Success Stories: From Local to Global

Lille has produced several e-commerce unicorns and success stories that inspire the next generation.

Vente-Privée (now Veepee), though Paris-headquartered, maintains major operations in Lille. The flash sales pioneer proved that European e-commerce could innovate, not just copy American models. Its success inspired dozens of Lille entrepreneurs.

Welcome Office, started by two Lille students, revolutionized B2B office supplies procurement. Acquired for €100 million, it showed that unsexy sectors could yield spectacular returns. Co-founder Matthieu Bonenfant reinvested in Lille's startup scene: "This city made us. We owe it to give back."

BeezUP, a feed management platform for marketplaces, grew from bootstrap to serving thousands of merchants across Europe. "Lille's lower costs let us survive the lean years," recalls founder Mickaël Froger. "In Paris, we'd have burned through funding and died."