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Entrepreneurial Journeys
Towards a carbon neutral future. A transformational investment opportunity with Nevel
Season 2, Ep. 1
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In this episode of Entrepreneurial Journeys (season 2), we speak to Nevel’s CEO, Thomas Luther, its Chairman, Eero Auranne, and two of their partners at Ardian: Simo Santavirta and Daniel von der Schulenburg.
Nevel, based just outside Helsinki, Finland, specializes in industrial energy solutions and district heating - an underground network that can heat multiple buildings with hot water from a central plant. Ardian, which acquired the company in 2020, saw in Nevel “an unpolished diamond with significant potential”. Today, Nevel is working to transition away from peat fuel to reduce its carbon footprint. The industrial plan put in place to achieve this transition allows the network to be greener, more efficient and more profitable, as testified by Nevel’s market growth.
Our journalist Colette Davidson went to Finland to meet with Nevel’s CEO, Thomas Luther, its Chairman, Eero Auranne, and two of their Ardian partners working within the Infrastructure activity: Simo Santavirta and Daniel von der Schulenburg, to learn more about the collaboration between Nevel and Ardian, and this successful decarbonization journey.
"Nevel will be the first forerunner company, in decarbonizing the heat generation fleet." Eero Auranne, Chairman, Nevel
"Low carbon today is not only about doing the right thing morally and environmentally, but you are out of business in the future if you don't live up to it." Thomas Luther, CEO, Nevel
"In Nevel, I guess we saw an unpolished diamond with significant potential, together with a great ESG story for decarbonization, while using the company as a platform for meaningful growth." Simo Santavirta, Head of Asset Management – Infrastructure, Ardian
"The beauty of it is that it makes the network more profitable while reducing emissions because we are making the network more efficient." Daniel von der Schulenburg, Head of Infrastructure Germany, Benelux & Northern Europe, Ardian
Entrepreneurial Journeys is a podcast about Ardian’s commitment to building lasting change, by partnering with managers to build resilient, high-quality businesses that are fit to face the future.
This podcast is hosted by Colette Davidson and produced by Louie Creative for Ardian.
For more information about the podcast, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and on our website.
Our podcasts are accessible to all thanks to the written transcriptions of the episodes available on our website on each episode's landing page.
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Entrepreneurial Journeys
01:38Entrepreneurial Journeys, a podcast from Ardian for anyone curious about where growth is happening around the world. Here we speak with the people behind innovative companies building the future.1. From brick-and-mortar parapharmacy market to online experience
12:57When you think of a pharmacy, what do you picture? Probably a brick-and-mortar shop with a friendly face behind the counter, ready to answer all your questions. It’s a centuries-old business, and most pharmacies — while vital — haven’t changed much over the years. In this episode of Entrepreneurial Journeys, we speak to Loïc Lagarde, Chief Executive Officer of the online parapharmacy Santédiscount. The company, based in Toulouse, France, was created in 2008 with the aim of adapting the parapharmaceutical industry for the digital, 2.0 world. Ardian, through its Growth activity, invested in the company in 2017, and since then, it has become the industry leader in France, with sales increasing six-fold. But how exactly did Santédiscount manage to successfully translate something as age-old as a brick-and-mortar traditional parapharmacy market into a disruptive online experience? Entrepreneurial Journeys is a podcast for anyone curious about where growth is happening around the world. Here we speak with the people behind innovative companies building the future.Entrepreneurial Journeys is a podcast hosted by Portia Crowe and produced by Louie Creative for Ardian.Our podcasts are accessible to all thanks to the written transcriptions of the episodes available on our website on each episode's landing page.Read the transcript of this episode here.
2. A day with Gantner: a one-stop shop solution
15:58Imagine leaving your home and locking your door, and unlocking your bicycle or boarding the metro, all with the same digital key. Then you enter your office building, buy a cup of coffee at the canteen, put your belongings in a locker and find an available hot desk — again, using the same, single key or data carrier. At lunchtime, you might go workout at the gym, and later that evening, maybe you’ll visit a museum — all the while, still using the same data carrier to unlock each experience for you.That's what it's like to spend a day with Gantner, an Austria-based tech-manufacturing company offering cashless payment, access control, ticketing, and software solutions.Ardian invested in 2016, and since then, Gantner has become a technology leader in Europe by doubling its revenues and its employees. In this episode, we speak to Elmar Hartmann, Gantner’s CEO, about how a company that started as a small electronic repair business has become a one-stop solution shop for clients around the world across the fitness, public attraction, education, and corporate sectors. It all started in 2004, with a game-changing moment for the company...Entrepreneurial Journeys is a podcast for anyone curious about where growth is happening around the world. Here we speak with the people behind innovative companies building the future.Entrepreneurial Journeys is a podcast hosted by Portia Crowe and produced by Louie Creative for Ardian.Our podcasts are accessible to all thanks to the written transcriptions of the episodes available on our website on each episode's landing page.Read the transcript of this episode here.3. From asphalt to AI
14:37Is there anything more frustrating than being caught in a traffic jam? You’re in a rush, and your daily commute will not take its usual 20 minutes, but 45 minutes. But highway congestion is not just a problem for us as individuals — it also hurts the environment, and can lead to accidents. What if there was a way to reduce road traffic, and carbon emissions by using data and AI? Ascendi is a 20-year-old Portuguese market leader in motorway operations, maintenance, and toll infrastructure owned by Ardian Infrastructure. The company is at the forefront of automized, free-flow motorway tolling, in which drivers do not need to stop and pay but can continue driving. Last year, Ardian team introduced Chief Business Development Officer Miguel Martin to Quentin Barenne, co-founder of French startup Wintics, which uses data collected from video cameras to analyze mobility flows through its proprietary software. The two partners have big plans and common objectives to anticipate the future of mobility, while tackling the issues of road safety and biodiversity preservation.Entrepreneurial Journeys is a podcast for anyone curious about where growth is happening around the world. Here we speak with the people behind innovative companies building the future.This podcast is hosted by Portia Crowe and produced by Louie Creative for Ardian.Our podcast are accessible to all thanks to the written transcriptions of the episodes available on our website on each episode's landing page.Read the transcript of this episode here.
4. International education facing the digital challenge
15:26Studying abroad has never been easy. You need to get on an airplane, fly across the world, land in a country where another language is spoken, and then try to assimilate culturally - all while managing the academic stress of beginning university! This is what thousands of young people must do when studying abroad.That’s why Study Group, a for-profit education provider, prepares international students for university degree programs in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, UK, and Ireland. Students from China, India, and over 150 other countries are offered specialized training in English language skills, study skills, and other forms of cultural support.In this episode, we speak to Study Group’s CEO, Emma Lancaster, about the new world of online education and how she is successfully pivoting her company and is leading international students to success in the face of an unprecedented crisis.Entrepreneurial Journeys is a podcast for anyone curious about where growth is happening around the world. Here we speak with the people behind innovative companies building the future.This podcast is hosted by Portia Crowe and produced by Louie Creative for Ardian.Our podcast are accessible to all thanks to the written transcriptions of the episodes available on our website on each episode's landing page.Read the transcript of this episode here.
5. Workplace experience in Sanofi’s new hub
16:25If there is one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, it’s the importance of having high quality workspaces. Whether you love working remotely or can’t wait to spend more time in the office, it's important to be able to think and produce in a modern, sustainable, and innovative ecosystem. Sanofi, the multinational pharmaceutical company with its headquarters in Paris, understands that. That's why it chose a post-Haussmann style Paris office complex owned by Ardian for its new flagship location, opening next year. The more-than-9,000-square-meter building will serve as a global hub for employees. The building will have a state-of-the-art layout and design. In this episode of Entrepreneurial Journeys, we speak to Julia Ghouti, Sanofi's workplace Architect Lead, about Sanofi’s real estate strategy and how physical space can influence corporate culture. “I honestly don't think that the office is dead. When you come to the office, you want to have that positive experience and to feel that sense of belonging, because that's where you really catch the energy of your company and all of its values. Our offices have a strong symbolic value in terms of who we are, what we stand for and what is important for us.” Entrepreneurial Journeys is a podcast for anyone curious about where growth is happening around the world. Here, we speak with the people behind innovative companies building the future. They are entrepreneurs from across Europe, working in technology, healthcare, mobility, education, and more. This podcast is hosted by Portia Crowe and produced by Louie Creative for Ardian. Our podcasts are accessible to all thanks to the written transcriptions of the episodes available on our website on each episode's landing page.2. Quand la gestion des risques et la croissance se rencontrent : entretien avec Optimind
17:10Dans cet épisode d'Entrepreneurial Journeys (saison 2), nous nous entretenons avec Christophe Eberlé, CEO de notre société en portefeuille Optimind, et Alexis Saada, Responsable de l’activité Growth chez Ardian. Depuis qu'Ardian a rejoint la société de conseil en gestion des risques Optimind en tant qu'actionnaire minoritaire en 2019, la société a réalisé six acquisitions et a doublé de taille. Comment les équipes d’Ardian ont-elles contribué à guider Optimind dans ces acquisitions, et comment ce cabinet parisien a-t-il géré cette croissance exponentielle ? Notre journaliste Colette Davidson s'est rendue au siège d'Optimind à Paris pour rencontrer Christophe Eberlé, CEO d'Optimind, Aline Roy, sa Responsable des Ressources Humaines, et Alexis Saada, Managing Director et Responsable de l’activité Growth d'Ardian, afin d'en savoir plus sur la façon dont les deux partenaires ont traversé ces changements structurels et leurs objectifs de développement..."Notre rôle est de fournir un soutien aux équipes de direction pour contribuer à la création de valeur. L'objectif est de partager les expériences et les meilleures pratiques." Alexis Saada, Responsable de l’activité Growth d'Ardian"Je n'ai pas été contraint, mais convaincu de revoir mes options sur certains sujets. Cela m'a aidé à être plus efficace et plus précis dans certaines décisions, en particulier pour les acquisitions." Christophe Eberlé, CEO d'OptimindEntrepreneurial Journeys est le podcast consacré à l’engagement d’Ardian en faveur d’un changement durable, en s’associant à des entrepreneurs pour créer des entreprises résilientes et performantes, capables d’affronter l’avenir.Ce podcast est animé par Colette Davidson et produit par Louie Creative pour Ardian.Pour plus d’informations sur ce podcast, suivez-nous sur LinkedIn, Twitter et sur notre site Internet. Nos podcasts sont accessibles à tous grâce aux transcriptions écrites des épisodes disponibles sur notre site Internet, sur la page d'accueil de chaque épisode.3. From a memory solutions provider to a leader in cybersecurity, meet our portfolio company Swissbit
13:12In this episode of Entrepreneurial Journeys (season 2), we speak to Silvio Muschter, CEO of Swissbit, Ardian’s Dirk Wittneben, Head of Expansion Germany, together with Yannic Metzger, Director in the Expansion team.When Ardian decided to invest in Swissbit, a Swiss manufacturer of storage and embedded IoT solutions, it was in the midst of hy-19’s 2020 lockdown. The acquisition process was virtual up until its last few days, and then the first year and a half of collaboration was shaped by stressed supply chains. How did Ardian and Swissbit handle this strained period? First, by securing the supply chain. This is why Swissbit acquired Hyperstone, a long-term supplier, which further strengthens its control over its value chain. Now, the company plans on enlarging its product portfolio and to deliver added value, especially in the area of cybersecurity. To learn more about this successful partnership and Swissbit’s vision, Colette Davidson traveled to Berlin to meet with Silvio Muschter, CEO of Swissbit and two members of the Expansion team of Ardian, Dirk Wittneben, Head of Expansion Germany, andYannic Metzger, Director."It's important today to have your supply chain under control. From the beginning to the end of the product, we have no interaction, no interruption from third parties, and this makes us unique." Silvio Muschter, CEO of Swissbit"Shortly following our investment in Swissbit, the first major strategic add on acquisition was signed in December 2020. The acquisition of Hyperstone is a catalyst for Swissbit's development since it adds significant microcontroller and software know-how, reducing time to market for new product development through integrated development processes." Dirk Wittneben, Head of Ardian’s Expansion team in GermanyEntrepreneurial Journeys is a podcast about Ardian’s commitment to building lasting change, by partnering with managers to build resilient, high-quality businesses that are fit to face the future.This podcast is hosted by Colette Davidson and produced by Louie Creative for Ardian.For more information about the podcast, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and on our website.Our podcasts are accessible to all thanks to the written transcriptions of the episodes available on our website on each episode's landing page.