The EIS Navigator 95 How to build successful startups in manufacturing and operations with Renan Devillieres of OSS Ventures
Manufacturing and operations is an area that has been much neglected by venture capital, but has plenty of issues that can be address. Renan Devillieres of venture builder OSS Ventures focuses on this space, with distinct methods and successful results. In this episode we discuss how he goes about creating successful new businesses, with very good results to date.
In a wide ranging discussion, Renan discusses:
- what is venture building
- the process for finding pain points in factories
- how Renan characterises different operations
- why there is still so much low hanging fruit in this area
- what sorts of manufacturers are open to change
- how to make sure there is enough initial customers and how to work with them
- working with different tech stacks
- how to make sure that companies don't customise for specific clients
- making the OSS fire itself from each company
- the different markets and sales processes he sees
- finding the right founders and the skill sets they need
- the effect of AI
- how the global manufacturing model of the past 30 years is changing now
Its a great conversation with lots of insights from Renan and a must listen for investors and founders who want to build successful businesses.
01:30 Renan introduces himself
02:45 introduction to OSS
04:00 what is venture building?
09:00 finding pain points in factories
13:15 how the regulatory environment can affect go-to-market strategies
17:30 why is there so much low hanging fruit
21:00 how different manufacturers are stuck or open to change
25:30 finding the first customers
29:00 working with clients to build viable solutions without customising too much
32:00 how the OSS team fires itself
37:00 how different software has different sales and decision making processes
41:20 the necessary founder skills
44:15 how AI is affecting manufacturing
49:10 trends in manufacturing and how its all changing now
55:30 favourite questions
Links
OSS Ventures website - https://www.oss.ventures/
Subscribe to the EIS Navigator podcast on most services here: https://the-eis-navigator.captivate.fm/listen
Suggested books and media
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
Empty Planet by Darrell Bricker & John Ibbitson
Bio
Renan Devillières,
CEO OSS Ventures
A graduate of the Ecole Normale Supérieure and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Renan began his career as a consultant at McKinsey, before becoming an economist at the OECD and then strategic project manager for the Richemont Group. After his various experiences, Renan launched into entrepreneurship by founding a start-up, which he later sold. Having always been attracted to tech and industry, Renan co-founded OSS Ventures in 2019 with the mission of supporting French industry in its technological, environmental, social and societal transition from industry 2.0 to industry 4.0.