Anthony Bourbon, the founder of Feed and Blast.Club, discusses the origin of Blast.Club and its mission to tackle issues of social reproduction and elitism in the startup ecosystem. The idea for Blast emerged when Anthony had to reinvest 50% of his capital gains from selling Feed shares, leading him to gather well-known individuals to attract high-quality startup projects.
The development of Blast was triggered by the demand from Anthony’s social networks, where many expressed a desire to invest with him but could only contribute modest amounts. To address this, Blast.Club allows individuals to invest in startups alongside professionals with amounts as low as 1,000 euros.
Blast.Club stands out from regular crowdfunding platforms by involving well-known personalities and sector experts who invest in and present projects to the club. This model provides reassurance for small investors, and the club takes a 20% carried interest in the profits generated by startups.
The club’s approach is characterized by monthly meetings, after-work events, conferences, and virtual gatherings that allow members to engage with founders, receive training, and participate actively. The community, currently over 4,000 members, emphasizes values such as meritocracy, ambition, and hard work, creating a club spirit that goes beyond just an investment platform.
In contrast to traditional investment funds, Blast.Club lets small investors decide which projects to invest in, creating a more democratic and involved approach. The club has already invested over 45 million euros in various projects within a year, setting a record in France.
Blast.Club offers a secondary market, functioning like a stock exchange for startups, providing liquidity for investors. The club prefers to invest between 1 and 5 million euros per project, with a sweet spot at 2.5 million euros.
Anthony highlights that Blast.Club’s rapid growth was facilitated by his existing visibility on social media and previous projects. The main challenge faced was in execution, as they had to obtain approvals, recruit a team, handle regulatory aspects, and structure operations within a year. The club’s success is attributed to the incredible team and the partnership with co-founder Samuel, who handles operational tasks.
The values of meritocracy, ambition, and hard work drive Blast.Club’s mission to democratize access to entrepreneurship and investment. The club’s focus on impactful projects resonates well with investors, and the government’s supportive measures, such as tax breaks for startup investment, align with Blast.Club’s advocacy. The club’s current structure involves a waitlist to control membership, ensuring a gradual and sustainable approach to project selection and fundraising.
