Why we invested in MerciApp
Writing Levels Are Dramatically Decreasing
According to a French government study, the number of writing mistakes made by students in 5th grade (CM2) increased by 99% between 1987 and 2021 (Source).
This decline in the level of written expression is not only striking at school; it also has long-term repercussions in adult and professional life. According to a study by Opinionway, 78% of professionals working in the service sector admit to regularly making spelling, conjugation, grammar or syntax mistakes (Source).
The problem is amplified for the youngest generations for whom the widespread use of smartphones and very short messages tend to generate more recurrent and uncontrolled spelling mistakes.
The Workplace Writing Market Is Booming
This is all the more so critical as several trends indicating a significant rise in the importance of writing in the workplace and careers. 73% of employers look for writing as a top skill in the workplace (Source).
The digital age has led to a substantial increase in written communication, primarily through email, instant messaging (Teams, Whatsapp), collaboration platforms (Slack, Notion), and social media (Linkedin, Meta). Employees are required to write more frequently to convey information, collaborate with colleagues, and interact with clients and customers. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work, making written communication even more crucial. In hybrid or remote workplaces, employees rely heavily on written communication to replace face-to-face interactions.
Many businesses have embraced content marketing as a way to connect with their audience. This involves creating written content, such as blog posts, articles, and social media updates, to engage and inform potential customers. Customer Support and Communication teams also rely heavily on written communication to address customer inquiries and resolve issues via email, chat, or social media.
In the age of social media and professional networking platforms like LinkedIn, individuals are encouraged to develop their personal brands. This often involves writing engaging profiles, articles, and posts to showcase their expertise and connect with others in their industry. Effective writing skills are crucial when applying for jobs, drafting resumes, and networking. A well-crafted cover letter and resume can make a significant difference in landing a job interview.
The writing market is booming. In a world where writing is the main means of expression, the challenges of credibility and productivity are increasing. On average, an employee spends 22% of his or her time writing and makes 1,650 mistakes a month, 215 of which are embarrassing. 28 minutes: that’s the average time a French executive spends proofreading every day.
Business Writing Skills Are Discriminatory
Writing skills represent a strong social marker that can lead to inequalities and stress, potentially excluding a portion of the population in school or in the workplace. Consequences for professionals are numerous.
Poor writing can lead to discrimination in hiring and difficulty accessing employment. According to a study by Opinionway, 67% of decision-makers have already been held back in their decision because the person they were dealing with was too poorly written.
Job postings, internal memos, and communication about promotions and job openings are often conveyed through written documents. If someone’s writing skills are significantly weaker than their colleagues, they may miss out on important information or opportunities, leading to unequal access to career growth. Individuals with poor writing skills also struggle to advance in their careers. Many leadership positions require effective written communication for tasks such as drafting reports, proposals, and executive summaries. Those who cannot meet these requirements may find it difficult to progress professionally.
There is also an impact on quality of working life, Writing mistakes can lead to unconcious biases and stereotypes or worst to teasing among colleagues. 52% of 18–29 years old may feel uncomfortable when writing for fear of misspelling. Eventually, it also leads to exclusion and stress for dyslexic and dyspraxic populations. Dys represent 8% of the French population, i.e. about 5 million people.
MerciApp, The Leading AI Writing Assistant For Professionals
MerciApp leverages AI to help profesionnals improve their writing skills and their productivity in the flow of work, by providing a writing assistant solution working across every software. MerciApp is integrated into all writing environments (email, Microsoft Office, social networks, business apps) and supports users in their day-to-day writing, without having the pain of copying and pasting from another application.
Beyond spelling and grammar correction, MerciApp offers features such as reformulation of one or more sentences, style improvement, automatic error correction and anglicism detection. Thanks to a distinctive and powerful writing style, MerciApp users eliminate misunderstandings, collaborate more effectively and leave a lasting impression through their writing.
Combining Great UX With Deep Technology
MerciApp has implemented the best practices of successful mid-market B2B solutions: SaaS Freemium business model, product-led growth, multi-platform integration, consumer-centric UX and great branding ;) to create new usages for professionals, using writing assistants in their daily worklife. In less than 2 years, MerciApp has convinced hundreds of thousands of users and has signed 700+ companies including Orange, Solocal, Qonto, or Payfit.
For the back-end technology, MerciApp draws on the 30 years of linguistic engineering and NLP expertise of the French company Diagonal (publisher of Prolexis) which has developed 6 analyzers serving a powerful global sentence engine . Founded in the 90s, by Wanda Rzewuski and Roger Rainero, Prolexis is the market leader among most French-speaking publishers, newspapers and public institutions for proofreading (such as Le Monde, Le Figaro, Hachette, Gallimard, Flammarion). The partnership between the two companies which led to the acquisition of Diagonal, gave birth to a solution based on powerful, reliable and fast technology.
Developped By A Team Of Passionates
MerciApp was born out of a business crush between Arthur Ollier, CEO, and Wanda Rzewuski. They are equally obessed the idea of using technology to solve fundamental problems facing businesses. Arthur Ollier is a serial entrepreneur (Datanas, now Sarbacane) and his aim is to make day-to-day writing easier, with an integrated tool tailored to users’ workflows to help companies save time, increase productivity and enhance credibility.
MerciApp’s ambition is to create the leading AI writing assistance solution and become an undisputed leader in Europe.
Educapital is proud to have led this €7m Series A alongside Isai, historical Seed investor, and Swen capital, in order to give MerciApp the resources to accelerate the commercial growth and to build further product capabilities… stay tuned, there is plenty more to come!
About Educapital
Educapital is the largest European impact VC fund dedicated to the future of Education and Work. Founded in 2017 by Marie-Christine Levet and Litzie Maarek, Educapital invests from late seed to Series B in European start-ups that are disrupting or innovating in these sectors. Educapital invests in every fields Edtech — early childhood, K12, higher education, continuing education — , and focuses on HRtech solutions dedicated to talent first — professional training, recruitment and mobility, engagement and well-being in the workplace.
Educapital’s ambition is to help European champions emerge by providing them with initial financial support, ongoing expertise and market-specific know-how.
Educapital has invested in more than 30 leading companies, including Labster, 360 Learning, Preply, Lunii and KnowUnity, making it one of the most active EdTech and Future of Work funds in the world.
