---
title: 'AI Applied Researcher at Hexa'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/ai-applied-researcher-hexa-paris-53kn32pw1hgb'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-13'
---

# AI Applied Researcher at Hexa

- **Company:** Hexa
- **Location:** Paris, France
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-08-24
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/hexa/8ab7f165-f414-49ab-875e-1442ebd43d5d/application

**Skills:** Multimodal models, Acoustic models, Self-supervised learning, Fine-tuning, Sensor fusion, Edge ML, Model optimization, Audio processing, Signal processing, Time-series analysis, ML stack development, Defense experience, Maritime experience, Robotics experience, Autonomous driving experience

> Design, train, and deploy multimodal acoustic models for autonomous maritime protection. Build end-to-end training pipelines, fuse sensor data, and optimize models for edge hardware in real-world sea trials.

## Job description

Full-time · On-site (Paris Marseille Amsterdam) The sea is the physical layer of the economy—the conduit for our energy, communications, and trade. It is also Europe’s exposed flank. Pelagon is building the answer. Founded by [Aymeric](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adepontbriand/?locale=en) (serial deeptech entrepreneur; founded & exited Scortex, Leading AI solution for manufacturing quality) and [Gauthier](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauthier-bouxin/?locale=en) (Navy officer and McKinsey), Pelagon is building a foundational multimodal acoustic model for autonomous maritime protection (underwater and surface) in service of European sovereignty. It will be deployed on a distributed, autonomous network of vectors (UUVs, buoys, sailbuoys, seabed…) to provide real-time understanding of underwater threats. France and Europe have world-class acoustic engineers and a long history in underwater warfare. By bridging this expertise with modern physical-AI strategies (as seen in autonomous driving and robotics). Europe is still missing it’s naval NeoPrime, Pelagon aims to become to lead the way in autonomous marine protection—from detection to interception—partnering with leading navies, primes, and neo-primes, while also operating its own fleet as a service. Pelagon is backed by [Hexa](http://hexa.cc/), the pioneer startup studio in Europe, which has launched 35+ companies, including unicorns like Front, Aircall, and Spendesk, combining €230m+ ARR and €750m raised.

## Why this matters

The sea is the physical layer of the economy — and Europe's most exposed flank. Submarines, drones and threats move through it unseen because the ocean is opaque by default. Pelagon exists to change that: to give Europe a real-time, sovereign understanding of what moves beneath the surface, from detection to interception. At the core of that mission is a maritime foundational perception model — Pelagon's equivalent of the perception stack that made autonomous driving possible, but for the underwater domain. As an AI Engineer, you own the models at the heart of it, from research to deployment on a distributed, autonomous fleet of UUVs, buoys, sailbuoys and seabed sensors.

## What you'll do

- Design, train and ship state-of-the-art multimodal and acoustic models for underwater detection, classification and localization.
- Build the training pipeline end to end: self-supervised pre-training on large unlabeled acoustic corpora, then fine-tuning for specific threats.
- Fuse acoustic, kinematic and other sensor modalities into a single representation that holds up in low-SNR, real-world conditions.
- Shape Pelagon's data strategy — how we capture, curate and compound proprietary data from our own fleet into a durable advantage.
- Distill and optimize models to run on the edge: compute- and power-constrained hardware aboard autonomous vectors at sea.
- Close the loop with sea trials — turn field data and failure cases into the next iteration.

## What we look for

- Strong track record training models deployed in production, ideally on audio, signal, time-series or other non-image modalities.
- A physical-AI mindset: you've worked where models meet messy sensor data and real hardware, not just clean benchmarks.
- Instinct for data strategy — you treat the data flywheel as a core part of the model, not an afterthought.
- Confortable across the ML stack: data, architecture, training, evaluation and deployment. Bias for shipping; you measure success by what works at sea.
- Bonus: background in signal processing, or experience in defense, maritime, robotics or autonomous driving.

## Why join now

- Founding ownership. You'll be one of the first engineers and will define the technical foundation of the company. Meaningful equity comes with that.
- A mission with weight. This is hardware that protects critical infrastructure and Europe's maritime space.
- Real things, in the real ocean, fast. You'll see your work in the water within weeks, not years.
- AI-first, at the edge, in the real world. We train our own models and run them where it counts: in the water, on the device. You'll be solving the edge-ML and power problems most companies only talk about.
- A sovereign, European deeptech at the inflection point of a market with strong NATO and EU policy momentum behind it.

## About Hexa

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Hexa is a multi-stage startup studio that partners with founders to build, launch, and scale software companies from scratch.
- **Entity Type**: Private (multi-stage startup studio; operates Start, Sprint, and Scale tracks)
- **Headquarters**: Paris, France (12 rue Martel 75010)
- **Founded**: 2011
- **Founders**: Not publicly listed as a single founder; built as a studio by a founding team.

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Venture Building / Startup Studio / Company Creation
- Target customers: Aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs (B2B, B2C, Enterprise tech founders)
- Mission or purpose statement: "To build alongside founders, not from the sidelines" – creating companies that leave a mark on the world by combining hands-on operational support with capital.

## Products & Services
- **Hexa Start**: A 12-month, intensive program for entrepreneurs who want to build a company from scratch (often before they have a concrete idea). Hexa provides the idea, team, co-founder, and covers all costs until the company becomes independent.
- **Hexa Sprint**: A 6-month program for founding teams who already have an idea and are looking for their first check (pre-seed). Offers €500k (€20k convertible note for 4% + €480k convertible note with MFN & cap at €8M).
- **Hexa Scale**: A growth-stage program for post-product-market-fit companies ($1–10M ARR, 10–40% YoY growth). Hexa invests €5–20M per company, takes a majority stake, and provides hands-on operational support (GTM, product, AI strategy, international expansion, hiring) for 9–12 months.
- **In-house Expertise**: 30+ experts in Product Design, Product Management, Engineering (via hired teams), GTM, Sales, Marketing, Finance, Legal, People & Talent, Comms & Brand, Community, and Investing.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Combined valuation of launched companies exceeds **$5 billion**.
- **Key Metric**: **50+ companies launched**; **2,600+ employees** across portfolio companies; **12 exits**.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not explicitly listed on the site, but the studio itself acts as the primary investor and operator. Portfolio includes multiple billion-dollar companies (names not publicly listed in the provided data).
- **Growth Signals**: Studio has been operating since 2011 and has scaled from 0 to 50+ companies. The addition of the Scale track indicates a pivot to later-stage growth. Receives ~1,000 founder applications per year, selecting ~12 founders (2 per project) annually for the Start track.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Hands-on, not hands-off**: Unlike traditional accelerators or VCs, Hexa provides a full in-house team of operators (product, design, GTM, legal, finance) working alongside founders for 12 months (Start) or 9–12 months (Scale).
- **Founder-friendly majority stake**: For Scale, Hexa takes a majority stake but claims to be "the world’s most founder-friendly majority investor" – founders remain in the driver's seat with active board support.
- **Proven track record**: 50+ companies, $5B combined valuation, 12 exits, spanning 12+ years of SaaS expertise.
- **End-to-end platform**: Covers the entire lifecycle from idea (Start) to pre-seed (Sprint) to growth (Scale) – rare in the startup studio space.
- **Built-in network & resources**: Founders get immediate access to a team of 30+ experts, legal, finance, recruiting, and a community of other founders.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling the Scale track**: The newer Hexa Scale program is a key growth driver, targeting profitable, capital-efficient B2B SaaS companies with $1–10M ARR.
- **AI & embedded finance**: Hexa Scale explicitly helps companies with AI strategy and adding fintech/embedded finance capabilities.
- **International expansion**: Helping portfolio companies expand into new geographies and verticals.
- **Maintaining high selectivity**: Keeping the Start track highly curated (~12 founders/year) to ensure deep support and quality outcomes.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: "You'll never build alone" – the studio emphasizes deep collaboration, ambition, humility, and execution. The team is composed of entrepreneurs and expert operators.
- **Remote/Hybrid Policy**: Hexa is based in Paris. For the Start track, a presence at HQ is important to benefit from resources and mentorship. Sprint is remote-friendly but based in France/Europe for events. Scale is likely remote-friendly with in-person board/partner meetings.
- **Perks & Engineering Culture**: No software engineers in the core team – each startup's product is built by engineers recruited specifically for that company. This means engineers get to join a funded startup with a built-in support system from day one. The studio provides legal, finance, recruiting, and strategic support so engineers can focus on product.
- **Career Path**: Two kinds of roles: (1) the core team that builds the machine (partners, product managers, designers, GTM, finance, legal) and (2) founding hires inside the startups coming out of the studio. Either way, you're in "before it exists" – a high-risk, high-reward environment with significant ownership and impact.

## Sources
1. [hexa.com](https://www.hexa.com/)
2. [hexa.com/positions](https://www.hexa.com/positions)
3. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/hexa](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/hexa)
4. [hexa.com/team](https://www.hexa.com/team)
5. [hexa.com/faq](https://www.hexa.com/faq)

## Other roles at Hexa

- [Head of Sales @Verso (backed by Hexa)](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-sales-verso-backed-by-hexa-hexa-paris-b8q3hr2jr323) — Paris, France
- [Founding AI Engineer @Plato (backed by Hexa)](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-ai-engineer-plato-backed-by-hexa-hexa-paris-sn4953gbcrg2) — Paris, France
- [Chief of Staff - Hardware Projects](https://feeny.ai/job/chief-of-staff-hardware-projects-hexa-bruxelles-fepc37h0nfje) — Bruxelles, Belgium
- [Acoustic Researcher](https://feeny.ai/job/acoustic-researcher-hexa-paris-r1c6sf9bj6bq) — Paris, France
- [Founder Associate Intern @Hexa (WTF Studio)](https://feeny.ai/job/founder-associate-intern-hexa-wtf-studio-hexa-paris-h4ebf6ydw94h) — Paris, France
- [Founding GTM @Verso (backed by Hexa)](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-gtm-verso-backed-by-hexa-hexa-paris-01h4n40bn24n) — Paris, France
- [Product Lead @Panora](https://feeny.ai/job/product-lead-panora-hexa-paris-ee6kk0aa9en7) — Paris, France
- [Founding Partnership](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-partnership-hexa-new-york-2606z58f6z9v) — New York, NY
- [Forward Deployed Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/forward-deployed-engineer-hexa-remote-snkj9m1s70wn)
- [Software Engineer @Panora (backed by Hexa)](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-panora-backed-by-hexa-hexa-paris-bqaxpknsz9ee) — Paris, France