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Ouihelp

Health Tech & Medtech · Paris, France · Founded 2016

Ouihelp operates in the French home care services market, a sector valued at approximately €10 billion. The company was founded in January 2016 by Pierre-Emmanuel Bercegeay, Victor Sebag, and Bastien Gandouet. Bercegeay, a graduate of EM Lyon and a former consultant at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), serves as the company's president. Sebag, a polytechnicien and former colleague of Bercegeay at BCG, is the Chief Operating Officer, responsible for service quality and operational processes. Gandouet is an alumnus of Centrale. The founding trio was motivated to address the challenges faced by families navigating the complex and often stressful world of finding reliable care for aging relatives. The company provides a technology-driven platform that connects families with carefully selected, experienced caregivers for elderly individuals and those with disabilities who wish to remain in their homes. Its business model is centered on providing a high-quality, personalized service while also improving working conditions for caregivers. Unlike traditional agencies, Ouihelp operates without physical offices, instead having its care coordinators visit clients' homes to define service needs, which reduces overhead costs. This allows the company to offer higher pay to its caregivers—reportedly 10% to 20% above the minimum wage—enhancing recruitment and retention in a high-demand field. Revenue is generated from an hourly rate for services, which ranges between €22 and €26, with clients being eligible for a 50% tax credit. The caregivers are directly paid by the users, operating as independent contractors (mandataires), although the company has recently started acquiring traditional agencies and employing salaried caregivers under a new brand, Joya. Ouihelp's core service is a comprehensive, one-stop-shop platform for in-home assistance. It caters to families seeking support for relatives experiencing a loss of autonomy, offering services that range from daily personal care like assistance with washing and dressing, to household chores, meal preparation, companionship, and escorting to appointments. The platform provides families and caregivers with full visibility into the care process. A key feature is the meticulous selection of caregivers, requiring a minimum of three years' experience and passing a multi-step vetting process. The service is designed to be highly personalized, ensuring the same caregiver assists a client to build a relationship of trust. Beyond basic assistance, Ouihelp coordinates with other health professionals and services, such as nurses or occupational therapists, and assists with obtaining medical equipment and navigating financial aid applications. Recently, the company launched a second brand, Joya, to cater to a broader audience, including individuals with disabilities and those returning home after hospitalization, with a focus on optimizing access to public funding. Since its inception, Ouihelp has achieved significant milestones, including being recognized by the Bourse Charles Foix in 2016 and becoming the first European company in its sector to be B Corp certified. The company has secured substantial funding, raising a total of $35.8 million over three main rounds. Key funding includes a Seed round in 2016, €3 million in 2018, and a significant Series B round of €30 million ($32.1M) in May 2022, led by investors Creadev and Future Positive Capital, with participation from historical backer XAnge. In early 2024, it secured an additional €20 million from its investors to fuel a strategy of acquiring smaller, traditional home care agencies. Keywords: elderly care, home assistance, silver economy, in-home support, caregiver platform, dependent care, aging in place, long-term care, personal care services, home healthcare, assisted living, disability support, senior care technology, B Corp, care coordination, respite care, post-hospitalization care, Alzheimer's care, Parkinson's care, personalized care plans, French tech, caregiving, assisted daily living, managed care, home support services