Partnering with visionary teams from inception
About Kerala
Kerala is a private holding dedicated to the launch and scale of new ventures. We partner with bold founders for the very long term.
We act as a Founding investor and are driven by the quest of collective adventure and outstanding ambition.
We focus on a limited number of new businesses in which we heavily invest our energy and enthousiasm. Typically Kerala originates 1 new venture per year, no more. Over years we have built an extensive track record in massively backing our entrepreneurs on strategic and operational topics.
Kerala #1 expertize is hiring A-player teams. Our methodology is wrapped up in the best seller “La méthode pour recruter les meilleurs”. We’re also founding investor in Sonnar, a new concept of headhunter, backing tens of fast growing scaleups and VC firms in Europe & US.
Our participations
Kerala participations have fastly expanded over last years. Data displayed include Karala participations as Founding and Seed investor.
€600M+
Combined revenues in 2024
4,500
Total employees across portfolio
50%
Portfolio is global (Europe & US)
Founding Investor
Our favorite one 🙂, partnering at the creation, when there’s no client, no revenue and everything has to be proven! Kerala targets ~ 20% and very long term ownership
#1 EU healthcare startup connecting 250k healthcare practitioners to 90M patients – 2,700 employes
Investment: 2013
Kerala role: cofounding investor
#1 European SaaS marketplace connecting freelancers to enterprises – 500 employes
Investment: 2013 (exited)
Kerala role: cofounding investor
French leader delivering high end senior homecare – 400 employes
Investment: 2015 (exited)
Kerala role: cofounding investor
Training, skills and performance management SaaS focusing on mid market – 80 employes
Investment: 2017
Kerala role: cofounding investor
#1 French marketplace & ecommerce group for outdoor leisure and sports – 200 employes
Investment: 2008
Kerala role: cofounding investor
Seed Investor
Kerala has backed startups at seed stage (some quarters of operations), either as lead or colead investor and being systematically Board Member.
We’re also Business angel investor in…
.webp)
Hiring expertise
Kerala focus #1 is to back its entrepreneurs to hire the best teams.
Our golden rule:
“the reason #1 of any successful business is the quality of people”.
From 2014, we have been directly involved in 200 hiring processes, working hand in hand with its entrepreneurs. It represents 1,200 interviews across all our startups functions for positions in Europe and the US. Overall Kerala advises its entrepreneurs on assessment, hiring process and methodology.
Kerala is also founding investor of Sonnar, a new generation of headhunter serving tens of fast growing startups and tier 1 PE and VC firms. Sonnar baseline “We recruit with high intensity” is 100% in line with Kerala DNA.
Our methodology has been wrapped up in a best seller book targeting CEO and corporate or startups leaders.
Our team
- Antoine FreyszCEO & Cofounder
- Olivier OccelliCofounder
- Samuel LenobleFinance & Development
Submit your project
Kerala model is to act as a founding investor. We start discussions with our future partners as they’re digging the opportunity - sometimes hesiatating! - to create a new venture. Generally it’s 6 to 12 months prior to the launch of the business
© 2025 Kerala