SoftCorner is a marketplace tailored to the specific aftermarket software aimed at European companies. Thanks to a secure environment, these companies can take advantage of this new market effectively. Habibou M’Baye CEO SoftCorner, wanted to answer the questions of writing.
Who are the founders?
The Pendeven Benjamin and myself, Habibou M’Baye, have founded SoftCorner there are more than a year. With our experience in the customer relationship consulting and financing and passionate about entrepreneurship is all about ambition and a taste for challenge that brought us together around this project. Our determination and our complementary profiles were then allowed us to quickly convince and unite around us the key skills and the major players in our ecosystem.
What is your initial observation?
Our starting point is that of a huge mess. One unused software licenses (or “shelfware”) in companies. Whether as a result of over-acquisition, migration, merger / acquisition, or as a result of downsizing, the circumstances leading a business find themselves in situations of -licensing are many.
In a recent study by Flexera in colaboration with the IDC, the shelfware represent between 10 and 30% of the application portfolio of nearly 50% of companies surveyed. Now if the intangible nature of these assets makes this hardly noticeable accumulation thousands of unused software licenses are far from being worthless. Looking more closely, one is often faced with a windfall, a pool just waiting to be tapped.
In 2012, the resale of software licenses by user companies was legalized with strength and retroactively by the EU Justice Court in a landmark ruling in the 28 countries of the Union.
Now, nothing prevents a company to promote its heritage dormant application. Obviously, this is also great news for buyers. In a context of crisis and fiscal contraction, the ability to equip or expand its fleet by using the secondary market is a source of providential savings for many businesses.
What is your solution
SoftCorner is a vertical marketplace tailored to the specific aftermarket software, and addressing businesses at European level. We put at the disposal of IT professionals (including CIOs and Directions purchase) a secure environment to enable them to effectively enjoy this new market
They are now just a few clicks.
- Sell their licenses and convert them into cash,
- Access to a large catalog of opportunity at a knockdown price of licenses
- And get the latest news about licensing and software.
SoftCorner The words are efficiency and security. As a trusted third party, we guarantee indeed to all our members with fast transactions and secure payments between certified European players. SoftCorner is the solution that enables companies to fully optimize their application assets. Use the secondary market for software to optimize its application portfolio is a simple principle of good management.
What is your business model?
We position ourselves as an intermediary. As such, we perceive a commission on every successful transaction, reduced based on the amount of it. This model’s success is transparent and ensures that no unnecessary costs or surprises. For our regular customers, we offer a subscription allowing them access to reduced commission rate on all of their transactions.
Can you tell us your best anecdote startuper?
Our greatest story without hesitation was our first speaking against those who will later be our customers. A few weeks after filing the articles, we have been fortunate to be invited by the CIGREF (for major French companies, a leading representative purchasing and IT Directorate of the largest French groups) to present the challenges of this new market during a working session.
Our first surprise was to see the crowd (“exceptional” for this type of event according to our hosts) and the quality of the audience. But most striking was definitely for us welcome and encouragement that we booked these leaders.
We realized at that moment that we touched with SoftCorner, real issues and real suffering market . We decided with CIGREF to continue this collaboration in the form of a working group, which culminated in December with the publication of a comprehensive White Paper, and with many contributions and testimonies on the secondary market software.
What was your biggest mess?
I think some collaborations that did not work. It is often said, entrepreneurship is above all a human adventure, and when the chemistry does not take the time and cost “capital motivation” can be important. Take this course and build a solid core of key skills has undoubtedly been one of the most important steps SoftCorner.
Did You currently funds?
We received a few requests in this direction and an acceleration logic, we plan to open the capital soon. Our priority remains the consolidation of our fundamentals. We have had the chance to quickly win the approval of institutions that have enabled us to access a number of funding (grants and loans) that allow us to confidently develop our business model, our expertise and legitimacy, with focus on human capital and building strong partner relationships.
These efforts allow us to be clearly identified, and enjoy true recognition and early pull on this technical market where expertise is the key. Achieving our first transactions and the presence of large companies in our pipe that are very encouraging signals.
Special events to highlight?
We recently left our incubator (D-incubator at the University Paris Dauphine) to take possession of new premises. This brand, with the completion of important recruitments, the beginning of a new era for SoftCorner
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Tagged a-la-one, The Benjamin Pendeven, CIGREF, D-Incubator, Habibou M’Baye, software, softcorner
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