SMART@WORK: how do medium-sized companies support start-ups?
Aired on the BSMART television channel, the programme SMART@WORK is releasing a special edition on the ties between medium-sized companies and start-ups. On this occasion, Xavier Laurent, Manutan Group Director of Mergers & Acquisitions has come to talk about the “Moov’with Manutan” programme, which aims to support innovative start-ups in the B2B sphere in developing their offering.
In the studio, the journalist Eva Ben-Saadi also welcomed the founders and CEO of the programme’s three winning start-ups:
- Raphaël Brochard for PICNIC
- Guillaume Blanc for MerciYanis
- Jérôme Armand for Mon Entrepreneur Social
Driven by entrepreneurial values, the Manutan Group is convinced of the benefit of supporting young companies in their development. Xavier Laurent highlights the stimulating merits because, for these start-ups, “Everything is possible and, in a company like ours where we have 2,300 [employees], it does us a world of good to have people breaking down barriers .”
So this programme includes accommodation on the European campus as well as support from sponsors and business experts, and the young start-ups also receive many benefits. They will be able to draw from the different expertise of the European leader in B2B e-commerce, gain inspiration from its culture based on well-working, and co-create business opportunities. Jérôme Armand wholeheartedly agrees, “We’ll be delighted to test our services with Manutan or its partners’ facilities management departments!”
And that’s the strength of this initiative: bringing together players who work in the same sphere. Guillaume Blanc emphasises this to his peers, “Given that we share the same market, I’m convinced that we can do what we’re going to do with Manutan, together: thinking about a shared offering, finding customers, and putting forward a true vision of what management of general expenses will look like in the future.”
Manutan believes in this new generation of entrepreneurs, with Xavier Laurent emphasising, “We want to help this ecosystem because we believe it’s our role”. It’s a real win-win operation that should create wonderful dynamics and synergies in the B2B world.