'linkedin' Tag
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Pigeons don’t poop in private
October 9, 2012Wow, it has been quite a week ! President François Hollande’s Socialist government unveiled its draft 2013 budget comprising some potentially devastating tax dis-incentives for entrepreneurs and VCs. A revolt ensued, with the birth of the Pigeon Movement, an explosion of emotion on social media sites, worldwide media attention, and the culmination of a dialogue […]
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The small-firm-resources / large-firm-agility trap
October 2, 2012These are times of tremendous uncertainty for France’s startup ecosystem. Uncertainty of how the new administration of President Hollande will treat startups. Uncertainty over upcoming revisions in the tax code that will affect entrepreneurs and investors alike. Uncertainty in the French jobs market. Uncertainty hanging over the euro. Uncertainty over how exothermic macroeconomic events, such […]
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Pour une France Compétitive
September 25, 2012Over the weekend I had the pleasure of reading France Digitale’s whitepaper “Pour une France compétitive et créatrice d’emplois.” I say pleasure, because I really did enjoy reading the organization’s pragmatic proposal of four concrete measures to include in the upcoming Loi des Finances 2013. For those who are not familiar, France Digitale is a […]
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Year of the Draghi
September 18, 2012It appears that rumors of the death of the Euro have been greatly exaggerated, at least for now. This is thanks in large part to the efforts of the President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi. Mr. Draghi seems to have made all the right moves so far. He successfully convinced Germany to accept the […]
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Okay President Hollande, you’ve got our attention !
September 11, 2012{The following is merely a tongue-in-cheek attempt at an imaginary letter I could write to President François Hollande. Its opinions are purely personal and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer or my industry.} Dear Mr. President, First off, thank you for opening my mail. If you’re reading this letter, you would be the […]
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When does outsmarting the system crossover into cheating ?
September 4, 2012Two distinct incidents in the sporting world stood out last month that caught my attention in their contrast on a similar theme. Undoubtedly the most prominent was the United States Anti Doping Agency’s (USADA) stripping of Lance Armstrong’s seven Tour de France championship titles. Quick recap: USADA alleged that Lance had used banned substances during […]
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Retail VCs: pivot or perish ?
August 28, 2012It’s been a hot, lazy summer in most of France (far superior to last year, weather-wise, thank goodness). But in at least one sector of France people struggled to completely relax: the private equity / venture capital firms whose principal sources of funds are tax-incentivized “retail” investors. Such retail fund vehicles are a fairly uniquely […]