Interview  •  Portraits

DUO Mentoring -XRATOR Testimonial: A Great Encounter!

Meet François Moerman, Chief Executive Officer &and Co-Founder at XRATOR and Frédéric Gillant Chief Revenue Officer& Co-Founder at XRATOR and French Trade Advisor. They share how they met through the DUO Mentoring Programme, a co-initiative of the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and the French Trade Advisors (Les Conseillers du Commerce Exterieur- CCEF).

When and how did they first meet?

The French Chamber of Commerce brought them together through the DUO Mentoring Programme.

François founded his company in January 2021 and became Member of the French Chamber. He was looking for a mentor who could help him develop his business by giving advice and deep insights. Hence, he applied for the DUO Mentoring Programme.

When Frédéric, French Foreign Trade Advisors (CCEF), saw the application from a French Singaporean Cyber security start-up, he raised his hand!

How was their DUO Mentoring experience?

The DUO Mentoring Programme, offered by the French Chamber of Commerce, was a great experience for both.

They met for the first time during the COVID pandemic. During their first session, they ended up spending more than 4 hours together. After a few sessions, Frédéric realised he was moving beyond his mentorship role and becoming more involved in Francois’s start-up.

When Frédéric pointed out that the start-up needed a Chief Revenue Officer, François asked advice on the best profile he should be looking for. Frédéric suggested looking for someone with at least 20 years of experience, a thorough understanding of the Asia Pacific region and a strong appetite to join a start-up. François realised that Frédéric was the ideal candidate for this position.

The DUO Mentoring Programme turned out to be a win-win situation for both. François met one of his co-founders, and Frédéric, who was initially a volunteer mentor, became the Chief Revenue Officer and partner with an equal stake in the company.

What are the next steps for their company?

They have a 5-year strategy plan in place. They are raising money with the goal of raising Series A funding and then expanding. They are currently in Singapore and in France, with plans to soon grow in ASEAN, Europe, US, and Japan. The company was created in September 2021 by four co-founders. The company comprises now of 13 employees with the goal of reaching 30 by the end of the year and 400 in 5 years’ time.

Can you share some tips for entrepreneurs?

For François, joining the French Chamber of Commerce is a must-do!  He strongly recommends the overall French Chamber service offer for Start-ups and entrepreneurs such as the DUO Mentoring, Business Accelerator Lab, Scale-UP workshop, Meet the CEO, etc.

Launching a Startup is quite a journey and having a mentor to support you is essential”

 

Click here to apply for DUO Mentoring Programme or contact Agate Wack  awack@fccsingapore.com  

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