Jean-Francois RAX

Activist
DISC Type : Cd

Managing Partner - head of seed funding at Capital Grand Est

Greater Strasbourg Metropolitan Area, France

Overview

Jean-Francois Rax is a Managing Partner at Capital Grand Est where he leads the seed funding department, specializing in life sciences and human health. An INSA Lyon engineering alumnus, his career is built on transforming academic research into viable companies, with extensive experience in technology transfer and venture capital.

Beyond his direct investment activities, Jean-Francois is deeply committed to the regional innovation ecosystem. He is an active participant in the startup community, frequently speaking at events and collaborating with local business angel networks to foster growth and support for new entrepreneurs in Frances Grand Est region.

Unique fact: He was instrumental in guiding a portfolio company, Syndivia, through a strategic partnership deal with pharmaceutical giant GSK valued at over €300M.

Personality Overview

Meticulous

Perfectionist

Observative

They focus on objectivity in a pitch and pay little attention to bells and whistles.  They care equally about the product and its potential impact. They don’t always try to control the conversation but neither do they like yielding it fully.

Topics They Care About

Life Sciences Investing
He leads the life sciences seed fund for Capital Grand Est and serves on the board of multiple biotech companies, including Urania Therapeutics and BioSenic.
Seed-Stage Startups
His primary role involves identifying, funding, and structuring promising young and innovative startups, particularly within the Grand Est region of France.
Bringing Research to Market
His background at Inserm Transfert focused on coaching entrepreneurs and commercializing academic research, a skill he now applies from a venture capital perspective.

Media Appearances

Jean-Francois has no verified media appearances

Work History

4-2014
Managing Partner - head of seed funding at Capital Grand Est
1-2008 - 3-2014
Associate at Inserm Transfert
1-2008 - 3-2014
Head of Company creation at Inserm Transfert at Inserm Transfert
2-2007 - 1-2008
Business developer at INRA Transfert
2-2004 - 2-2007
Consultant for the "Biotechnologies and Innovation" business unit at ALCIMED

Education

1-2023 - 7-2023
French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) certified from L'École supérieure de la banque
1999 - 2004
Engineer’s Degree from INSA Lyon - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 21 Location : Greater Strasbourg Metropolitan Area, France Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Managing Partner - head of seed funding at Capital Grand Est
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Insights For Selling To Jean-Francois

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Stress on the business value that your product offers
  • Be crisp while making the pitch
  • Highlight the competitive differentiation of your product

DONT's

  • Refrain from asking too many questions
  • Avoid long winding pitches, stay objective
  • Don't try too hard to get friendly, let it happen with time

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Jean-Francois is

  • Conviction in the product matters to them, followed by proof points and strong testimonials.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Jean-Francois

  • They may not be very forthcoming, but they will say no if needed.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Jean-Francois move?

  • They are neither the fastest decision makers nor the slowest.
  • Can Jean-Francois take some risk or not?

  • They can take risks but after weighing up the pros and cons.

You And Jean-Francois

Personality Compatibility


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