Romain Lavielle

Entrepreneur, Mentor and Professor.

Romain Lavielle embodies the bridge between entrepreneurial audacity, academic rigor, and hands-on guidance. His mission? To train, mentor, and invest in turning ideas into impactful businesses.

With a dual background in engineering and management, Romain combines technical expertise, strategic vision, and a passion for teaching entrepreneurship. A graduate of HEC Paris and a computer science engineer, he has founded three companies with diverse models: a freelance agency for corporate clients, a coworking space chain (Digital Village), and a B2B SaaS startup. Today, he is fully dedicated to Impactus, an EdTech company that supports entrepreneurs on their journey to success, while continuing his role in training and coaching future entrepreneurs.

Academic Involvement

Romain is deeply engaged in entrepreneurial education. He serves as a program director (such as for the HEC Paris Entrepreneurship Certificate), mentors student entrepreneurs at institutions including HEC Paris, ECV, and the Ionis Group, and leads workshops on key startup topics such as go-to-market strategy and fundraising preparation.

Expertise and Key Roles

Mentorship & Support: Over 300 projects mentored and 1,000+ pitch decks reviewed, particularly at the HEC Paris Incubator (150+ startups/year) and Ava Capital (100+ investments).
Fundraising & Strategy: Assisted more than 50 entrepreneurs in preparing their fundraising efforts by structuring equity stories, business plans, and go-to-market strategies.
Investment & Dealflow: As Head of Dealflow and Operating Partner at Ava Capital, he leads investment strategy and operational support for the portfolio, and sits on the board of several startups.

Philosophy and Values

Romain believes in personalized, actionable, and reality-based guidance for entrepreneurs. His approach blends:

Academic rigor (HEC Paris) with real-world experience (company creation, investment)
Focus on execution: pragmatic advice to turn ideas into sustainable businesses
Knowledge transfer: a strong commitment to sharing his expertise with new generations of entrepreneurs, students, and professionals

Why Follow Him?

Diverse Experience: From founding companies to investing, mentoring, and teaching
Extensive Network: Active in key ecosystems such as HEC, Station F, and Ava Capital
Pragmatic Vision: Real-world startup advice with a focus on results