No-code tools: a new market on the way to take off?

We requested Erwan Kezzar, one of many three co-founders of the Simplon college, to inform us about Contournement, his new entrepreneurial venture centered on no-code visible programming instruments.

Channelnews : You could have created Contournement, a coaching firm centered on so-called no-code instruments. These are growth instruments to create web sites or cellular functions however don’t require writing code, nor particular programming data. Are you able to clarify to us the way you got here to create Contournement?

Erwan Kezzar : I’m one of many co-founders of the Simplon social and solidarity college. I supported its growth from its creation in 2013 to 2017. The concept on the time was to assist younger folks with out a diploma or much less younger folks in retraining to search out work in internet growth by coaching them in fundamentals of programming. The venture went very nicely however I spotted that it was nonetheless a problem to coach builders in six months and that many had been dropping out for lack of enough style for the code. I then began, with Targo, within the formation of extra versatile profiles, in a position to write slightly code but in addition to handle initiatives, to arrange, to speak … with a view to creating them digital referents for SMEs. As a part of these experiences, I’ve all the time sought to establish probably the most democratic applied sciences doable to permit as many individuals as doable to entry Net growth. That is how I found Ruby – the Simplon venture was constructed round an accelerated coaching in Ruby programming – then no code applied sciences. In 2019, I spotted that these had grow to be mature sufficient to permit the conclusion of a lot of skilled digital initiatives. Therefore the creation of Contournement.

Channelnews : Why trainings on no-code applied sciences? Is there a market?

Erwan Kezzar : Let’s be clear, there’s not but an actual market, at the very least by way of recruitment. However no-code has grow to be an actual buzzword in 2020. There at the moment are no-code internet businesses and increasingly more suppliers and person corporations. Companies and repair suppliers who’re already crumbling in demand and who, tomorrow, will recruit to keep up and enhance the no-code websites and functions they at the moment ship. In contrast to Simplon or Targo, Contournement’s goal is to not discover work in internet growth for younger folks from working-class or lower-income neighborhoods. Contournement goals relatively to democratize the event of internet sites and cellular functions by giving as many individuals as doable entry to no-code instruments. As a result of no-code is a method to get across the technological impediment. Therefore the title of the corporate.

Channelnews : Who is that this for?

Erwan Kezzar : Basically, Contournement is geared toward all entrepreneurs who’ve a digital venture however who do not need the means to make use of a conventional company or who wish to check their thought earlier than investing. It may also be staff (or freelancers) who wish to enhance their employability, or enhance enterprise processes with out calling on the IT division. No-code may even be geared toward builders who wish to automate sure repetitive duties or construct sure bricks quicker.

Channelnews : What instruments do you prepare on?

Erwan Kezzar : We provide coaching on about ten instruments together with Adalo, Zapier, Airtable, Notion, Glide… It must be famous that we’ve got specialised in probably the most accessible instruments, which we will grasp in just a few days. Our coaching programs final from one to a few days. We depart slightly harder instruments like Bubble or Webflow to others.

Channelnews : What’s your corporation mannequin?

Erwan Kezzar : We create, popularize and promote on-line coaching. Primarily asynchronous. We do a little bit of on-demand telesensing in very brief codecs. We have now developed a catalog of ten coaching programs to that are added practically 80 free movies obtainable on YouTube and round forty Podcasts.

Channelnews : What’s your hottest coaching?

Erwan Kezzar : It is a coaching entitled ” Get began with no-code by doing “. It permits you to study 4 functions in sooner or later (Weebly, Airtable, Zapier and Glide) by way of the creation and promotion of a small cellular software.

Channelnews : How many individuals have purchased your coaching?

Erwan Kezzar : We estimate that slightly over 1,100 folks have registered for our coaching programs. However with our media passages (particularly on Europe 1 and BFM), our Youtube movies, our webinars, we estimate that we’ve got reached round 25,000 in 2020. This has enabled us to type a neighborhood referred to as no-code France which at the moment has greater than 2,800 folks. and is rising in a short time.

Channelnews : Did you create jobs?

Erwan Kezzar : After a yr of exercise, my accomplice Alexis and I’ll begin paying one another subsequent month. We additionally redirect alternatives to exterior service suppliers through our (free) consulting exercise. As such, we’ve got created a group of a dozen specialists and repair suppliers (together with Zetoolbox, Studio Roland, Ideable, and many others.) to whom we’re redirecting initiatives.

Channelnews : What are your plans for 2021?

Erwan Kezzar : We have now three principal ones: to encourage the creation of initiatives to spotlight girls within the no-code France neighborhood as a way to entice girls to no-code; promote the creation of cellular functions with a solidarity vocation utilizing no-code applied sciences and create a job trade to attach recruiters and other people with no-code expertise.