Yves Sisteron co-founded Upfront Ventures after leading North American investments for Carrefour, where he backed major retail chains like Costco and Starbucks, giving him an unusual retail-operator perspective among VCs that still shapes how he evaluates consumer businesses today. He focuses heavily on early proof of hustle over pedigree, backing founders who have already built scrappy, profitable businesses and are constrained only by capital rather than demand, then stays intentionally hands-off post-investment once convinced the entrepreneur is fully formed. Yves Sisteron co-founded Upfront Ventures after leading North American investments for Carrefour, where he backed major retail chains like Costco and Starbucks, giving him an unusual retail-operator perspective among VCs that still shapes how he evaluates consumer businesses today. He focuses heavily on early proof of hustle over pedigree, backing founders who have already built scrappy, profitable businesses and are constrained only by capital rather than demand, then stays intentionally hands-off post-investment once convinced the entrepreneur is fully formed.