How EFSI benefits SMEs in Europe - Bpifrance case study: FAMOCO (France), IT company, specialised in the development of Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies

Having graduated from the world-class top university École Polytechnique and the prestigious London School of Economics, Nicolas Berbigier started his entrepreneurial adventure in Beijing, China where he met Lionel Baraban, who would become the CEO of what later would become FAMOCO. Both highly skilled and trained in the sector of digital innovations and IT, they decided to launch their own business, FAMOCO, which became the French specialist in the development of Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies. As the name implies, NFC technologies enable short range communication between two devices, a technology that Nicolas and Lionel have used to develop the breakthrough mobile Android NFC reader, called the FX100+. The platform that FAMOCO is based on allows the clients, among other things, to manage multiple transactions per day, to recharge prepaid cards or transportation cards, or even manage sales flows during certain events.

Nowadays, the company has developed itself by bringing Olivier Cechura on-board, as Chief Marketing Officer, but also by having established offices in Paris, Brussels and Hong-Kong. The internationalisation of the company was calling for more investments, which is why Nicolas eventually decided to turn to Bpifrance, the French public investment bank, to secure an EU-guaranteed loan.

Nicolas’ loan was backed by EIF under the Investment Plan for Europe, which aims to generate new investments by facilitating access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises. Today, with FAMOCO’s products being deployed in over 25 countries, Nicolas and his six employees continue to seek out new markets to target, in order for FAMOCO to continue to spread the ‘French Touch’ all around the world.

Company: FAMOCO (France)

Type of business: IT company, specialised in the development of Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies

EIF financing: InnovFin SMEG, EFSI

For further information abiout EIF intermediaries in France, please refer to: http://www.eif.org/what_we_do/where/fr