Elax Energie

3 co-founders, 40 employees

It all began with Jean-François Eggericx, a regulation engineer and equipment maintenance expert with 30 years of experience. Accustomed to solving complex problems, he questioned the issue of water heater overconsumption. For four years, he worked tirelessly to design a device capable of dynamically adjusting water temperature and generating energy savings. But Jean-François knew that to bring his idea to life, he needed to surround himself with the right people.

He reached out to Thomas Tirtiaux, former COO of Solen, whose expertise in strategy and project management helped structure the company. Shortly after, Samuel Beaussier, former Head of Manufacturing Operations at Dreem, joined the journey as COO, bringing his operational expertise. In 2023, the team was further strengthened by the arrival of Florent Pignal, CTO and former Head of Engineering at Lifen, an expert in leading teams of over 80 engineers, and Stanislas Lebel, CFO, who previously led the finance department of GreenYellow France (with €250M in revenue). Their arrival marked a key milestone, enriching the company with a solid technological and financial vision.

Today, Elax Énergie, with a team of 40 employees, continues to grow by relying on the complementary skills and expertise of its founders and leaders.

Thomas Tirtiaux

Co-fondateur & PDG

Samuel Beaussier

Co-fondateur & Directeur des Opérations

Jean-François Eggerickx

Co-fondateur & Business Development

Florent Pignal

Directeur Technique

Stanislas Lebel

Directeur Financier

Julie Sabran

Directrice Ressources Humaines

In many European countries, energy strategies aim to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Water heaters, found in almost every household, account for a significant share of domestic energy consumption. However, many are not optimized to meet the actual needs of occupants. Often set at excessively high temperatures, they lead to excessive energy use. Their continuous operation does not account for variations in household consumption, which can unnecessarily increase energy costs. Additionally, overconsumption and lime scale buildup accelerate wear and tear, resulting in additional expenses for both homeowners and tenants.

ELAX Energie has developed a smart device directly connected to electric water heaters installed in homes, enabling real-time control of energy consumption and adjusting the temperature based on the residents' needs and consumption peaks (seasonality, individual consumption habits, etc.). After several years of research and development, the start-up launched its smart thermostat in 2020 and has since established partnerships with over 80 social housing providers in France. The smart control provided by the ELAX device enables an average 25% reduction in energy consumption, a figure validated by the consulting firm Carbone 4, thereby reducing tenants' energy bills by €95 per year.

This intelligent management also maintains water heater temperatures at an optimal level, which reduces lime scale deposits and extends the lifespan of water heaters by an average of four years. In parallel, the company entered the grid support market in 2024 by leveraging flexibility mechanisms. Specifically, it can now control water heaters to prevent them from consuming energy during peak demand times and to heat when electricity is cheaper and less carbon-intensive thanks to renewable energy.

By using water heaters as thermal batteries, hot water is stored for later use without affecting user comfort. By combining load shedding (consumption interruption) and load shifting, ELAX Energie stabilizes the grid, reduces costs, and decarbonizes energy consumption.

ELAX Energie's business model is primarily based on the sale of smart devices (80% of its revenue), sold at €200 per unit and distributed through partnerships with social housing providers across France (80 clients to date, including Action Logement, one of the most important players). ELAX also offers the installation of devices directly to tenants and homeowners (outside the social housing sector) via its website. Alongside the installation of devices, maintenance and service packages are also sold to support its clients, with subscription plans costing €27 per year.

With significant revenue growth in 2023 (€2.1 million compared to €185,000 in 2022), the company aims to quickly increase its market share by selling 139,000 units by 2026, which would enable it to reach €25 million in revenue and achieve profitability by 2027.

ELAX Energie offers innovative solutions to adapt energy consumption and build a decarbonized world through several key initiatives:

• Reduction of energy consumption by 25%: Following a study conducted with Carbone 4, this average was calculated based on a sample of 1,600 water heaters installed and equipped with ELAX Energie’s smart device.

• Savings on household energy bills: 24,000 water heaters are already equipped, generating an average annual savings of €95 per tenant.

• Increased lifespan of electric water heaters: Lowering the internal temperature of the water heater has a direct impact on reducing lime scale buildup inside the tank. This slowdown in lime scale formation extends the lifespan of the equipment by an average of four years.

• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: ELAX Energie’s solution contributes to the energy transition and the decarbonization of social housing in France, preventing the release of 2,400 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year.