OPTIMUM AUTOMOTIVE raises €14 M
OPTIMUM AUTOMOTIVE 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 AUTOMOTIVE, now a key player in fleet optimization thanks to the intelligent processing of connected data, today announced 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 long-standing shareholders: the co-investment fund Région Sud Investissement, advised by Groupe Turenne for the management of its holdings, the 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 now expect service offerings that will enable them to measurably reduce their operating costs, lower the environmental impact of their fleets, and facilitate the move towards electric vehicles and new forms of mobility such as car-sharing and car-pooling.
Founded by Daniel Vassallucci in Aix-en-Provence in 2006, Optimum Automotive (also operating under the Mapping Control brand) meets these expectations. Over the last few years, it has built up a constantly updated data collection and management platform, linked to all players in the automotive sector (automakers, equipment manufacturers, distributors, public authorities, fleet service providers, etc.). On this basis, the company has developed a comprehensive range of services for fleet managers, including fleet management and optimization assistance, vehicle geolocation, driver behavior monitoring and car-sharing/carpooling.
Thanks to these services, offered on a modular, subscription basis, Optimum Automotive helps its customers to reduce their energy and consumables consumption and their environmental impact, and to gradually switch to other transport solutions (car-sharing/electric vehicles). Its services enable significant reductions in the GHG emissions of the fleets it operates (2.7 tonnes eq CO2 /vehicle/year) and in energy consumption (8.5 MWh/vehicle/year). The Group, which operates in France and Africa, has more than 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 Automotive is today raising €14 million from Paris Fonds Vert (€8 million) managed by Demeter, supported by the City of Paris and lead manager of the deal, Amundi Private Equity Funds (€2 million), and its historical financial shareholders: the co-investment fund Région Sud Investissement advised by Groupe Turenne for the management of its holdings (€2M), the Cap Développement fund managed by A+Finance (€1.5M) and SCR Provençale et Corse, a subsidiary of Banque Populaire Méditerranée (€0.5M).
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: on the one hand, to continue establishing itself in the fast-growing French market for connected fleet management services. The priority is to equip a growing proportion of existing business vehicle fleets with connections enabling them to access the wide range of services offered by Optimum Automotive, and thereby optimize their fleets.
The aim is also to expand into new European markets by adapting the services offered to the characteristics of each market, mainly through external growth. Optimum Automotive also aims to increase its presence on the African continent, where it has already been present since 2015 through its Moroccan and Ivorian subsidiaries.
Daniel Vassallucci, Chairman and founder of Optimum Automotive, comments:
" I'm delighted to see Optimum Automotive take this next step. This fund-raising, carried out with investors who share both our ambitions and our values, 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 two-fold: on the one hand, we aim to win new fleets in France and abroad through external growth, in order to rapidly reach several hundred thousand operated vehicles; and on the other hand, we intend to accelerate 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 Automotive and its management in their growth in France and abroad. We are convinced by the technological quality of Optimum Automotive'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. We see Optimum Automotive's services as accelerating the conversion of fleets to green mobility, and in particular to electric vehicles. Through this investment by the 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 Automotive :
Bpi Excellence-labeled Pass French Tech company with nearly 70 employees. Capitalizing on more than 14 years of expertise in the connected vehicle market, Optimum Automotive designs, develops and markets innovative solutions for companies and local authorities with vehicle fleets, as well as for the various players in the automotive sector: leasing companies, distributors, insurers, etc. Present in France and internationally, Optimum Automotive operates more than 80,000 equipped vehicles, representing more than 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 at all stages of their development, from innovative startups to high-growth SMEs and infrastructure projects. The 35-strong Demeter team, based in Paris, Grenoble, Metz, Madrid and Munster, manages €1 billion and has made 130 investments since 2005. Paris Fonds Vert is a growth capital fund with a territorial impact, created at the initiative of the City of Paris to accelerate the energy and ecological transition of major metropolises.
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