[SUD OUEST] Bordeaux-based Olikrom raises $4.5 million and recruits to become world leader in smart pigments

This Pessac-based start-up, ranked among the world’s top 9 players in intelligent materials, has just taken a decisive step towards industrialization by raising 4.5 million euros to build its plant.

“This round of financing will enable us to accelerate our industrial roll-out, while strengthening our commercial offering on a national and international scale. In particular, it will finance Olikrom’s new site in Pessac (33), scheduled to be operational by early July, which will house the company’s headquarters, R&D center and pilot production unit“, says founder Jean-François Létard.

OliKrom’s goal: to become the world leader in intelligent pigments

Jean-François Létard has created a technological breakthrough by developing pigments that are both “intelligent” and resistant. This technology, which he has of course patented, is of interest to the huge industrial safety market, particularly in the aeronautics and automotive sectors.Its ambition is to become the world leader in the sector.

“In recent months, our growth has accelerated further with the ADEME’s “Road of the Future” program, which we won with Eiffage,” he explains.

Future recruitments

“It has become urgent to strengthen our teams – 14 employees to date – and to equip ourselves with a high-performance industrial tool, capable of absorbing a strong increase in activity. We will have 30 employees in 2019. We’re looking for sales people, engineers for R&D, and above all technicians for production”, explains Jean-François Létard. The factory premises are designed to accommodate around fifty people.

In September 2017, OliKrom had already been selected by Euronext to follow the Techshare program, and in May 2018 OliKrom joined the Up Grade gas pedal initiated by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

Qui sont les fonds, qui soutiennent OliKrom ?

Supporting this new phase of development are French funds Starquest Capital, OliKrom’s historic investor, and Social Family, Bpifrance (Banque Publique d’Investissement), Banque Populaire Aquitaine Centre Atlantique (BPACA), the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region and the ADEME “Route du Futur” program.

“We have always believed in the importance of OliKrom’s technology, which offers solutions at the heart of our concerns. By offering a tool capable of guaranteeing the traceability of industrial products, OliKrom meets the highest expectations of industrial safety and raises production quality standards,” says Emmanuel Gaudé, co-founder of Starquest Capital.