In France, finding initial financing for a project is often a problem for many company founders, who often do not have the—sometimes small—amounts of money required, given the quality of their idea. At the Day One stage, the project is still rough, and venture capitalists are rarely interested, given the lack of visibility: they want to know more before they make a decision. Still, in other countries, business angels and seed money funds offer assistance in this essential, decisive period.

Operational since October 1999, Genopole® Day One's goal is to address this problem by investing capital in companies being created. Genopole® Day One is a private company which assists future entrepreneurs build their projects.

Future CEOs defend their project before a committee of experts. The founder's personal investment is completed with an investment This initial capital leads to public financial assistance, in particular innovation aid from ANVAR, the French innovation agency.

Genopole® Day One is directed by a directorate: Yves Champey, president (Doctor of Medicine, associate consultant at ITEEC, scientific advisor to the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, former vice-president of development at Rhône-Poulenc-Rorer) and Marina Bunelle (Project Leader).

The Supervisory Board is composed of members whose opinions are taken into account by the investment committee. The Board is chaired by Alain Monfret.

Fifteen Private and Public Investors have Subscribed to the Genopole® "Day One" Fund for Euros 2.1 million.

Further information on Genopole® "Day One"'s web site.