Otium doubles down with €180M+ investment in Otium Studio through 2030

03 Jul 2025 Press Release Otium Studio

The startup studio accelerates growth, strengthens its leadership with the arrival of Quentin Vanbever, and targets over 10 startup launches per year

Paris, July 3, 2025 – Building on more than 15 startups launched since 2022, Otium Studio, Otium’s integrated startup studio, now sets new ambitions: over €180 million will be invested by the end of 2030 to support more than 10 yearly startup launches, up from the current 5 per year.

To lead this new phase, Quentin Vanbever joins Anselme Coulomb at the helm of the studio. Anselme Coulomb, a former project leader at BCG, is an expert in strategy and operational excellence and familiar with SaaS models. Quentin Vanbever, an entrepreneur and former senior executive at Uber and Glovo, has contributed to scaling businesses in over 15 countries. Together, and leveraging all of Otium’s expertise, they offer unique support, combining strategic vision, execution capability, and a global network.

With an accelerated pace—aiming to launch almost one startup per month—enhanced investment capacity, and a strengthened leadership team, Otium Studio aims to establish itself as one of the leading startup studios in Europe and North America.

“We want to make Otium Studio the launchpad for Otium’s future successes. We continuously host around ten entrepreneurs in residence, with a conversion rate of over 80%. Building on a proven model, we are now shifting gears by welcoming bold, independent talent determined to build tomorrow’s leaders,” says François Durvye, CEO of Otium.

A unique model to create future market leaders in record time

Otium Studio stands out with its integrated and demanding model: it ideates, funds and builds startups alongside founders selected for their ambition and execution skills.

Otium Studio believes entrepreneurs succeed when they can fully focus on building their business, free from distractions or frictions. Its model is designed to offer a clear, structured, founder-first environment:

  • Guaranteed salary from day one, allowing entrepreneurs to focus entirely on launching their project,
  • Substantial financing, saving founders time otherwise spent fundraising. Supported by a true investment fund rather than a simple incubator, they can concentrate on value creation rather than roadshows.
  • Long-term presence, with Otium remaining committed as long as the project creates value, without imposing an exit deadline (otherwise set at 7 years).
  • Comprehensive operational support, with each founder benefiting from internal experts in strategy, finance, marketing, recruitment, and legal structuring. Resources are immediately available to launch and scale a business from day one.
  • A powerful international network, Otium being among the most active French funds internationally, particularly in the United States. Founders benefit from a robust global network and an ecosystem of accomplished entrepreneurs and industry experts.

The studio exclusively targets ventures with very high potential, able to generate $100 million in capital gains within 5 to 7 years. Its model emphasizes healthy hypergrowth with minimal R&D investments and profitability often reached within 3 to 4 years, developing ideas in attractive, often fragmented or non-disrupted markets. It appeals to high-potential profiles: consultants from elite firms (McKinsey & Company, Bain, BCG), executives from demanding scale-ups (Uber, Google, Deliveroo, etc.), or experienced entrepreneurs ready to launch in a structured, demanding, and ambitious environment.

“After two successful years, our model has proven to be effective. Today, we are scaling up: more resources, more launches, more ambition. Our mission is clear: provide a rare framework for talented individuals to turn their entrepreneurial ambitions into companies that matter,” says Anselme Coulomb, co-head of Otium Studio.

“Launching a startup remains a complex and often solitary journey, which many brilliant professionals hesitate to embark upon. At Otium Studio, we take the opposite approach. By providing capital, methodology, network, and high-level support, we give entrepreneurs the best chance to succeed—quickly,” adds Quentin Vanbever, co-head of Otium Studio.

A first generation of startups already performing strongly

Otium Studio build on the legacy of Otium, which, over six years, has successfully created several market leaders from scratch in Europe and the United States.

Several of these startups have already shown remarkable performance, validating the model’s relevance and efficiency:

  • Dossier : DNVB offering accessible luxury perfumes, nearly $90M revenue in 2024.
  • Ensol : Innovative player specializing in turnkey solar installations for residential, achieving €4M in revenue and €7M in bookings in only 12 months, and €14M Series A funding from leading VC funds.
  • Giftory : marketplace for experiential gifts, combining personalization and unique user experience, with over $20M revenue in the United States in under two years.

Over the past two years, Otium Studio has successfully built on this momentum, launching over 15 projects reflecting the diversity and global reach of its ambitions, such as:

  • Prosper : Proptech acquiring, renovating, furnishing, and operating French castles.
  • Master Camp : Educational summer camps based on the US “Day Camp” model.
  • Holi Apps : Mobile applications studio dedicated to health.
  • Wondergifts in the Emirates and Anatae in Japan: local experts in experiential gifting.

About Otium Studio

Otium Studio, Otium’s integrated startup studio, aims to establish itself as a reference in Europe and North America. Its unique model provides comprehensive support: significant funding from the outset, long-term commitment without exit pressure, expert operational team, and powerful international network—all dedicated to founders selected for their ambition and execution capability. Launched in 2022, Otium Studio has already incubated and launched over 15 projects and targets more than 10 startup launches annually.

Ready to build something big? We want to hear from you: contact.studio@otiumcapital.com

About Otium

Otium is a long-term investment holding company founded in 2009 by Pierre Edouard Sterin. With €1.6 billion in assets as of December 31st, 2024, spread across more than 130 investments – including the Smartbox group and stakes in French unicorns PayFit and Owkin – Otium invests amounts ranging from a few hundred thousand euros to several tens of millions of euros. Companies are funded at every stage of their development, from seed funding to growth capital, and Otium takes either majority or minority stakes with no holding period constraints. Otium pursues a diversification strategy by financing projects in tech, industrials, leisure, healthcare, hospitality and real estate. Otium invested €255 million in 2024.

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