“As a Venture Capital in early stage investment, we are committed to use our expertise and game plan to support revolutionary innovations that will be the foundations of tomorrow’s society.”
Women in leadership roles are dependable, committed, and eager to put in the extra effort needed to make their business successful, a study reveals. Female leaders of today are drawn to and motivated by heart-based leadership. Geneviève Biron, founder and President of Propulia Capital, a Venture Capital firm based in Montreal, is one such brilliant leader. She brings an optimistic view of the business world to everything she does. The Silicon Review reached out to her for an interview and spoke to one of her executives. Here’s what she had to say about Geneviève Biron and her outstanding leadership qualities.
Interview Highlights
- Geneviève Biron is the design and creative force behind the company’s programs and services. Kindly discuss some of her qualities that have transformed the company.
Driven by a passion for innovation, Geneviève Biron transforms her vision into concrete solutions through rich collaboration with other business leaders. She works tirelessly to move society forward by creating positive social and environmental impact. She strives to improve our quality of life through visionary ideas and entrepreneurship while always ensuring that people and communities are at the heart of her work.
At Propulia Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm, our mission is to propel the evolution, innovation, and growth of visionary and ethically minded companies. We know that visionary founders have a unique understanding of the world and its needs. Our passion is to select the most promising and disruptive teams and guide them towards solid results that deliver on their greatest ambitions. Geneviève guides us in achieving our mission by seeing things with clarity and guiding us in seizing the right opportunities.
Her vision is to support technological solutions that improve the well-being of people, communities, and the planet: “Our interconnectedness is as undeniable as it is fundamental. As a result, we invest in companies that value networks and interconnectivity, contribute to societal progress, improve our quality of life, spur economic growth, and use sustainable practices so that they can build a more resilient, adaptive, and prosperous business ecosystem.” says Geneviève Biron. By enacting her vision we are committed actors of conscious capitalism by rallying and enabling leaders that redefine what it means to succeed.
Geneviève enjoys collaborating with people who share her vision and ambition for building great businesses. At Propulia Capital, she has built a resilient and expert team that is motivated to follow Propulia Capital’s mission and achieve great positive change. Sensitive to the transformation, she recognizes that the pillars of tomorrow’s societies are being built today and that we must support the ideas and teams behind the great solutions of tomorrow.
- What is one of the most prominent trends in your industry? How are you leveraging it?
We are at the cusp of a fourth industrial revolution (4IR): the internet at high speed, IoT, the capacity to manage and understand and leverage big data, artificial intelligence, the power of networks, incredible discoveries in biology and genetics, etc. They are all transforming how we live and how we solve society’s biggest issues. Disruptive change is constantly happening and at a very fast pace. Climate change, rising inequalities, and an economic system that generates negative outcomes are problems that will transform our lives and businesses if we do not address them. Innovation and collaboration are key to solving these issues, and we need to bet on the most transformative solutions that will have a positive impact. That is why, we invest in digital platforms and service companies that leverage data and AI to address these issues. We seek entrepreneurs that have correlated economic benefit with a powerful societal impact.
- What are key differentiating elements of your strategy?
At Propulia Capital, we are deeply committed to transforming good products into great companies. That’s why we have invested so much of our time and resources into cultivating an interdisciplinary team capable of guiding businesses to the next level. Our skilled professionals come from all backgrounds – ranging from the C-Suite to banking, healthcare, e-commerce, and business services. With knowledge and expertise in a variety of fields, we are able to offer tailored strategies designed to maximize success across industries and geographies.
Our team harnesses the power of networks and develops strategies that can evolve as fast as the environment they are in, by aligning interests and increasing resilience. We speed up growth processes by learning from each experience and we spend time in research and development so that operations are as innovative as the ideas they promote.
What truly sets us apart is our passion for creating real impact. We thrive off facilitating growth opportunities for entrepreneurs who share our commitment towards building something bigger than ourselves – something that will leave a legacy in the world.
- What is one of your organization’s most notable successes that arose from its revolutionary approach?
From the start, we have held firm to a vision of bringing powerful and innovative ideas to life. Our passionate pursuit of this has won us admiration from numerous partners and clients. “Yesterday was far beyond my expectations in terms of the expected benefits for our company. I now see the value of having investors who have already worn the hat of founder, manager and strategist. Thank you for being part of our adventure.” Says Alexandre Chagnon, CEO of TherappX, a partnering company of Propulia Capital. With every collaboration, we aim to make it easier for entrepreneurs to bring their visions to reality by offering the support and guidance they need on their entrepreneurial journey. We don’t dictate; instead, our mission is to be facilitators who amplify progress and bring out the best in ambitious projects. It’s our driving objective whenever we venture into a project. In this way, Propulia Capital promotes progress on multiple levels. By amplifying individuals’ ideas, we help both businesses and society move forward with dynamic new solutions that drive economic development. Here are a few topics we coach entrepreneurs on:
- Technology and artificial intelligence: People who have the technical expertise and know how to leverage the power of data are essential. We are proud to give a helping hand to technology leaders building innovative companies.
- Strategic planning and management best practices: We help founders and business leaders design their strategy, develop their business model and execute an agile management style that builds their network and speeds their entry into the market.
- Corporate culture: Drawing inspiration from the values of leaders we work with, we help entrepreneurs create a culture of collaboration and innovation that builds on contributions from all team members. This helps attract the best and most talented people.
- How is Geneviève inspiring and empowering team members into becoming great leaders of tomorrow?
Geneviève’s inspiring leadership style is authentic and generous; her tireless work ethic inspires her colleagues. She is always looking to fulfill everyone’s interests so that outcomes are positive for everyone involved. Her sensitivity and joy are contagious. Her capacity to put her trust in you makes it a real pleasure and honor to work alongside her. Despite her 30 years of incredible success, she is very humble: she listens and cares for everyone’s point of view. She knows how to build a strong team of people that complement each other.
The culture she builds as a leader allows us to be ourselves and work in synergy. She helps us put things in perspective by promoting balance, ethics, and resilience. She sees the best in all of us and helps us see it too, “working with Geneviève is a one-in-a-lifetime experience. The trust she puts in you helps you flourish and discover the journey of becoming your best self,” says Nathalia Del Moral, Partner at Propulia Capital Inc.
- What objectives are you still trying to fulfill?
We live in a world of opportunities, and things are changing faster every day. The pillars of tomorrow’s society are being built today. Geneviève wants to be part of tomorrow’s success; the ones that will shape our lives. It’s an exciting time, and her goal is to be part of it, by bringing her piece of the puzzle. She wants to continue to live by her motto by helping others, sharing her experience, investing time and money in companies to fuel their growth, and guaranteeing a sustainable path to success. Bringing a different perspective, she wants to help companies see with clarity the potential they have, and then help them bring it to life.
- What does the future hold for you and your company?
We are eager to witness the constructive effects that the companies, goods, and services we support will have on society. In the years to come, our lives will prosper thanks to the shared success of great people like the ones we support.
“Our interconnectedness isas undeniable as it is fundamental. As a result, we invest in companies that contribute to societal progress, improve our quality of life, spur economic growth, and use sustainable practices so that they can build a more resilient and more prosperous business ecosystem.”
— Geneviève Biron
This article was published at The Silicone Review, click here for the full article.