New partners and new lease of life for Virteem

Thirteen years, the age of reflection for Virteem ? It seems so, since Kevin Soler, its founding president, has just reviewed the organization and opened up the company's capital. The objective of this upheaval? "To strengthen management and regain new momentum, in short, to challenge ourselves again," summarizes the manager who handles sports vocabulary like no one else. Logical since he is a six-time world record holder in street workout. Based in Sophia Antipolis, Virteem targets large groups and communities to whom it offers tailor-made tours and virtual realities. Among its 4,000 clients are Orange, the Nice University Hospital, Amadeus, Robertet, Safran, Axa, Compagnie des Alpes, and Disneyland Paris. "For the latter, we have made virtual room tours available to the call center so that operators can better advise customers with reduced mobility."

Repositioning

A few months ago, an AI division was added to this activity, whose flagship product is Virteem Companion, a trusted artificial intelligence based on each company's own data to improve their internal processes. Except that Virteem Companion never really met with the expected success. "We realized that wanting to sell only AI when our initial business is virtual tours and reality didn't make sense," analyzes Kevin Soler . "AI is not yet another tech tool but a complete solution."

Hence the decision to aggregate the two technologies and integrate AI into Sophipolitaine's historical verticals: tourism, industry, HR, and education. "Whether it's to welcome a new employee, reduce industrial risks, or explain to a student what their work environment will be like... we're also accelerating the development of customized solutions." It was a great success, as Sophipolitaine, which employs 15 people, saw a 32% increase in its EBE (gross operating profit) – the manager prefers not to reveal its turnover. And it won a call for tenders for the acquisition of immersive, interactive, and collaborative solutions for the needs of Sictiam [Joint Engineering Syndicate for Innovative Communities and Territories of the Alps and the Mediterranean] and its members. "It's a €1.7 million contract. We're going to develop virtual reality training modules focused on digital sobriety and cybersecurity." To support this refocusing, Kevin Soler has decided to "strengthen his management" by opening up his capital to two minority shareholders: Thierry Maslin and Paul-Alexandre Réaud. The former, a long-time Virteem franchisee in Martinique, is an expert in tourism management and development.

Leveraging the Azuréenne's technology—he notably developed Immersion Martinique, an interactive platform allowing virtual visits to 34 Caribbean communities—he becomes Director of Innovation. The second is the new COO and will manage the AI ​​and custom development business units. Kevin Soler, meanwhile, remains CEO but wants to step away from operations to focus on strategy and external acquisitions. "The goal is for Thierry Maslin to become CEO within two years."