# André François-Poncet
André François-Poncet is a growth-equity investor who has been a Partner at Partech in Paris since April 2022, known for growth-stage investments including Made.com, Brandwatch, Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), EcoVadis, M-Files, Skello, and Weglot.[1](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-promotes-andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-to-partner-and-hires-elena-moneta-as-principal) • [2](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/19527158)
| Key facts | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current role | Partner, Growth Equity, Partech (Paris)[1](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-promotes-andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-to-partner-and-hires-elena-moneta-as-principal) • [2](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/19527158) |
| Joined Partech | 2015, first hire of the Growth strategy[3](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-newsletter-new-people-promotions-and-partner-strengthen-partechs-position) |
| Cheque size | €20M–€70M per company[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) |
| Education | Télécom Paris; MSc Finance, Bocconi (summa cum laude)[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) • [5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823) |
| Prior career | Large-cap M&A analyst, Merrill Lynch, London, 2012–2015[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) • [5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823) |
| Signature exits | Made.com IPO (June 2021); Brandwatch sold to Cision (2021); Brevo exit announced (December 2025)[1](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-promotes-andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-to-partner-and-hires-elena-moneta-as-principal) • [5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823) |
| Recognition | Distinction, Choiseul Finance de demain ranking[6](https://www.choiseul.info/biographie/francois-poncet-andre/) |
## Education and early career
François-Poncet trained as an engineer at Télécom Paris, graduating in 2011, with an exchange at the [University of St. Gallen](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-st-gallen).[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) • [5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823) He then completed an MSc in Finance at Università Bocconi in Milan (2010–2012), which his own profile records as passed with 110/110 summa cum laude.[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) • [5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
He entered finance through investment banking rather than operating roles or another venture firm. From June 2012 to January 2015 he was an analyst in large-cap M&A at Merrill Lynch (later BofA Securities) in London.[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) • [5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823) Décideurs Magazine describes this as where he "made his arms" before moving into growth investing.[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html)
## Career at Partech
François-Poncet joined Partech in February 2015 as the very first hire of the Growth strategy, working from the firm's Paris office.[3](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-newsletter-new-people-promotions-and-partner-strengthen-partechs-position) • [5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823) He joined alongside Bruno Crémel and Omri Benayoun when the Growth fund launched.[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) In early April 2022, after seven years with the firm, Partech promoted him to Partner, in an announcement made alongside the hiring of Elena Moneta as Principal in the Venture team.[1](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-promotes-andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-to-partner-and-hires-elena-moneta-as-principal) • [4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) Sources describe his remit consistently as the Growth strategy: Décideurs and the Institut Choiseul place him as partner of Partech Growth Equity, and the firm's announcement credits him as a major contributor over his seven years.[1](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-promotes-andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-to-partner-and-hires-elena-moneta-as-principal) • [4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) • [6](https://www.choiseul.info/biographie/francois-poncet-andre/)
Explaining the move in the firm's press release, he said he joined Partech "because I believed in the opportunity the firm spotted in the growth equity space in Europe, at a time when this market was still in its infancy."[1](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-promotes-andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-to-partner-and-hires-elena-moneta-as-principal)
## Partech Growth: mandate and strategy
Partech Growth invests checks of €20M to €70M in fast-growing digital and IT companies.[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html)
In interview with Décideurs Magazine, François-Poncet argued that growth and LBO funds will converge around flexibility, with portfolio assets able to move from one universe to the other.[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html) No retrieved source gives the total size of the Partech Growth funds he deploys.
## Notable investments, exits and boards
Partech credits him as instrumental in the Growth fund's investments in Made.com, which IPO'd in June 2021; Brandwatch, acquired by Cision in 2021; [EcoVadis](https://www.edgepedia.org/ecovadis); M-Files; Sendinblue (now Brevo); and, more recently, [Skello](https://www.edgepedia.org/skello) and Weglot.[1](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-promotes-andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-to-partner-and-hires-elena-moneta-as-principal) After several deals on Growth Fund 1, he participated in two investments from Growth Fund 2, which closed in November 2021: Skello and Weglot.[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html)
His own profile and posts record the following governance roles: board member of Brevo since September 2018, of Weglot since March 2022, and of UpSlide since September 2023; board observer at Skello from September 2021; and board member of M-Files from January 2019 to October 2024.[5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
The most prominent recent exit is Brevo. In December 2025 he announced Partech Growth's exit from the company, which he described as having grown from €8m to €200m ARR over eight years while remaining profitable, with [General Atlantic](https://www.edgepedia.org/general-atlantic) coming in as successor investor.[5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
## By the numbers
- Cheque size: €20M–€70M per investment, per Décideurs Magazine.[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html)
- Brevo: from €8m to €200m ARR in 8 years, profitable throughout, per his December 2025 exit announcement.[5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
- Skello: a €200m investment led by Bridgepoint Group, announced 6 July 2026, which he shared on behalf of the Partech position.[5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
## Public positions and recognition
The Institut Choiseul lists him as Associé (partner), Partech Growth Equity, Partech Partners, with a distinction within the Choiseul Finance de demain ranking.[6](https://www.choiseul.info/biographie/francois-poncet-andre/) His public commentary has concentrated on growth equity's position in the European market, including the convergence argument above.[4](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html)
## Recent developments
Several of his board and deal milestones postdate 2023 and rest mainly on his own posts and profile:
- September 2023: joined the board of UpSlide.[5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
- October 2024: left the board of M-Files after nearly six years.[5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
- September 2025: announced a new Partech Growth investment in IMP Software, a company founded six years earlier and bootstrapped to that point.[5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
- December 2025: announced the exit from Brevo, with General Atlantic as successor investor.[5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
- July 2026: shared Skello's €200m round led by Bridgepoint Group.[5](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
No source confirms a new Partech growth fund closing after Growth Fund 2 (November 2021) with him as partner.
## References
1. [Partech promotes André François-Poncet to Partner and hires Elena Moneta as Principal](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-promotes-andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-to-partner-and-hires-elena-moneta-as-principal)
2. [Andre Francois-Poncet, Partech Partners SAS: Profile and Biography — Bloomberg Markets](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/19527158)
3. [Partech Newsletter: New People, Promotions and Partner Strengthen Partech's Position](https://partechpartners.com/news/partech-newsletter-new-people-promotions-and-partner-strengthen-partechs-position)
4. [André François-Poncet (Partech), expert du growth — Décideurs Magazine](https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/finance/43924-andre-francois-poncet-partech-l-analyste-du-growth.html)
5. [André François-Poncet — LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andr%C3%A9-fran%C3%A7ois-poncet-62a32823)
6. [FRANÇOIS-PONCET André — Institut Choiseul](https://www.choiseul.info/biographie/francois-poncet-andre/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Economics and business › Founders, operators, and investors › Venture and growth investors › European venture*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license