⚠ Summarised by AI based on an external source. Last updated: 12 May 2026. Starthubs is not liable for any inaccuracies. Always consult the official challenge information.
Hexa Sprint is the new pre-seed acceleration programme from Hexa — the French startup studio founded by Thibaud Elzière (eFounders), with 50+ companies and three unicorns on its track record. The deal: €500,000 as your very first investor, six months of sector-specific acceleration with a dedicated partner, and access to Hexa's full network. Applications are rolling, with three active verticals: AI for work, energy resilience, and European defense.
What is Hexa Sprint looking for?
Hexa Sprint backs founding teams at the pre-seed stage who are looking for their first investment check — ideally with Hexa as the first investor on the cap table. Each cohort is organised around a specific vertical with a dedicated partner who knows the industry deeply. Three verticals are currently active:
- AI for work (Thibaud Elzière, Senior Partner) — AI-native companies building autonomous agents and rethinking how work gets done from first principles
- Energy Resilience (Maxime Brousse, Partner) — clean energy solutions that economically outperform legacy systems and help Europe lead the post-carbon transition
- European Defense (Guillaume Lerouge, Partner) — startups creating innovative solutions that protect and advance European sovereignty in technology and defense
Each cohort follows a structured weekly rhythm built on playbooks from Hexa's 50+ companies, designed to compound speed and help teams move from 1 to 10 quickly. New verticals are launched periodically — founders whose projects don't fit a current vertical can stay in the loop for upcoming themes.
Who is this for?
The programme is designed for founding teams that already have an idea and want their first investment check, typically at the pre-seed stage. Hexa Sprint is explicitly not for:
- Founders without an idea yet — they should look at Hexa Start (12-month venture studio)
- Established businesses looking for a majority investor for their next growth phase — they should look at Hexa Scale
- Projects that don't align with one of the currently active vertical themes
The programme is based in France but open to companies throughout the world. It's remote-friendly with in-person events, so being in France or Europe helps founders get the most value. Note that individual verticals may have specific geographical requirements — European Defense in particular focuses on European sovereignty.
What's in it for you?
- €500,000 first check split across two convertible instruments: a €20,000 convertible note (BSA Air or SAFE) for 4% equity, plus a €480,000 convertible note (BSA Air or SAFE) with MFN provisions and a cap at €8M — if your first post-Sprint round is above €8M valuation, this means approximately 10% equity for €500,000
- A dedicated partner from your vertical who deeply understands your industry, plus a tight cohort of founders building in the same space — your first real peer board
- Playbooks and proven weekly rhythm built on Hexa's 50+ portfolio companies and three unicorns
- An activated network: warm intros to clients, talent, journalists, and follow-on investors
- Exclusive partner discounts, Sprint-only events, and hands-on fundraising prep with the right intros when it matters most
- Rolling investment process — no need to wait for the next quarterly cycle