With Cogofly, this KEDGE graduate offers you the chance to never travel alone again!

A 2004 KEDGE Business School graduate, Franck Lagathu hopes to offer Cogofly users the chance to get in touch with other travellers worldwide so they never have to travel alone again!

For Franck, currently an executive sales rep at Airbus Helicopters and previously a sales person in the property sector, a new adventure is about to begin with the launch of Cogofly. A graduate holding a DEUG (General Academic Studies Degree) in Mathematics, a Bachelor’s degree in Physics, an MSE (Business Strategy Management) and a KEDGE Business School MBA, he launched Cogofly on 21 June 2016.

The creation of this new social network came from a simple realisation in 2006: too many people travel alone! Unexpected life events and his move to Munich for 4 years forced him to put the project on hold.

Upon his return from Germany in 2010 he refined his project for 5 years, during which he had many interesting encounters. The testimonials that he gathered helped him to nurture his idea and finally approve a guiding principle.

“Cogofly has become an international platform that helps people to not travel alone, whether that is during their holidays, a weekend, perhaps just a day, or outside of a business trip,” explains Franck.

Although Cogofly’s site helps you to find someone close to home or across the world, it doesn’t stop you planning your holidays alone, in a couple, in a group or as a family: you are able to change your searches according to your mood at the time. Optional socio-professional have been put in place in order to choose people who have the same hobbies, areas of interests or, why not, who work in the same line of business as you. “The genesis of Cogoflyers is born and our key words are: trust, respect and sharing...”, Franck points out.

In 2017, Franck wants to build as many partnerships as possible with travel agencies, tour operators, bloggers and airlines (some are already visible on the site). Cogofly, and his strong ambitions, also expect investors in 2017, and popularity via the upcoming crowd-funding campaign, in order to go further with the adventure (a premium offer with twenty or so possible choices, a pro account and advertising will all be available) (you've been warned...).

He has fond memories of his education at the Marseille campus: “KEDGE helped me to better understand the world of business. Being confronted with case studies, accounting plans, business cases, etc., helped me to better grasp all the subjects that a company director has to master in order to make their company a great, yet calm, success. This education also helped me, on a more personal level, to surround myself with a very good network, who I have the pleasure of seeing outside, and also, during co-working sessions organised by KEDGE Alumni.”

He also has a message to send to his juniors: “I encourage students with a variety of skills to talk to each other and to participate in networking workshops in order to better prepare their start-up projects. It’s a great adventure, which is worth experiencing, even though it brings some risks with it. It is when faced with failure that we learn the best! Either we persist so that one day or another we come across an innovative, flourishing and useful concept. Or we decide to become/remain salaried and all that will have been learned on the ground will be a plus and will highlight your CV. In any case, we win! Motivation and belligerence are the keys to success. And my personal one: never give up!”

More information:

https://www.facebook.com/Cogofly-713356962151536/

http://www.cogofly.com/en/

Contractor Entrepreneurship MBA Start up Tourism Travel