Alexandre PROT
CEO et co-fondateur @QONTO
Alexandre Prot (HEC Paris and INSEAD graduate) is an entrepreneur and investor in the Internet of Things, fintech / SaaS.
After beginning his career in investment banking (Goldman Sachs) and in strategy consulting (McKinsey & Company), he founded Wimdu in France in 2011, a short-term rental site for private housing.
He then co-founded Smokio in 2013, which developed, patented and marketed the first connected electronic cigarette. The company was acquired by a Fortune 500 company only two years after its creation.
While taking care of finances at Smokio, he was extremely frustrated by his banking experience – time-consuming, not very transparent and with tools that do not meet the needs of modern small businesses.
That’s why he decided to launch Qonto: the bank for both companies and independents. Qonto raised 32 million euros with Valar Ventures (founded by Peter Thiel), Alven Capital and experienced business angels: Dominique Vidal (partner at Index Ventures), Céline Lazorthes (founder of Leetchi / Mangopay) and Frédéric Potter (founder of Withings and Netatmo).
Alexandre is also a business angel, for example at Hardware Club, VideoStitch and Greyhour and HiBruno.
Outside of work, he enjoys hiking with friends (Mont Blanc in 2012), speaks Mandarin, runs (3 marathons + 1 triathlon) and teaching their first words to his two children