 month incubation. Designed for scientists and entrepreneurs in quantum technologies, AI, and synthetic biology.
• Acceleration Programme Tailored support for startups with technology prototypes ready for the next stage, including strategic coaching, fundraising preparation, grant writing, and ecosystem access. Da Vinci Labs may also invest directly in selected companies.
• Grant Writing Services

Quantifiable outcome

• €1.7B+ in public funding secured through grant writing services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• C-VaLocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional technology transfer office collaborating with Da Vinci Labs to transform scientific breakthroughs into real-world applications. Deep operational partnership in Centre-Val de Loire innovation ecosystem.
• Pépite Centre-Val de LoirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent entrepreneurship support organization partnering to help students transform ideas into startups. Joint initiative for supporting student entrepreneurs in the region.
• Université de Tours (University of Tours)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing to CMI in Quantum Technologies program that trains quantum engineers with academic excellence and entrepreneurial mindset. Also supports startup identification and recruitment.
• Quantum LaunchpadmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of Quantum Launchpad, France's national initiative for early-stage quantum entrepreneurship. Shapes national quantum strategy and connects local initiatives with global opportunities.
• European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember contributing to coordination of Europe's quantum ecosystem and industrial roadmap. Enables cross-border knowledge exchange and international project opportunities.
• Zaz Ventures GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent group providing in-house grant writing expertise with €1.7B+ track record. Da Vinci Labs operates as part of Zaz Ventures to offer comprehensive funding support services.
• Préfecture de la région Centre-Val de LoireminorOthersRegional prefecture providing administrative support and coordination for regional innovation initiatives including France 2030 programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator network running 13-week cohort programs across multiple verticals including deep tech-adjacent themes. Broad incumbent that offers structured acceleration at scale but is less specialized in frontier science domains than Da Vinci Labs.
• Y Combinator: World's largest startup accelerator, based in Silicon Valley, funding and supporting thousands of early-stage companies. Compares as a broad incumbent in the global accelerator space, though less focused on deep tech and European/regional ecosystems.
• Plug and Play: Global innovation platform and accelerator running vertical-specific programs (health, fintech, deep tech) and connecting startups with corporates. Broad incumbent with comparable accelerator-plus-ecosystem model but operating at larger global scale.

Regional players

• Station F: Largest startup campus in the world, located in Paris, hosting hundreds of incubators, accelerators, and venture programs. Regional peer that operates in the same French startup ecosystem and competes for the attention of French/European deep tech founders.
• Wilco: French startup acceleration program supporting early-stage technical founders with operational support, mentorship, and access to investors. Regional peer operating in the French startup ecosystem with a comparable cohort-based acceleration model.

Direct peers

• Creative Destruction Lab: Non-profit venture-building program affiliated with University of Toronto that supports science- and technology-based startups through an objective-setting mentorship model. Comparable due to its focus on founders commercializing breakthrough research, including quantum and biotech.
• Antler: Global early-stage venture capital firm that runs cohort-based founder programs supporting technical and deep tech entrepreneurs from ideation to seed. Comparable due to its structured venture-building methodology and focus on early-stage founder formation.
• SOSV: Global venture capital firm and accelerator operator running programs like HAX (hardware), IndieBio (biotech), and others focused on deep tech. SOSV is one of the closest comparables to Da Vinci Labs given its deep tech focus across multiple frontier domains and accelerator-plus-investment model.
• Entrepreneur First: Talent-first investor and venture builder that identifies and assembles technical founders to build deep tech companies from scratch, with operations across Europe, Asia, and North America. EF's model of finding scientists/researchers and helping them form startups around frontier tech closely parallels Da Vinci Labs' venture studio approach in quantum, AI, and synbio.
• HAX: Hardware-focused accelerator and venture fund (part of SOSV) running programs in Shenzhen and San Francisco for hardware and deep tech startups. Direct peer given its focus on helping founders commercialize complex scientific and hardware innovations.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/davinci-labs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Da Vinci Labs