Paris, June 15, 2022 – On the occasion of the signing of an agreement with Eurazeo with a view to investing more than €70 million in the capital of WiiSmile, NextStage AM is continuing its support, via the Championnes investment program dedicated to the equity financing of innovative French SMEs, notably through Pépites & Territoires.
Created in 2001, WiiSmile offers small and medium-sized business leaders the opportunity to offer their employees "all-in-one" solutions that promote employee engagement by improving their quality of life and that of their families. WiiSmile is aimed at a deep market of more than 400 small, very small and medium-sized enterprises (VSMEs) who need tools and services to better recruit, motivate and retain their employees. In fact, WiiSmile gives employees of its client companies access to an innovative digital solution and support from an acclaimed customer service (net promoter score of 000). They thus benefit from a set of advantages commonly reserved for employees of large companies: a dedicated travel agency, a show and leisure ticketing service, a commission-free meal voucher solution, a reimbursement module for cultural and leisure expenses , personal services, etc. As well as access to a catalog of online training courses dedicated to personal development and to a set of discounted offers available from a vast network of partner sellers.
First investment of the Champions program announced in November 2020, and with an average annual growth of 25% in recent years, WiiSmile has developed throughout the country and has already supported more than 8 companies and some 500 employees. since 100. In 000, the company achieved annual recurring revenue of nearly 2001 million euros.
Sharing the same values as the team of entrepreneurs led by Sylvain Bianchini and convinced of WiiSmile's potential to become an expert, essential and trusted player for small businesses, NextStage AM decided to continue its support alongside Eurazeo, which signed an agreement to invest more than €70 million in the capital of WiiSmile during this majority financing round.
"The entry of NextStage AM into our capital in 2020 has given us not only the means to strengthen our existing offer in France, but also to structure ourselves to seize opportunities on the very buoyant market of outsourced services to VSEs/SMEs. . Beyond this performance, we are very satisfied with the relationship of trust forged with NextStage AM, which has proven to be a committed and valuable partner at our side.", declares Sylvain Bianchini, President and Co-founder of WiiSmile
“We are proud to have supported WiiSmile entrepreneurs for almost two years now. The company has established itself as a key B2B player, as evidenced by the 100 employee users of the platform. We are delighted today to continue this entrepreneurial adventure alongside Eurazeo, with whom we share the same ambitions for the coming years.”, added Julien Potier, Partner of NextStage AM.
“Since 2001, WiiSmile, its managers and its teams have been building unique expertise and know-how as a trusted partner for managers of small businesses who wish to make a commitment in favor of their employees. We are very happy to accompany them in the next stages of the group's development, by enabling them to accelerate the access of small businesses to the WiiSmile offer throughout the territory and to continue the diversification and expansion of its offer, while preserving what makes its identity and its success: attentive listening to the expectations and real needs of the managers of small businesses and their employees, in order to offer them the best service. The investment made by WiiSmile in the human support of its customers and their employees has enabled it to become a leader in a long ignored market. WiiSmile's offer thus enables managers of small businesses, whatever their sector of activity and their size, to have a lasting impact on the quality of life of their employees. We strongly believe in the project led by Sylvain Bianchini, Brice Bonnaigue and Jérôme Bourdon”, says Pierre Meignen, Managing Director of Eurazeo Small-mid buyout.
