Lockall, an innovative start-up based in Ile-de-France, was founded in 2020, with the main objective of providing VSEs and craftsmen with customized storage space for each. The founder, Alexis de L’Epine, started from the premise that today, if we look at the market, the warehouses offered to these players are overseen with long-term leases. One situation he explains to us: “Today, the commercial real estate model is not at all favorable for craftsmen and VSEs. They are offered commercial cells of 300 sq. m at prohibitive prices and with leases of 3, 6 or 9 years. »,
So there’s a real lack of affordable storage solutions that meet the specific needs and often tight budgets of crafters and entrepreneurs. ,Lockall therefore offers the possibility to benefit from tailor-made solutions to store your equipment and take advantage of shared workspaces to meet. There is no time commitment and we strive to provide maximum flexibility. M. de l’Epine declares.
In addition to this great flexibility, the start-up guarantees maximum accessibility to facilities such as car parks and unloading areas, as well as reinforced security for users’ peace of mind.
An innovative service, which has attracted a lot of interest from investors, allowed the company from its creation in January 2020 to raise €240 million in funding from Metric Capital Partners and Somurco.
A committed and attractive company
Beyond the economic aspect, Lockall also seeks to work towards the integration of entrepreneurs and artisans, who are often left far behind. For this reason, it launched the “Maison des Artisans de Local” program and was able to inaugurate its first location in Lognes (77) in 2022. 800 storage places, 40 coworking spaces, 13 workshops, 8 private offices, 6 meeting rooms, small logistics, administrative support, consulting activities, domiciles, rest areas… The project requires an investment of 12 million euros but the company’s meets the requirements, as explained by its CEO, has set itself “We have decided to overcome these barriers (which are faced by craftsmen and VSEs) by combining small storage spaces, workshops and offices with an offer adapted to their needs, without the commitment and with a lot of related services. only flexible proposition”.
These living spaces, located near storage solutions, respond to the isolation often felt by these professionals, as Alexis de L’Epine puts it. “65% of these business makers now work from home with housing that is unsuitable for their activity and very strong isolation.”
By bringing them together in one place, Locall promotes the development of exchange, synergy and cooperation, thus strengthening the local economic fabric. Here, too, the slogan is flexibility: “Each entrepreneur pays a monthly subscription of 50 euros to access the hub, to which only the services he uses are added. This allows them to gain agility and significantly reduce their professional costs »Alexis de L’Epin explains.
At the same time, some sites are open to individuals who wish to rent storage space. These users can take advantage of the security system provided by Lockall, an application that turns smartphones into encrypted and secure digital keys.
A young company that is part of a regional network
On 30 May, Lockall opened the doors to a new storage space located within the former Airbus headquarters in Suresnes, the basement of which has been completely rehabilitated for the special occasion. This new location offers an impressive capacity of over 800 individual storage spaces, thus becoming a benchmark in the region. In addition to these storage solutions, Lockall has also set up a 40 square meter Fab Lab exclusively dedicated to the craftsmen, to encourage creativity and innovation within.
The opening of this location in Suresnes is an important step forward in Locall’s vision. The company aims to expand its influence in the region by opening an additional 20 sites. This upcoming expansion will make it possible to meet the growing storage needs of local VSEs and artisans while promoting economic growth and job creation. , In the short term, our first ambition is to connect the Paris region with the opening of 20 sites and the creation of 100 jobs by 2026! He draws conclusions.