“One day we will run our own business”
.
This is what Lionel Themine, Thomas de Moussac and Julien Fleury repeated every year, when they met with friends to backpack through some distant countries.
“You will never do it”
replied their fellow adventurers, fully convinced that the three friends would never give up the comfort of their positions as auditors at Capgemini and Ernst and Young.
This was without counting on the quiet determination of these former Edhec students, who discreetly simply took the time to find the sector of activity that suited all three of them.
After careful consideration, they agreed on the still emerging sector of solar energy, and more precisely, agrivoltaic farms.
“None of us are engineers,”
agrees Thomas de Moussac, “
but between the legal and financial dimension, the construction of buildings, and the commercial development of this project, each of us found something to suit us. roles came very naturally
.
Fifteen years after its creation and an apprenticeship at accelerated speed during which the three friends did not hesitate to climb on the roofs to install panels, the company based in Biard, in New Aquitaine, has 200 employees, generates 200 million euros in turnover and accounts for 600 site installations with a power of around 450 megawatts.
Better yet, Technique Solaire is now diversifying towards methanization and energy storage.
“We managed to get through the bursting of the photovoltaic sector bubble of the 2010s
recalls Julien Fleury,
the establishment of a moratorium intended to regulate this booming sector created a sudden halt. By conscientiously analyzing texts, by directing our activity towards professionals rather than towards individuals, we got through the difficult period and continued to develop while others closed their doors".
Big ambitions for the future
A personal starting investment of €70,000, to which they added a 300,000 euro loan taken out from Crédit Agricole, with the approval of Oséo.
Eight years later, spurred by soaring growth, they carried out a first fundraising with Bpifrance and again Crédit Agricole.
Then a second in 2020, and a last of 200 million euros in 2023.
"In addition to our international development, we are targeting 400 employees and 4 gigawatts installed in 2030"
aims Lionel Thémine, who in passing praises the quality of the relationships it maintains with their historical investors.
“When obstacles arise, they are always looking for solutions,”
he says.
“Technique Solaire is also a member of the French Fab adds Thomas de Moussac, for us, it is an interesting communication lever, in particular to promote our French origin.
It is also a possibility of easy access to a network of industrial companies
.
Launched in 2017 by the Ministry of the Economy, the French Fab collective aims to boost French industry by connecting local businesses, seeking to highlight them and presenting them with public support offers. to which they can claim.
Lionel Themine, Thomas de Moussac and Julien Fleury, who are also pleased to help improve the finances of the farmers where they install their panels, agree that they have gone through some very intense periods of work, where they counted neither their hours nor their days of weeks.
It was during these moments that their friendship took over.
“Travel has taught us to know each other well, it prevents us from bickering”
observes Thomas de Moussac.
“In difficult times, there is always one who pulls the others”
adds Julien Fleury, as if the three friends had just returned from one of these journeys around the world which helped to unite them.