Kolet<\/a> is a new French startup created by four experienced co-founders in the French tech ecosystem that wants to make it easier to stay connected when you travel. The company has crafted an interesting distribution strategy for travel eSIM cards and simplified the experience as eSIM remains a confusing technology for most people.<\/p>\n Chances are your smartphone in your pocket supports virtual eSIM cards. For instance, they\u2019ve been the default option for iPhones sold in the U.S. for a few years. That\u2019s why many companies have been taking advantage of that feature to sell temporary eSIM cards with a foreign subscription plan to save on roaming fees.<\/p>\n A few years ago, you would have to go to a phone shop when you land and buy a physical SIM card. Thanks to eSIM, the experience is much better \u2014 or at least on paper because the eSIM industry is a bit confusing.<\/p>\n For instance, if you\u2019re traveling to Argentina, you might search for the best option for a travel eSIM before heading to the airport. There are comparison websites like eSIMDB<\/a> that help you compare plans. But there are so many options that it can be a bit hard to pick an eSIM provider based on a table like this one from eSIMDB:<\/p>\n After picking a provider, you usually have to download an app, create an account, pay for the travel plan and add the eSIM to your phone. As an eSIM provider, you can either appear as the cheapest option on comparison websites, or differentiate yourself from this crowded market with a different distribution strategy and user experience.<\/p>\n That\u2019s exactly what Kolet plans to do as the company is going to partner with other companies in the travel industry so they can promote Kolet on their own services. When you book a hotel room or a flight, you usually receive a confirmation email. In that email, partners will tell you that you can get a Kolet eSIM with a free trial with 1GB data plan for the first two days of travel.<\/p>\n \u201cOur bet is that this industry holds will be key when it comes to democratizing eSIMs because the first thing we do when we travel is either book our flight or our hotel, Airbnb,\u201d Kolet co-founder and CEO Eduardo Ronzano told me.<\/p>\n Eduardo Ronzano previously founded KelDoc<\/a>, an online calendar and booking solution for hospitals. He then became an important figure in the angel investment scene in Paris participating in dozens of pre-seed or seed investments as you can see on his LinkedIn profile<\/a>.<\/p>\n After installing Kolet\u2019s eSIM, you can top up your plan in the app \u2014 plans start at \u20ac3.99 for 1GB in Europe with a 30-day validity period. The startups has some revenue sharing agreements with partners. Kolet\u2019s first travel partners are professional travel agency Resaneo<\/a> and air ticket booking platform Ulysse<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s also special is that we\u2019re in the process of creating our own eSIM, which gives us the ability to have a single eSIM for every country in the world. So you don\u2019t have to reinstall a new eSIM every time you go to a new country,\u201d Ronzano said.<\/p>\n Image Credits:<\/strong> Kolet<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Ronzano is joined by Anne-Carole Co\u0308en, who acts as the Chief Marketing Officer for Kolet. She held the same position at French unicorn Swile, food delivery company Frichti and ride-sharing service Freenow (formerly known as Chauffeur-Priv\u00e9 and Kapten).<\/p>\n Kolet\u2019s Chief Technology Officer Je\u0301re\u0301my Gotteland was a co-founder at Cajoo, the short-lived quick delivery service that was acquired by its German rival Flink. Finally, the company\u2019s Chief Operating Officer Mehdi Chraibi previously worked at Millicom and Orange.<\/p>\n The company has already raised $5.5 million (\u20ac5 million) from VC funds Daphni<\/a> and 9900 Capital<\/a>. It has also asked some travel industry experts to become advisors for the startup.<\/p>\n The market opportunity if quite clear for Kolet. The company isn\u2019t just competing with other eSIM providers as many people don\u2019t even know that they can get an eSIM when they travel. By partnering with travel companies, these partners can spread the word for Kolet and grow the startup\u2019s user base.<\/p>\n
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