SOStech, enabling local authorities to combat digital exclusion

Meet the four winners of 13M, the first nationwide digital inclusion gas pedal created by Banque des Territoires, Groupe SOS, H7 and Pulse.

Hello Arthur, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Arthur, I'm 21 and I'm the founder of SOStech. SOStech's mission is to give everyone the means to benefit from the opportunities offered by new technologies. I founded the company when I was 18, while studying for my Masters in Finance and Strategy at Sciences Po Paris.

What is the SOStech concept?

SOStech is the partner of local authorities in the fight against the digital divide. We help them implement solutions to combat digital exclusion, and train and support people in difficulty. For example, we can work with senior citizens' residences, local missions, municipalities and other local authorities, or even private individuals.

We believe that digital technology is a huge train that everyone needs to get on to manage their professional, personal and administrative lives. SOStech takes on the role of station manager: we make sure that everyone has a ticket to get on board, and that no one is left stranded.

How did you come up with the idea of founding SOStech?

Entrepreneurship is one of the few sectors where youth is not a barrier, and I really wanted to get started. The idea came to me from my grandparents, for whom digital technology is a real challenge, and who perfectly represent the target group I want to reach.

Before the creation of SOStech, every time I visited my grandmother, I was busy solving her problems and teaching her about digital technology. I wanted to help on a larger scale.

The digital divide widened during the Covid period. For people in difficulty, the pandemic has had a dramatic impact on their ability to obtain information, take care of themselves and maintain relationships with their loved ones. - among others. 

I believe that digital inclusion is a national issue, and that public players need to get to grips with the subject. However, I also think that they need to be supported in their operational implementation to best help beneficiaries.

How have you been received by local authorities and public bodies?

It was difficult at first, as I was young and had very few sales skills. I decided to train myself and work on my presentation skills to make myself more comfortable.

At the start of the pandemic, communities became aware of the difficulties and challenges I was talking about. Despite existing initiatives, the market was far from mature.

SOStech's ambition is never to replace existing solutions. We position ourselves as a complementary player to these initiatives, as with "Les Conseillers Numériques", a government scheme that helps beneficiaries with their digital procedures.

Once I had the confidence of the local authorities, everything was simpler. The town of Courbevoie was the first to place its trust in me in November 2020. After an initial contact with an elected official, we worked hand in hand to develop a tailor-made assistance service for residents.

What is your scope of action?

I was born in Paris and grew up in Courbevoie. I'm very attached to the region, so I logically started out in the Ile-de-France region before expanding to other cities.

In 2022, following a call for tenders from the Centre-Val-de-Loire region, we embarked on a major digital tour of towns with populations ranging from 500 to 3,000. Like a concert tour, we went out into the towns to help people who had lost touch with the digital world. Over the course of 10 days, with 4 speakers, we made 12 stops and supported over 400 people.

Since our launch in 2019, we've worked with local authorities such as Courbevoie, local missions such as Nantes and Roubaix, and major local authorities such as the Lyon metropolitan area and the Hauts-de-Seine department.

Three years after the launch, how is the team shaping up?

The team has grown a lot recently! I was on my own until 2022, when I took on my first sales trainee - Alexis - who is now an employee of the company. A few months later, Romain, a second salesman, joined us to help Alexis find new opportunities. 

Today, there are six of us: two sales people, two digital trainers, a digital project manager and me. We also have a network of digital trainers that enables us to cover the whole of France. 

What do you expect from the 13M program?

We're at the stage where we want to scale up. 13M meets my expectations perfectly, with group and individual support, a variety of content and very regular activity monitoring.

The format is flexible, allowing me to optimize my time and get through the course smoothly.

What can we wish you for the future?

2022 was a test year. For 2023, we want to accelerate, accentuate our impact and increase the number of beneficiaries.

On the operational side, we aim to strengthen the team and complete a €1 million fundraising campaign in January 2024.