In a sector still largely dominated by telephone calls, paper files and sight navigation, Zenior tries a daring operation, that of simplifying, digitizing and fluidifying the journey of families confronted with the loss of autonomy of a loved one, without sacrificing the humanity of the link. A risky promise in an area where emotion often takes over logic, but which could well respond to an increasingly glaring demographic emergency.
An often opaque and brutal course
Dependence is not a marginal subject. In France, more than 2.5 million people are affected by a form of loss of autonomy, a figure called to grow strongly in the coming years with the aging of the population. However, for caregivers as well as for seniors, access to information often remains a nightmare with an illegible offer, complex administrative procedures, logistical emergency and important loneliness in the decision. A shouting lag in a country that aims to be a model of social protection.
“More and more families are faced with the loss of autonomy of a loved one. It is urgent to provide a human response, simple and reliable to each, ”explains Alix Zeitlin, co -founder and CEO of Zenior. It is precisely this tension, between the institutional heaviness of the course and the brutality of the decisions to be made, that the startup intends to resolve.
Automatize… to better rehumanize
Zenior’s originality does not only reside in its digitalization of the route. Where most of the previous initiatives have been content to reference establishments or publish guides, the platform offers a single window, combining recommendation engine, assistance in administrative procedures, monitoring of stages and presence of a human advisor at each key moment. Automation is used here at the service of transparency and the reduction of stress, not of a replacement of the human relationship.
The database is updated continuously thanks to the field feedback, guaranteeing contextualized information. The UX was designed to lighten the mental burden of families, in an sector where administrative slowness can cost very much, both financially and emotionally. According to the founders, Zenior would save families on average 25 hours on the entire route.
Investors in search of measurable impact
The Invess Île-de-France Amorcation Fund, initiated by the Île-de-France Region and managed by Incor Ventures, leads a table of 1.5 million euros alongside several Business Angels specializing in the great age and tech. Among them, Sébastien Prudhomme (Domino Services) and Renaud Pestre (Pretto), who provide both field experience and product expertise.
For Timothée Metz, investment director at Incoming, the issue exceeds simple support for a promising startup: “Zenior responds to an essential need for the sector: encourage more transparency and restore confidence between families and professionals. »»
A national ambition, a scalable approach
Launched in 2024, Zenior claims more than 1,000 families accompanied to date and several hundred partnerships with accommodation or home services. Based in Île-de-France, the startup intends to extend its coverage to the whole territory by the end of 2026 and already lays the milestones of an international expansion. Three axes structure its roadmap: technological strengthening (in particular via AI), national coverage, and consumer notoriety.
“In the same way that Alan has simplified and digitized the world of mutual, in the same way that Booking has digitized the reservation of hotels and travel, Zenior wants to simplify the accompaniment of our elderly relatives,” says Rodolphe Gougaud, co -founder and CPO.
A tension market, heterogeneous competition
Faced with this ambition, Zenior evolves in a still not very structured landscape. Public actors (CCAS, CLIC, ARS) offer fragmented, slow and little digitalized aid. Platforms like CAP Retirement or Retirement Plus work essentially as leads of leads remunerated by establishments, without real editorial independence. Others, like Ouihelp, focus exclusively on home services, while Papyhappy relies on the participative comparison.
In this context, Zenior is distinguished by his integrated approach, his commercial neutrality and his will to automate the journey while maintaining a continuous human presence. A trusted third party position in a still very fragmented sector, where the quality of information and user experience could become decisive advantages.
