Holnest
Also known as HOLNEST, ICMI
Lyon holding and family office of Jean-Michel Aulas (ex-ICMI, 1983), 100% Aulas-family owned; startup and growth stakes, Olympique Lyonnais and LDLC Arena, real estate, and the Club Holnest angels.
USEFUL FOR Founders · Business owners seeking a long-term partner · Co-investors
Family & background
- FAMILY
- Aulas (Jean-Michel Aulas)
- WEALTH ORIGIN
- Cegid (management software) and Olympique Lyonnais
- HEADQUARTERS
- Lyon, France
- FOUNDED
- 1983
- OUTSIDE CAPITAL
- No — own capital only
Investment approach
- SECTORS
- Software & SaaSMedia & EntertainmentDeep TechClimate & EnergyHealthTechReal Estate & PropTech
- GEOGRAPHY
- France
- STAGES
- Pre-SeedSeedSeries AGrowth
- ROUTES
- Direct investments
- STRATEGIES
- Venture capitalPrivate equityReal estate
- INBOUND
- Accepts submissions
Overview
Holnest is the holding company that Jean-Michel Aulas created in 1983 as ICMI, which carried the creation of software publisher Cegid and later his investment in Olympique Lyonnais; it took the name Holnest in 2018. It is wholly owned by the Aulas family and run by Jean-Michel Aulas, Alexandre Aulas and Patrick Bertrand. It invests in digital, B2B and B2B2C startups and growth companies, sport and entertainment (Olympique Lyonnais shareholder; since 2024, president and 60% shareholder of HOLARENA, which owns LDLC Arena) and real estate including property development. In 2018 it created Club Holnest, a business angel club that co-invests in pre-seed to pre-Series A rounds.
Investment thesis
Active investment around its fields of expertise — B2B digital, entertainment, services, real estate and infrastructure — and any sector whose development can be accelerated by digital technology, backing entrepreneurs while respecting their choices.
Holdings & investments (51)
INVESTMENT ARMS & VEHICLES
- Business angel club created by Holnest in 2018; 20 members investing €150k–€500k together per project at pre-seed to pre-Series A
- Vehicle that owns LDLC Arena (Holnest 60%, president)
HOLDINGS & INVESTMENTS · MOST RECENT FIRST
- LDLC ArenaNOTABLEsince 2024
- Olympique LyonnaisNOTABLE
- CegidNOTABLESoftware & SaaS · Exited
- AddWorkingSoftware & SaaS
- AptivioSoftware & SaaS
- AsystomIndustrial & Manufacturing
- BatconnectDeep Tech
- BeeyeSoftware & SaaS
- CerbairDeep Tech
- Dealt
- Delpha
- EagrSoftware & SaaS
- Embassair GroupMobility & Logistics
- EntroviewDeep Tech
- ExplainDeep Tech
- FaumeClimate & Energy
- Fulllife
- Jus Mundi
- KapptivateSoftware & SaaS
- KolusSoftware & SaaS
- LetxbeDeep Tech
- MementoArtificial Intelligence
- My Bacchus OnafisFood & Agriculture
- My HospitelHealthTech
- Naali
- Namastay
- ObatReal Estate & PropTech
- ObjowSoftware & SaaS
- Qiiro
- ReecallArtificial Intelligence
- Rewayz
- Sim&CureHealthTech
- SmartwayClimate & Energy
- Stracker
- TechnofoundersDeep Tech
- Team For The PlanetClimate & Energy
- TéoHealthTech
- UnicoClimate & Energy
- WatchaSoftware & SaaS
- Workelo
- Wyz GroupSoftware & SaaS
- Xperience.immoReal Estate & PropTech
- Xtramile
- AbelioFood & Agriculture · Exited
- ABM PharmaHealthTech · Exited
- GleamerHealthTech · Exited
- LaponiExited
- Live JourneySoftware & SaaS · Exited
- PixylHealthTech · Exited
- TwicpicsClimate & Energy · Exited
- VerteegoSoftware & SaaS · Exited
People
Classification
Family Holding. A family's holding company that owns stakes in several separate businesses or invests beyond its own group, without calling itself a family office. How family capital is classified →
FAQ
Holnest is a family holding based in Lyon, France, founded in 1983.
Holnest invests on behalf of the Aulas (Jean-Michel Aulas) family (Cegid (management software) and Olympique Lyonnais).
Holnest invests directly in companies. Its stated asset mix includes venture capital, private equity and real estate.
Holnest invests at Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A and Growth stages in Software & SaaS, Media & Entertainment, Deep Tech, Climate & Energy, HealthTech and Real Estate & PropTech.
Key people at Holnest include Jean-Michel Aulas (Founder and President), Alexandre Aulas (Managing Director (Directeur Général)), Patrick Bertrand (General Manager, Operations) and Julien Bertrand (Investment Director (Directeur de Participations)).
Holnest's holdings and investments include LDLC Arena, Olympique Lyonnais, Cegid, AddWorking, Aptivio, Asystom, Batconnect and Beeye, among others.
The most recent publicly reported investment by Holnest is LDLC Arena (via HOLARENA) (Acquisition of 100% of LDLC Arena through HOLARENA (Holnest president and 60% shareholder) with 13 partners), announced in Jun 2024.
Holnest states that it accepts submissions through its official contact page.
No. Holnest invests its own capital and does not raise money from outside investors.