Agorize raises €2 million from Iris Capital and Capnamic Ventures

The online innovation challenge creation and management platform continues its global expansion.

Agorize operates several online platforms, including Studyka.com, enabling companies to connect with targeted communities such as students, graduates, developers and startups through dedicated innovation challenges. In less than three years, the company has built an audience of several hundred thousand qualified profiles, with a platform connected to more than 2,000 universities across five continents.

Agorize clients, nearly one hundred companies across Europe, America and Asia, use the platform to design and manage innovation challenges, giving them easy access to ideas, technological innovations and talent. Clients include Allianz, Michelin, Google, TF1, Bouygues, GDF Suez, Microsoft and Bank of America.

“There not so long ago, we were students passionate about innovation challenges,” say co-founders Charles Thou, Yohann Melamed and Yohan Attal. “We observed that in the age of social networks, this strategically important market for companies had not benefited from innovation. We therefore launched Agorize, combining a technology platform with targeted audiences.”

The success was immediate. Founded in 2012, the company became profitable in 2013 and raised a first seed round of €300,000 from Bouygues Telecom Initiatives.

This new €2 million financing round is led by Iris Capital, represented by Sophie Dingreville, who joins the board alongside Bouygues Telecom Initiatives. German fund Capnamic Ventures is also participating, represented by Joerg Binnenbruecker and Christian Siegele.

The funds raised will mainly be used to strengthen the sales force in North America, Germany and France.

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