Class of 1984: 40 years on, a reunion full of memories...
With Speedress, this Kedger modernises the cloakroom / locker service!
2017 KEDGE graduate Christophe Hugin is now the founder of the start-up Speedress.
INTERVIEW 💬
1️⃣To begin, tell us about your educational background. What did you study, both before and at KEDGE?
I had a rather distinctive and atypical path. I started working life through the door of apprenticeship - in the restaurant business - first as a cook, and then as a server (CAP and BEP). The school of life as we like to call it. After a fork in the road in logistics at the beginning of 2000, I got a DUT in 2005 (via continuing education). Then, after 10 years of working for a retail company, I focused on getting a Master in Global Supply Chain Management, which I obtained in 2017 at KEDGE Paris. That same year I passed and had my Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification verified. Since the beginning of my career, I have combined school and work, either through apprenticeship or continuing education.
2️⃣Tell us what you did after your studies were finished. What positions have you held? What did you learn in those positions?
Since I received my degree, I’ve focused on operational logistics consulting and WMS implementation, with a specialisation in crisis situations. I can deal with issues at different levels. From PMO in the context of the creation of a depot, project manager for the implementation of a WMS, strategic supply chain vision, process merger between companies after a takeover. I work on these activities on a freelance basis in addition to managing my innovative startup.
3️⃣What are you doing/what is your situation today? What gave you the idea and desire to do what are you doing today?
In 2017, I created a start-up offering the first secure, connected, and hyper-mobile locker service. We use a storage container to bring together all these advantages, which is paired to the user's phone via SMS or directly via our app. In fact, I'd been thinking about creating something myself for a long time, and I thought this was the ideal project to launch. I came up with the idea during a concert in the middle of November. It was extremely cold outside and very hot inside, and there was no cloakroom. And even if there had been one, I wouldn't have used it because I’d have been afraid of security, losing my ticket, or the crowd of people when trying to leave. My family had the same problem when we attended a forum. This prompted me to test out the concept and try it out at small events. It’s been very well received and is an immediate success. Our concept aims to combine digital and human elements, and to take the best of both worlds - not to replace one with the other. We provide a real service through a simple process that makes the user autonomous and lets the welcome teams provide a real value-added service (one that does not exist today).
We can actually provide services, such as:
- Dropping off your belongings at location A and picking them up at location B;
- Dropping your belongings off in places that aren't normally made for that (like the pit at a concert);
- Women are no longer afraid to leave their handbags.
And all at a lower price than the average locker.
4️⃣What are your development goals for the future?
For 2020, we are starting our marketing, and want to work at some "big" events. Then we a round of fundraising is planned for the end of 2020 which will allow us to grow on a larger scale. In France to begin with. But we don't intend to stop there because we know that this concept can be deployed elsewhere. We’re not the only ones to experience these nuisances.
5️⃣Has your project received any prizes or recognition (articles in the press, support)?
We’ve been awarded the BPI Innov Up grant and we are supported by the Val d'Oise Réseau Entreprendre, of which we are the 2019 winners. We’ve also been a finalist in several competitions such as:
- Grand prize for innovation at the Heavent trade show;
- Venus of innovation; and
- Challenge Innovation startup of Vivatech.
6️⃣How did your education at KEDGE Business School help you become who you are today, and which of its courses helped you develop your project?
The teaching I received at KEDGE gave me a solid foundation in organisation and helped me to think pragmatically. I learned which approach to use during the different stages of my project: from the idea to the project, then from the project to the company. And that's really a plus.
7️⃣If you had to give advice to any KEDGE Alumnus or Alumna who would like to do something similar, what would it be?
In my opinion, don’t let yourself be stuck in a field, a mould, or any other situation. France may not be the best place to have an atypical career, but they do exist, and even though getting a diploma is still a required step, the most important thing is what we do with them afterwards and not let them constrain us.
8️⃣Christophe, anything to add?
Our objective is not "merely" to be a digital (paperless) cloakroom/locker service but to offer a real added-value to visitors, spectators, and participants of the event where we can be found. To allow them to live the moment to the fullest and no longer attend a show while having to deal with the nuisances we do today. Also, know that we have a real social and environmental element that we wish to instill (use of recycled material for the lockers, reusing outdated lockers to offer our service to associations or homes for people in difficulty). Finally, if you or someone you know would like to join our venture, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Among others, we are looking for a Business Angel.
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