Paris-based energy renovation school La Solive, which offers practical training in energy renovation professions to equip individuals with skills to enhance building efficiency, has secured €4 million in a Series A funding round led by Partech, with participation from Brighteye Ventures and several business angels. This new funding will facilitate the opening of eight to ten campuses by 2026 in cities such as Toulouse, Marseille, Lille, and Montpellier.
- Founded in 2021 by Ariane Komorn and Côme de Cossé Brissac, La Solive is an energy renovation school that offers short, intensive training courses to help adults in retraining become energy renovation project managers or qualified craftspeople.
- To date, La Solive has trained over 1,000 students across its three campuses in Paris, Lyon, and Nantes. The school offers four specialized training programs, including heat pump installation, solar panel installation, and energy renovation project management.
- With over 600 partners across France, the school helps students find employment quickly, boasting a 91% job placement rate within six months of graduation, while also encouraging more women to join the construction sector.
Details of the deal
- The round was led by Paris-based Partech, a global tech venture capital firm managing €2.5 billion in assets with offices in Paris, Berlin, Dakar, Dubai, Nairobi, and San Francisco.
- The investment also saw participation from Brighteye Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in European Edtech startups at seed and Series A stages. With offices in Luxembourg, Paris, and London, the firm’s portfolio includes 45 startups, 77 investments, and 9 exits, such as Marmelade, Epic!, and Plato.
“In just 36 months, La Solive has established itself as a key player in Europe, responding to two critical issues: the climate emergency and the talent shortage in the energy renovation sector. We are very proud to continue supporting Ariane, Côme, and the rest of the team in their superb mission," Principal at Brighteye, David Guérin, stated.
- Business angels, including Thibaud Hug de Larauze, CEO of Back Market, Vincent Bryant, CEO of Deepki, and Clément Delpirou, President of the IAD Group, also participated in the funding round.
- The capital will enable La Solive to expand by opening eight to ten new campuses across France, including in Toulouse, Marseille, Lille, and Montpellier, and to launch certifications for energy renovation professionals, such as Rehabilitation Works Supervisors and RGE QualiPAC & QualiPV certifications, by 2026.
