Yoobic has just taken a strategic step by acquiring Simplifield, an actor specializing in Retail Mobile execution. This operation positions the French SCALE-UP as a Comptaur from the SaaS Retail market, by building a complete operations management platform in stores.
By integrating the Simplifield execution and reporting bricks into its existing base – internal communication, training and field tasks -, Yoobic aims to establish itself as the operational cockpit of sales teams. The objective is clear: to centralize in one point the tools necessary for front -line employees, in a context of increasing pressure on productivity and customer experience.
The Simplifield portfolio, which has several major global luxury brands, beauty and fast food, allows Yoobic to strengthen its presence on key markets and extend its imprint internationally. This acquisition also responds to an increasing demand for CIOs for integrated solutions: according to Deloitte, 69 % of the IT departments of retail plan to increase their investments to equip the teams in store.
With this operation, Yoobic changes scale. From an HR tool oriented commitment, it evolves towards a complete field piloting infrastructure, halfway between the LMS (Learning Management System), WFM (WorkForce Management) and the operational performance tool. A trajectory that recalls that of traditional ERPs, but designed for the field, mobile-first, real time, and thought for the operational flows of sellers, not managers.
The Retail SaaS market is concentrating around a few players capable of unifying the digital experience of field employees. Zebra has bought reflexis, Beekeeper is developing on communication, while Relex covers the back office. YOOBIC, by integrating Simplifield, accelerates towards a differentiating promise: to become the reference solution to digitize the execution, commitment and performance at point of sale.
Next probable step: a fundraising or an additional external growth operation to complete the offer, in particular on the analytical dimension or predictive planning. Yoobic thus lays the foundations of a new generation ERP, oriented “Frontline Enablely”, at the crossroads of HR, Tech and field performance.
In 2021 Yoobic raised $ 50 million (or 42.3 million euros) from Highland Europe, with the participation of historic investors Felix Capital, Insight Partners and a Family Office. This operation brought the total financing of the French startup to $ 80 million.
For his part, Simplifield raised $ 15 million first from Business Angels like Ilan Abehassera, Angelique Berger, Oleg Tscheltzoff, Kima and 50 Partners, then a second round of funding of $ 11 million, at the end of 2019 with the American Fund Five Elms Capital, Cap Horn and Runa Capital.
