If you want to bring about change you’ve got to try something truly different. Alexia Lingart lives by this credo. This French Finance Expert had already achieved a great deal in her homeland working for Capitalmind (one of Europe’s largest independent corporate finance advisory firms) and Apax Partners (a global small and mid-market private equity firm), and others as she helped multimillion euro strategies and investment opportunities become realized. But there was something more aspirational for Alexia, she felt compelled to make a contribution that would resonate positively throughout the world. For her, this was the intersect of her financial skills and the growing arena of AgTech and FoodTech. After relocating to New York City and steering into a leading role in Venture Capital, Ms. Lingart was enlisted by Creadev two years ago to help lead their investment arm concerning groundbreaking companies that will revolutionize the food industry. As a female leader in VC, a millennial, and a European citizen based in NYC, Alexia Lingart has a fresh perspective to ignite new ideas. Her goal was, as she states, “I wanted to change and to focus on the impact I could have on this planet as an investor. I couldn’t imagine doing another job at this moment of my life. Especially in a world that is broken, where we take everything for granted. Entrepreneurship/start-ups remind us that the world is fragile and we deeply need to fund these companies.”
As a French native working for Creadev on US investment opportunities, Alexia has a firm perspective on the workings of both regions. Comparing the two, her affinity for the U.S. is largely about expediency. She relates, “In Europe, we tend to be more conservative about valuations and path to profitability, especially in the current economic context. Perhaps the discrepancies between the intrinsic Assets Value and its market value is less predominant. In Europe, with intermediaries, it means that the investment banking firm is the preferred contact, plus is preparing and filtering all the documentation. There are many steps to get to the term sheet (offer), sometimes taking as long as six months whereas in the US it can take only a few weeks. This can lead to a slower adoption rate of a technology and slower rate of a category improvement. Europe still has a strong Private Equity heritage compared with Venture Capital. Meaning that a lot of due diligence is done before making an investment (Financial, strategic, HR, tech, etc..). I feel like in Europe, we still have a lot of barriers between the two parties.” The business market in Europe can be harsh and in the time it takes to acquire funds, a promising and innovative company might be decimated. Ms. Lingart adds, “We have a lot to learn from Americans. I’ve spent more than a year working with Creadev in New York,US VCs and Americans and investment processes are quicker in the US because they are less intermediated. I felt we [Creadev] had the chance to develop a closer relationship with the management without an intermediate. We focused more of our effort on the market potential and the scalability of a business vs. best practices multiple due diligence.”
It must be pointed out that in order for the VC system to evolve, it must embrace new ideas and new possibilities. By definition, Alexia fits this mold as a woman who is an inspiring VC professional and a millennial. Data tells us that millennials in particular seek out careers that are contributive and have meaning. Alexia Lingart believes that she can be a part of redefining what the typical definition of a finance professional is. She states, “I think I can also use my skills to improve the image of finance. I feel that the financial industry can be wrongly perceived by some part of the population. It’s important for me to show that Finance and my financial skills are used to have a positive impact. I’m 100% convinced that my financial skills help companies that also have a positive impact to find the resources they need to develop and favor a better world. I want to set an example for the next generation. I want them to have the feeling that I’ve been working towards making the world a better place for them to live in. Professionally, I want to inspire young talented people, especially women, showing by the example of my career that they can also choose to follow a successful path that will have a positive impact on the world.”
Writer: Coleman Haan