Auum Announces an Investment from Groupe SEB to Support Its Continued Growth
Auum is pleased to announce an investment from Groupe SEB to support its growth and the development of its auum-S machine;
Auum is also announcing the production of its 1,000th machine in December, a highly symbolic milestone for the start-up, and is organising a special event at its premises in Châtillon on Tuesday, December 5 to mark the occasion;
Lorraine Schmit, Director of SEB Alliance, will celebrate the Group’s investment by taking part in a round-table discussion on the theme: Industrial start-up: from young company to industry leader.
Founded in 2019, Auum — an acronym for “Arrêtons l'Usage Unique Maintenant” (“Let’s Stop Single Use Now”) — has set itself the mission of helping companies eliminate the 5 billion disposable cups still consumed every year in France. After three years of R&D, Auum launched mass production of the auum-S in 2021. This cleaning solution is now one of the most environmentally friendly on the market. It cleans, disinfects and dries a glass in 20 seconds using only 10 cl of water and no chemicals. With Auum, reusing becomes as simple and quick as throwing away.
Beyond the simplicity of this technology, Auum also wanted to offer an accessible solution that is economically equivalent to the disposable model, which has been increasingly challenged since the introduction of France’s Anti-Waste Law for a Circular Economy (AGEC Law). The solution has already attracted nearly 300 B2B customers, including almost one third of CAC 40 companies such as TotalEnergies, Kering, L’Oréal, ENGIE, Saint-Gobain, Boursorama and Air Liquide.
Groupe SEB’s investment
Auum is announcing an investment from Groupe SEB to continue accelerating its development in France and internationally. The arrival of the French group, an industrial pioneer and innovator, among Auum’s partners further strengthens the start-up’s credibility within the French industrial landscape.
The Group is committed to supporting innovative concepts and highlighting new uses, particularly in the field of sustainable development.
Roland Lescure, Minister Delegate for Industry, who has supported Auum since its beginnings, also stated:“I welcome Groupe SEB’s investment in the industrial start-up Auum, which is emblematic of the solutions-based industry promoted by the Government. This will enable Auum to continue accelerating its development in France and internationally, one year after the opening of its factory in Châtillon. Eco-circularity, reuse, innovation and the industrialisation of these solutions on French soil are among the Government’s priorities. I am therefore proud to announce today that the French State will support Auum’s new research and development projects through a grant from the France 2030 I-Demo call for projects.”
Stanislas de Gramont, CEO of Groupe SEB, added:
“As an industrial company, supporting the start-up Auum means first and foremost promoting entrepreneurship and innovation — values that are deeply rooted within Groupe SEB. It also means providing long-term support for the industrial deployment of a solution with a strong environmental impact. We are proud to contribute to Auum’s success and will stand alongside them to help them grow from a young company into an industry leader!”
Clément Houllier, CEO and Co-founder of Auum, said:
“To continue maximising our impact, expand rapidly across our different markets and accelerate our industrial project, it was important for us to partner with one of the flagship companies of French industry. We are proud to join forces with Groupe SEB, with whom we share many values and which is an inspiring example. I am convinced that their support will help us reach a new milestone.”
Continued support from historical investors
Auum’s long-standing investors, Starquest and Founders Future, have also renewed their support. The company has been backed by these same investors, alongside the MAIF Impact fund, since its Series A round.
Having expanded its operations into the Swiss and Benelux markets this year, the company is now preparing to unveil the latest version of its flagship machine, the auum-S 4.
A time to celebrate
Building on this renewed confidence, Auum is organising a special event on Tuesday, December 5 at its premises in Châtillon, including a round-table discussion on the theme “Industrial start-up: from young company to industry leader.”
Lorraine Schmit, Director of SEB Alliance, will attend the event and take part in a tour of the auum-factory as well as the round-table discussion alongside Doris Birkhofer, President and CEO of Siemens France, Alice Balagué, Chief Impact Officer at Fairmat, and Clément Houllier, CEO and Co-founder of Auum.
About Auum:
Founded in 2019, the industrial company Auum — an acronym for “Arrêtons l'Usage Unique Maintenant” (“Let’s Stop Single Use Now”) — has a mission to prevent billions of disposable cups from being thrown away in France every year.
To achieve this, it helps companies replace disposable products with reusable and environmentally friendly solutions.
Aware of the challenges associated with cleaning, Auum developed the patented and connected auum-S technology. With a single action, this solution can clean, disinfect and dry a glass in just a few seconds, using only a small amount of water and no chemicals.
Certified Origine France Garantie, auum-S is available as a rental solution with integrated maintenance and installation services.
Since 2021, Auum has been the cleaning solution chosen by major international companies.
More information: https://www.auum.com/presse
About Groupe SEB:
A global leader in small domestic appliances, Groupe SEB operates through a portfolio of 33 iconic brands, including Tefal, Seb, Rowenta, Moulinex, Krups, Lagostina, All-Clad, WMF, Emsa and Supor, distributed through multiple retail formats.
Selling more than 400 million products every year, the Group pursues a long-term strategy based on innovation, international development, competitiveness and customer service.
Present in 150 countries, Groupe SEB generated nearly €8 billion in revenue in 2022 and employs more than 33,000 people.
