Famileo

About Famileo

Famileo provides a service designed to bridge the communication gap between different generations within a family. The company was founded in Saint-Malo, France, in 2015 by Tanguy de Gélis and Armel de Lesquen. The inspiration for the business came from de Gélis' personal experience with his grandmother, Elisabeth. After gifting her a tablet to help her stay connected with the family's digital communications, he found she rarely used it and missed receiving traditional letters and postcards. This realization sparked the idea of a service that would accommodate the digital habits of younger generations and the preferences of older relatives for physical media. Prior to founding Famileo, de Gélis had a background in finance and operational roles, and he was influenced by his parents' entrepreneurial journey.

The core of Famileo's offering is a personalized family newspaper, or "gazette." Younger family members use a mobile and web application to upload photos and messages to a private family network. Famileo then automatically compiles these submissions into a customized newspaper format. These gazettes are printed and posted directly to older relatives, who may not be comfortable with modern technology. The business operates on a subscription-based model, with plans available for weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly delivery of the gazette. The service caters to two main client segments: individual families subscribing directly and senior care residences that offer Famileo as part of their services to residents. Initially launched for care homes in France, the service expanded to direct-to-consumer subscriptions in 2017.

The Famileo gazette is designed for readability with large fonts and high-quality photo printing. Each family network can have an unlimited number of contributors, allowing the entire family to participate in creating the newspaper. The service has achieved significant traction, with over 1.8 million users worldwide. Following its success in France, Famileo has expanded internationally, launching in Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, and the United States, with gazettes available in multiple languages. The company also provides a "Famileo Pro" version for care facilities, which includes features like a community wall for announcements and a TV box to display content within the residence.