Joel Lautier

Joel Lautier

Venture Partner, Waarde Capital

Joel Lautier is a seasoned investment professional with more than two decades of experience spanning venture capital, private equity, and cross-border M&A, with a particular focus on Europe, Asia, and the CIS region. He currently serves as Venture Partner at Waarde Capital, a global venture fund pursuing a dual strategy: investing in breakthrough technologies in mature markets and driving the growth of the digital economy in Africa.

In addition, he is the Founder of Evergreen Advisory Services, where he advises startup entrepreneurs and private business owners on strategy and fundraising. Fluent in French, English, Russian, and Spanish, Joel leverages his multicultural background to bring a rare cross-cultural perspective to both business and investment.

Before his career in finance, Joel was a world-class chess Grandmaster and Junior World Champion. Ranked among the top 20 players worldwide, he remains one of the very few to hold a lifetime positive score against the legendary Garry Kasparov.