Its originality: the creation of a web site for company founders that are searching investors
The young firm has just been created in Sophia Antipolis. Its name makes think about three characteristics that are making the world today: start-ups, the idea of an important growth, and the Net economy 'e'. Its professional area: to help start-ups, NTICs (new technologies in information and communication) to find investors. Its sponsors are I-Roe that helps start-ups throughout Europe; Pittori Conseil (Dominique Martini is the person who helped Aucland in its big funds levy; Start-Up Connexion (read down there) and Christophe Dupont Respublica's founder and who is now a great sophipolitan character.
On the Internet, delay is failure
'What we can say is that in the Internet world, there are some remarkable success stories, but also a great deal of excellent ideas that do not find money as early as it would be necessary', Olivier Martoli, 34 explains. Olivier Martoli is Up-e new executive officer and former administrative and financial director at Respublica's. 'And on the Internet, a six months delay for the realisation of a project can lead to a failure. In another hand, we know some investors that are looking for good ideas to finance, actually they prefer to invest in the Internet sector, more attractive than the iron and steel industry sector! Our idea was to create a virtual meeting place between these both communities'
Up-e Internet site (www.up-e.com) will be online from April, 4. The team has already selected more than 50 interesting projects that will be shown in the site. Olivier Martoli puts forward Up-e originality: 'First of all, our activity will be entirely dedicated to the NTIC. Then, our point of view is not to take money from those who do not have any, because, on the contrary, some rival sites make the creators pay. When there is not any funds rising, the access to the site is free for the creator. As soon as it has found capital, Up-e enters the firm capital. To remain selective, our goal is to select only one project out of ten'.
Soon, creators will be able to sell their own site thanks to Up-e. Their premise at the CICA is already to much narrow for them (8 people), Up-e is waiting for available premises to recruit in order to reach the number of 15 people (the premises lack is one of the most important problem in the start-ups sector). But to settle in Sophia Antipolis is a great advantage: ' The technopole image is excellent. This great number of start-ups make the French Riviera feel younger.'
Contact: mercoli@up-e.com