We met Clément, co-founder and CEO of Agicap, a startup partner of Akimbo. During this interview, Clément explained to us in detail how the startup he launched works, the goals for 2020 and the reasons for joining them.
Hello Clément, can you tell us about the beginnings of Agicap?
I am the CEO and co-founder of Agicap. My background is quite classical: I took a preparatory class and then joined a business school, EM Lyon. After school, I worked in strategy consulting in the banking sector where I met Sébastien Beyet, my partner.
It is during these support missions that the need for companies to better manage their cash flow jumped out at us. So we decided to set up Agicap at the end of September 2016 while we were still working. This allowed us to conduct hundreds of interviews with business leaders to fully understand their needs and what solutions to offer them. So we teamed up with Lucas Bertola, our CTO, to develop this tool. In March 2017, we developed a PoC (proof of concept) that we tried to sell very quickly.
The turning point? End of 2018: we managed to import all bank flows automatically into the application : we went from 100 to 500 customers in less than a year and we went upscale with larger companies. Finally, in July 2019, the company raised 2.5 million euros. Since then, we have been growing the size of the team and consolidating the product.
Can you explain Agicap's value proposition to us?
Cash management is one of the three most important topics for business leaders. Did you know that 25,000 businesses close every year for poor cash management, even though they are profitable? It is a major problem!
Agicap is therefore an online application that allows managers or administrative and financial directors (DaFs) to manage their projected cash flow in order to always be in control. This involves three steps:
- Set a provisional budget - 3 to 6 months in advance
- Automate the update of your budget to find out the differences and readjust your future budget iteratively
- Scenarizing the impact of the hypotheses of your choice on cash flow (hiring, investment, fundraising, etc.)
The application completely replaces the Excel file with a automated and intelligent solution, with a machine learning system, which identifies flows and classifies them into the right categories of collection and disbursement. This affects businesses from all backgrounds: Tech startups, the restaurant industry, industry, retail, construction, etc.
What does the Sales job at Agicap consist of?
We must restore the profession of Sales to its former glory: it is much more complex and strategic than it seems. Before starting an entrepreneur, you should start with the Business Development. It is a job that requires rigor and discipline. You need real intelligence in the exchange and the ability to listen in order to allow your prospect to express their needs.
Business Development is the art of making your interlocutor “intelligent”. It is a profession far from being mechanical and which is also similar to advice: there is a very scientific approach that requires the use of precise tools and methods, as well as a lot of preparation before and after the appointments. At Agicap, Sales qualify the prospects sent by the Marketing Department and hunt them themselves, which represents around forty appointments per week.
How is the Agicap Sales team organized?
The Sales team at Agicap is composed of:
- 4 Sales Development Representatives (SDRs)
- 4 Account Executives (AEs) who sign deals qualified by the SDRs.
- There are also 6 people on the Marketing team.
SDRs and AEs have very specific roles (see our Sales lexicon).
What qualities Are you looking for a Sales or a Business Developer?
We are mainly looking for hunter profiles. For us, it is essential to have a winning spirit and to demonstrate combativeness in brimming with energy and enthusiasm.
To become Sales or Business Developer, you must have a strong desire to discover and understand the business of our interlocutors by understanding each call in all its specificity (context, persona, timing, etc.). At Agicap, we love personalities with a real team spirit, solidarity, and who love sharing good times with teammates.
What are the priorities of the year at Agicap?
The goals for 2020 are mainly to tripling the size of the Sales team in the next 6 months, while maintaining the same DNA, namely: maintaining a very “cockpit” spirit, with maximum transparency and horizontality to give your all in a good atmosphere.
There is also a big challenge on the technical part. make the product scalable and insure the maintainability of the solution. Finally, we will work on the ergonomics and functional depth of the product, having just recruited Designers and two Product Managers.
As a Sales or Business Developer, why join Agicap today?
If you want to join a A team that gives its all composed of autonomous, responsible people, with a Formal but relaxed environment, a true spirit of camaraderie, to have The opportunity to experience a full-fledged adventure and benefit from high salaries, Agicap is definitely the right choice. We are waiting for you in Lyon!
.webp)
