The electrification of corporate automobile fleets is gradually becoming a regulatory, fiscal and environmental constraint. But behind this imperative, the operational reality remains complex: arbitration between thermal and electric, management of charging infrastructures, cost management, uncertainties about uses.
Founded in 2022 by Alfred Richard (CEO), Inès Multrier (co-CTO), Julien Bou Abboud (COO) and Octave Locqueville (co-CTO), NELSON offers a platform that uses existing fleet data (trips, fuel, recharging) in order to support companies in the planning and operation of their vehicles. The startup’s approach is based on simulation algorithms and digital twins, designed to model different electrification scenarios and measure their operational and financial impacts. The objective is not to provide an asset or an infrastructure, but to make decisions manageable.
In a market where manufacturers, rental companies and charging operators operate, Nelson claims a position as an independent third party. The platform aggregates data from these different stakeholders to produce operational recommendations. This positioning aims to respond to a difficulty often mentioned by companies: the absence of a centralized tool making it possible to reconcile field constraints, decarbonization objectives and budgetary control.
The complexity of the transition is due in particular to the coexistence of hybrid fleets. As Alfred Richard, CEO of Nelson, points out: “Managing a half-thermal, half-electric fleet is much more complex. On the one hand, the operational constraints of EVs are still worrying and on the other, the charging ecosystem is overcrowded. This is where Nelson comes in: a layer of intelligence to support each decision during the transition and restore control over a recharge budget that can quickly explode. »
This proposal resonates with major accounts facing these challenges. In 2026, Nelson has around fifty customers, including Orange, Dalkia (EDF) and Schindler, representing several tens of thousands of vehicles. The company says it manages around 50,000 vehicles, thermal and electric combined, and has tripled its turnover in 2025, indicators which suggest gradual adoption in the large fleet segment.
The macroeconomic and energy context reinforces this dynamic. The instability of oil prices and European decarbonization objectives are accelerating electrification strategies. In this context, the ability to simulate, plan and manage the transition becomes an issue as important as the acquisition of the vehicles themselves. Electrification is no longer just a technological choice, but a multi-variable optimization problem, where data plays a central role.
To support its growth, Nelson has structured its offering around several modules covering the different dimensions of the transition: electrification planning, infrastructure management, calculation of total cost of ownership and charging management. This modular approach reflects the ambition of a platform, capable of intervening at each stage of the decision cycle.
Nelson announces that it has raised 3 million euros in Seed from Asterion Ventures, with the participation of La Poste Ventures (La Poste group fund managed by XAnge), EIT Urban Mobility, Climate Club and several business angels.
Resources will be devoted to improving algorithms, recruiting technical profiles and commercial acceleration, with the objective of expanding the customer base in France and then in Europe. The company aims to reach 100,000 electrified and managed vehicles by 2030, positioning itself as a key player in managing the transition.
Beyond the financial contribution, the entry of La Poste Ventures also illustrates the interest of industrial players directly confronted with these issues. The La Poste group, which has one of the largest electric fleets in France, provides operational expertise likely to fuel product development.
