Founded in 2016, Energic has developed a digital tool that helps to raise awareness and involvement in environmental activities in companies and schools throughout France.
The Lille-based startup has now raised its first round of €500k from the Innovation by CA Nord de France fund, which is supported by the Crédit Agricole Nord de France, along with business angels Damien Deleplanque and Marc Reneaume. Energic aims to use the funds to expand and grow internationally by 2020.
Energic’s app allows teams to be mobilised to act in concrete ways to help the environment. Eco-friendly rewards (such foosball in recycled cardboard, donation to associations, or tree planting) are awarded to the teams most committed to the process. Today, over 200 teams have taken up the Energic challenge, resulting in over 100,000 eco-friendly activities with an average energy savings of 10%.
Over the past year, companies and local authorities have seen savings through the Energic app, and a reduction in their carbon footprint. These results are achieved by mobilising employees, who also enjoy the “extra meaning” that it brings to their daily work. The Energic challenge has already been adopted by several companies and local authorities, including Orange, EDF, IDEX, the Catholic University of Lille, and the city of Boulogne Billancourt.
“Following the launch, I noticed a real change in awareness and behaviour,” said Françoise Maurange, Assistant Regional Director in charge of HR at IDEX. “We have already changed plastic cups for mugs, then plastic bottles and double-sided prints, and we will surely adopt Energic’s recommendations for the Christmas tree. We will also launch a specific challenge for office supplies for recycling and for eco-friendly supplies, which I hope will bring more impact.”
“In 2019, the team aims to raise the awareness of sustainable development of more than 300,000 people in companies, local authorities and schools across France, thanks in particular to the new version of the mobile app and our network of partners,” said Quentin Oustelandt, cofounder and Head of Operations at Energic. “We will more than double our workforce in the coming weeks with eight new hires, mainly IT developers and sales people. In addition, Energic will expand its previously energy-focused service to print, waste, and mobility to meet the needs of the ever-increasing number of users who want to be more involved in the process. Our ambition is to give everyone the means to act on behalf ot the environment, to demonstrate that this is within the reach of all, and to motivate as many people as possible to act daily. We also plan to deploy the Energic solution internationally by 2020.”
