In line with a shift to dominate the European startup adventure sector with a 360° offer. Product Studio turned Innovation Studio Agily, has acquired French corporate venture builder Pathfinder.
The acquisition will allow the new venture to become the most tech-enabled startup and innovation studio in Europe. Pathfinder was founded in 2017 as a co-owned business unit by the prominent French startup accelerator The Family.
Pathfinder will become Pathfinder by Agily takes a further step in a move from Product Studio focused principally on tech and design to complete Innovation studio: encompassing a startup incubator, a corporate venture builder, as well as an end-to-end startup creator: delivering fully developed startups to corporate clients.
These new business avenues are rooted in the high-end tech and design product studio which remains the key driver and differentiating factor of Agily's place in the market. Alongside the expanded offering, the acquisition has Agily adding to their already impressive client portfolio that includes La Figaro and KPMG, to boost their client network with Pathfinders to include many of Europe's biggest companies including L'Oréal, Accor, Thales and Schneider Electric.
“I'm delighted by this first acquisition of many. The deal brings new expertise to our customers who want to launch businesses with a methodology that helps them to identify potential ideas and business models, while simultaneously delivering a sophisticated product approach and strong process to Pathfinder's existing customer portfolio. We are building Europe's newstyle innovation studio based in design and tech, with the benefit of continuous improvement through monthly growth and new hires. It's also great to be keeping the management team behind Stéphane Sillam, CEO of Pathfinder”.
Agily CEO Stéphane Paillard
The move will reinforce Agily's existing team of 40 (set to double over 2023), to include 10 senior profiles from Pathfinder's key strategic players including CEO Stephane Sillam.
While Pathfinder founder and president, Miguel de Fontenay, will no longer be active in his role as president, he will remain a strategic advisor following his exit.
“This move allows our existing clients to benefit from the expertise of one of Europe's most sophisticated Product Studios. Tech lies at the heart of all companies, therefore it's now impossible to ideate business strategies without a strong tech component. Our acquisition by Agily means we now have all the pieces of the puzzle at hand to provide full-stack business opportunities to our clients and future clients.”
-Pathfinder CEO, Stéphane Sillam
Pathfinder by Agily, is slated to go on to disrupt traditional consulting models, with a new end-to-end startup offer dubbed TurnKey. Wherein, a complete brand, including concept, positioning (visual identity and messaging), road-map, budget and team, will be offered to corporate partners to be tested into ready-for-revenue and scaling.
Thanks to Agily's tech and design DNA combined with the founding team's entrepreneurial experience, Pathfinder by Agily will be able to offer fully functional businesses to corporate clients, in a partnership format. “While traditional consulting methods allow for co-exploration of problem areas and present an array of potential solutions, TurnKey gives corporations direct access to fully formed and functional startups, ready to scale. It's efficient, fast and sees each stakeholder working to their full potential.
While we are proud to continue offering Pathfinder's traditional corporate consulting, Turnkey will also be offered for those who wish to push faster into potential new revenue models. At Agily we know how to take a business from zero to revenue within months, while corporate partners allow for a more efficient scaling framework.”
Clarifies Agily CEO Stéphane Paillard
- Kayros - French gaming specialist
- Subly - UK video editor
- Greendid - French circular economy facilitator
Thanks to their partner-ecosystem, Agily is able to meet and go beyond client needs, whetherstart-ups, SMEs, or large groups.
Founded in 2020, Agily was built to serve the growing number of companies shifting industry landscapes through elegant design and innovative tech. From International corporations to innovative startups, Agily helps companies through a combination of product strategy, design and software engineering to create and co-create exceptional digital products for the industry disruptors and leaders of tomorrow. Byworking with a select and accomplished in-house team,Agily brings more intelligent, more elegant tech products to life. While an agile ecosystem of experts and partners allows Agily to offer complete solutions to empower next-level industry innovators.
Sarah de Castro, CMO, sarah.decastro@agily.fr
+ 33 (0) 6 87 81 60 90 (French)
Benjamin Augros, Attaché de presse, benjamin.augros@gmail.com
+33 (0) 6 71 26 52 03
Visuals : please find the complete press kit here
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