Henchman founders launch €12M fund for 100 pre-seed bets

Henchman founders Jorn Vanysacker and Gilles Mattelin have launched 100IN, a €12 million fund designed to address the pre-seed funding gap for early-stage startups. Recognizing that many larger funds require demonstrated results before investing, 100IN will invest €100,000 in 100 startups worldwide, with the founders contributing 60% of the capital and reserving funds for follow-on investments.

The initiative is backed by industry leaders like Jonas Dhaenens (team.blue) and Louis Jonckheere (Showpad, Wintercircus), and leverages the founders’ experience building and scaling companies like Henchman, Intuo, and Tout Bien Pils, as well as their prior investments in startups such as Axe AI and Aikido. 100IN aims to provide not only funding but also practical guidance and hands-on support to ambitious founders, offering low valuations and no location restrictions.

The team, including operations lead Julie Capiau and partners like Siska Lannoo and Matthias Geeroms, intends to make 100 investments rapidly across Europe and beyond, seeking standout startups and aiming to surpass traditional micro-VCs by focusing on the earliest stages of company development and utilizing their collective experience. They hope to replicate successes like Fyxer AI and bring a global perspective rooted in their Belgian origins.

(Source：Techfundingnews)