French startup Solaire Box, which specializes in the construction of eco-friendly wooden houses, has announced closing a pre-Series A round of around €1.4 million, supported by both investment funds and private individuals.
Founded in 2014, Solaire Box is taking on the construction of green ecological houses in France and further afield. The Paris-based team differs from other players in the sector due to its approach and innovative manufacturing process. Having launched to market in 2017, Solaire Box’s houses are designed with 3 unique aspects in mind, including: a structure made from French pine and wood fibre that offers optimal thermal performance; a large photovoltaic roof that produces up to twice as much energy as consumed by its inhabitants; and, a digital approach to design and pre-assembly, as well as deployment of associated services. With this range of studios and homes, Solaire Box wants to enable its customers to adopt a zero-carbon lifestyle and fight global warming without compromising their comfort.
New shareholders participated in its second funding round, joining existing investors investment fund AVIVA Impact Investing, Inter InvestCapital, as well as individual shareholders, notably via the platform Sowefund, the crowdfunding specialist. The funds include €600K brought by Inter Invest Capital for the development of Solaire Box’s subsidiary established in the West Indies and Guyana in 2017.
Thomas Coquil, President and co-founder of Solaire Box said: “We are proud of the trust placed in us by our investors, both existing and new, and are delighted that they offer us the means to work even further towards the ecological transition. A revolution is underway in the field of sustainable housing, and this is the perfect time to seize this opportunity. These funds will enable us to integrate innovative new devices into our products, and accelerate the commercial rollout of our range of homes launched in October 2019.”
In 2020, Solar Box’s innovation programme will allow new eco-components (batteries, green heating, etc.) to be integrated into its models, to increase customization capabilities, and to integrate even more energy-related services. After completing a hundred projects since its inception in 2015, Solaire Box aims to deliver 635 homes by 2023.
Philippe Taffin, of Aviva Impact, commented: “We are very pleased to be part of Solaire Box’s innovative project. With this investment, Aviva marks its active participation in the ecological transition, through a project that also values the French wood sector. In an uncertain economic context, we wish by this round to confirm our support for Solaire Box and wish it every success in its development.”