e27 has been nurturing a supportive ecosystem for entrepreneurs since its inception. Our Contributor Programme offers a platform for sharing unique insights.
As part of our ‘Contributor Spotlight’ series, we shine a spotlight on an outstanding contributor and dive into the vastness of their knowledge and expertise.
In this episode, we feature Pierrick Bouffaron, Operating Partner at Main Sequence, a technology investment firm. He is a corporate executive and serial entrepreneur with experience in enterprise management and investing, from startups to multi-billion dollar international corporations such as VINCI, BNP Paribas, and EDF.
Thoughts, goals, and journey
Bouffaron began working on deep technologies in 2012 while living in San Francisco, where he was employed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Bay Area’s focus on clean technologies, like solar energy and waste management, drew significant attention from entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. He saw the potential and immersed himself in the field.
Since then, Bouffaron has worked in deep tech and infrastructure across corporate, venture building, and private equity sectors in San Francisco, Paris, and now Singapore. His area of expertise is bringing frontier technologies to market from the earliest stages, often starting in academia, by creating frameworks, challenging and testing strategies, and refining go-to-market playbooks.
Bouffaron remarked, “Over the last few years, I’ve mostly worked on cleantech, AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, advanced materials, and robotics. One noteworthy trend is that early investments in deep tech can yield significant returns as these technologies mature and achieve mainstream adoption. More investors who understand both the technical aspects and market potential are now spotting undervalued opportunities early in the development cycle, which wasn’t the case even five years ago. Deep tech is becoming an asset class in itself.”
The driving force
Bouffaron joined our contributor community in early 2023 and has since been writing on entrepreneurial trends, deep tech, and related topics.
“I’ve consistently been blogging as a way to structure my thoughts and share insights with the entrepreneurial community. When I arrived in Singapore a few years ago, I looked for a regional audience of entrepreneurs and investors. e27 was a perfect fit, and I quickly proposed some contributions,” he said.
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Advice for budding thought leaders
Bouffaron advises budding thought leaders to focus on three key principles for building credibility and impact in their field:
- Master your subject: Continuously learn and stay updated with the latest trends, research, and developments in your field to offer unique, valuable perspectives.
- Engage in critical thinking: Challenge existing ideas and invest time in crafting well-reasoned arguments.
- Be consistent: Regularly share insights so your audience recognises and expects your contributions over time.
Juggling too many things?
According to Bouffaron, maintaining work-life balance requires prioritising tasks that align with one’s goals or values. He advises learning to say no to non-essential activities in order to focus on what truly matters, which helps prevent burnout and maintain balance.
He also recommends using task management tools like Asana and time-tracking apps to stay organized, allowing him to block out time for critical tasks and protect those periods from distractions.
Staying in the loop
Bouffaron notes that Twitter/X, newsletters, key publications, and various tech influencers each morning represent about 20 per cent of his efforts to stay informed. The remaining 80 per cent comes from his close network, supplemented by occasional events and conferences. He recommends checking the Hello Tomorrow network for mainstream deep tech news and attending their annual event.
He concluded, “Be bold! And keep on loving.”
Take a look at his articles here for more information and perspectives on his expertise.
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The post Pierrick Bouffaron: Navigating the frontier of deep tech and entrepreneurship appeared first on e27.