OPTIMUM raises €14 million
OPTIMUM RAISES €14M FROM PARIS FONDS VERT, AMUNDI PRIVATE EQUITY FUNDS AND HISTORICAL FINANCIAL SHAREHOLDERS: REGION SUD INVESTISSEMENT, A+ FINANCE AND SCR PROVENCALE ET CORSE (BANQUE POPULAIRE MEDITERRANEE)
OPTIMUM is an undisputed player in fleet optimization thanks to the intelligent processing of connected data. It announced today that it has raised €14 million from new funds:
- Paris Fonds Vert, a fund managed by Demeter and supported by the City of Paris,
- Amundi Private Equity Funds, and new investments from three historical shareholders: the co-investment fund Région Sud Investissement, advised by Groupe Turenne for the management of its holdings
- Cap Développement fund managed by A+Finance and SCR Provençale et Corse, a subsidiary of Banque Populaire Méditerranée.
A leader in connected car services
The development of connected services is revolutionizing fleet management. Fleet managers are looking for services that can measurably reduce their operating costs. The move towards electric vehicles has become a priority. New forms of mobility, such as car-sharing and car-pooling, are at the heart of their expectations.
Created by Daniel Vassallucci in Aix-en-Provence in 2006, Optimum meets these expectations. It has set up a constantly updated data collection and management platform. It is linked to all players in the automotive sector (automakers, equipment manufacturers, distributors, government agencies, fleet service providers, etc.). On this basis, the company has developed a comprehensive range of services for fleet managers. This includes assistance, fleet management and optimization, vehicle geolocation, driver behavior monitoring and car-sharing/carpooling.
These services are offered on a modular, subscription basis. Optimum helps its customers to reduce their energy and consumables consumption and their environmental impact. Gradually, it helps them switch to other transport solutions (carpooling/electric vehicles). Its services enable significant reductions:
- GHG emissions from operated fleets (2.7 tonnes eq CO2 /vehicle/year)
- energy consumption (8.5 MWh/vehicle/year).
The Group, which operates in France and Africa, has over 80,000 vehicles under contract, owned or leased by a total of 4,000 companies and local authorities of various sizes. Around 30% of these fleets are located in the Paris region. The Group employs 69 people.
Industrializing services for fleet managers
Optimum announced today that it has raised €14 million, with Paris Fonds Vert, managed by Demeter and supported by the City of Paris, contributing €8 million and acting as lead manager, and Amundi Private Equity Funds contributing €2 million. The historical financial shareholders are also participating:
- SCR Provençale et Corse, a subsidiary of Banque Populaire Méditerranée, with €0.5 million
- Région Sud Investissement, advised by Groupe Turenne, with €2 million
- Cap Développement, managed by A+Finance, with €1.5 million
The funds raised are mainly intended to finance the Group and, to a lesser extent, the liquidity of historical business angels.
Following the transaction, Daniel Vassallucci retains control and presidency of the company.
The company's ambition is twofold. Firstly, it aims to further establish itself in the fast-growing French market for connected fleet management services. The priority is to equip a growing proportion of existing business fleets. These connections will enable vehicles to access Optimum's varied services. This will help optimize fleet management.
Optimum is also targeting new European markets. The aim is to adapt services to the specific features of each market. This expansion will be achieved mainly through external growth. The company is also looking to strengthen its presence in Africa. Present on the continent since 2015, it has subsidiaries in Morocco and Côte d'Ivoire.
Daniel Vassallucci, Chairman and founder of Optimum, comments:
" I'm delighted to see Optimum take this next step. This fund-raising, carried out with investors who share both our ambitions and our values. It is undoubtedly the starting point for the construction of an international French group in the field of connected services for vehicle fleets. Our growth ambitions are built on two axes. On the one hand, we aim to win new customers, in France and abroad, through external growth, so as to rapidly reach several hundred thousand operated vehicles. Secondly, we are accelerating the implementation of our strategy to offer additional value-added services to fleet managers (consulting, outsourced management, etc.), through partnerships or acquisitions. ".
Lionel Cormier, Managing Partner of Demeter (Paris Fonds Vert) declares:
" We are delighted to support Optimum and its management team in their growth in France and abroad. We are convinced by the technological quality of Optimum's solutions, and by their relevance to the needs of professional fleet managers, whose priority is both to control their costs (TCO) and to reduce their environmental impact. And the Optimum's services act as a gas pedal in the conversion of fleets to green mobility, and in particular to electric vehicles. Through this investment by Paris Green Fund, Demeter is bringing all its expertise and network to bear on the development of an international champion of sustainable mobility. ".
Investors :
- Demeter : Lionel Cormier, Eric Vincent
- Amundi Private Equity Funds: Julien Jaud, Frédéric Labia
- Région Sud Investissement advised by Groupe Turenne: Marie Desportes
- A+Finance : Jean-Michel Sibué
- SCR Provençale & Corse: Sauveur Cascone
Advice :
- Corporate financial advisor: goetzpartners (Guillaume Piette, Antoine Leclere, Camille Périssère)
- Corporate legal assistance: Cabinet Lamartine (Clyve Monfredo, Jessica Bianchi)
- Investor legal assistance: Latournerie Wolfrom (Christian Wolfrom, Justine Conrard),
- Legal assistance for SCR Provençale et Corse: SCP Bollet & Associés (Denis Periano, Jean-BaptisteDeprez)
- Revue juridique : Latournerie Wolfrom (Christian Wolfrom, Justine Conrard, Marie-Hélène Tonnellier,Etienne Guillou, Sarah-Jane Mirou, Claire Decoux Laroudie and Sophie Koenig)
- Financial review: ACA Nexia (Laurent Cazebonne, Samy Chiffour)
About Optimum:
Optimum is a Pass French Tech company, accredited by Bpi Excellence. The company has almost 70 employees. With over 14 years' experience in the connected vehicle market, it designs, develops and markets innovative solutions. These solutions are aimed at companies and local authorities with vehicle fleets. They also target automotive players such as rental companies, distributors and insurers. Present in France and abroad, Optimum manages over 80,000 equipped vehicles. These vehicles belong to a portfolio of over 4,000 professional customers.
https://www.optimum-automotive.com
Press contacts :
Communication: Franck Gaultier / f.gaultier@optimum-automotive.com / 07 88 68 49 22
Press agency: Astrid Sergeant / asergeant@agence-sergeantpaper.fr / 07 77 70 71 73
About Demeter
Demeter (www.demeter-im.com) is a major European player in private equity for the energy and ecological transition. Its funds invest between €1 and €30 million to support companies in the sector. They support innovative startups, fast-growing SMEs and ETIs, as well as infrastructure projects.
The Demeter team comprises 35 people based in Paris, Grenoble, Metz, Madrid and Munster. Demeter manages a portfolio of 1 billion euros and has made 130 investments since 2005. Paris Fonds Vert is a growth capital fund with a territorial impact. It was created at the initiative of the City of Paris. Its aim is to accelerate the energy and ecological transition of major cities.
Press contact: Lionel Cormier, Managing Partner / lionel.cormier@demeter-im.com / 01 43 12 53 40
About Amundi Private Equity Funds
With €7.5 billion in assets under management (as at June 30, 2019), Amundi Private Equity Funds offers its retail and institutional clients a wide range of products tailored to their needs. Customers can invest in two types of product: direct funds dedicated to acquiring direct stakes in unlisted companies (in the development and transmission stages) and funds of funds dedicated to investments in private equity, private debt and infrastructure funds.
For further information: www.amundi-pef.com
About Amundi
Amundi is Europe's leading asset manager in terms of assets under management and ranks in the top 10 worldwide. The Group manages €1,563 billion and has six main management platforms. Amundi offers its clients in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and the Americas a wide range of expertise and investment solutions in active and passive management, as well as in real and alternative assets. Amundi customers also have access to a comprehensive range of tools and services. Headquartered in Paris, Amundi has been listed on the stock exchange since November 2015.
Thanks to its unique research capabilities and the talents of nearly 4,500 employees and market experts based in 37 countries, Amundi provides retail, institutional and corporate clients with innovative savings and investment solutions to meet their specific needs, return objectives and risk profiles.
Amundi. Confidence has to be earned.
Visit www.amundi.com for more information or to find an Amundi team near you.
Press contact: Geetha Chandrasegaram - Tel: +33 1 76 37 02 73 - Geetha.chandrasegaram@amundi.com
About Région Sud Investissement
Région Sud Investissement is a regional co-investment fund created in 2010 by the Région Sud Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur to support the emergence and development of regional growth companies. This SAS, with a capital of €80 million, has benefited from the support of Europe through the FEDER fund for 50% of its capital. Since July 2011, this fund, advised by the Turenne Group for the management of its holdings, has already invested in 87 regional companies for a total of €42.9 million.
For more information: www.regionsudinvestissement.com
About the Turenne Group
Groupe Turenne is one of France's leading private equity firms, and has been supporting entrepreneurs for 20 years in their innovation and development projects, as well as in the transfer of their companies. An independent management company approved by the AMF and owned by its employees, the Turenne Group had over €1 billion under management at June 30, 2019. Its teams of 61 professionals, including 46 investors, based in Paris, Marseille, Lille (Nord Capital, in partnership with Crédit Agricole Nord de France), Lyon and Metz, support more than 250 entrepreneurs in the healthcare, hospitality, new technologies, retail and innovative services sectors.
For more information: www.turennecapital.com