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7 questions to a start-up: EZYcount

by NS Partners

Fusion – the Swiss FinTech business accelerator – exists to shape innovation in financial services by combining up-and-coming tech talent with Swiss state-of-the-art financial know-how. As a Fusion member, Notz Stucki is actively involved in the process.

 Follow our series “7 questions to a start-up” to get a feeling of who are the participants of the accelerator Season 4!

 

7 questions to EZYcount

Ezycount - Vivien Fuhrer
Ezycount – Vivien Fuhrer

1/ Who are you? 

I’m Vivien Fuhrer, co-founder of EZYcount. Originally from Valais, Switzerland, I’ve studied in Lausanne, Scotland, Germany, and in the US. After my first professional experience at GE in the finance department in Germany, I moved back to Switzerland to work for an SME in the train industry. After some years, I became the CFO and managed a wide range of responsibilities and projects in process optimization, controlling, cash management as well as a Leveraged Buy-Out. I then decided I wanted to build up a company from scratch that could make a real difference for SMEs, that’s why I started EZYcount. I am now a father with a small son, and am more convinced than ever that our mission to save time and resources for the self-employed in Switzerland is of critical importance to our country.

2/ What does your company do?

EZYcount automates accounting by simulating what an assistant fiduciary does. First EZYcount collects documents and data relevant to the accounting. Then it makes the bookings based on its knowledge and at the end, if EZYcount AI is not sure, it communicates with the fiduciary or the end-user to ascertain what the right booking is.

3/ What’s the founding story behind EZYcount?

In October 2012, the father of an EZYcount co-founder, who is self-employed had his house robbed and his PC with all his accounting information stolen. The co-founders of EZYcount went there to help him. However, his software was so complicated and he had so many problems with it, they decided the solution was to change the software. Finding no SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) easy solution on the market, the co-founders decided to create EZYcount.
There is a youtube video showing that founding story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zejtej01FqU&t=4s

4/ What was your proudest moment in your company’s history so far?

It was the day that after months and months of hard work, the first version of EZYcount went online. We realized after some tests that the number of bookings per hour made by a non-trained self-employed was a lot higher on EZYcount than Excel or any other solution on the market.The number of bookings per hour is a measure of effectiveness and speed for an accounting software.

5/ What’s the vision behind EZYcount?

Accounting should be automated so that the self-employed focus on their business but at the same time have accurate financial data at their fingertips.

6/ What’s your biggest challenge right now?

We are currently raising CHF 2m to develop the rest of our patented systems. With secured funds, we can then fully automate accounting for the self-employed within 24 months.

7/ Is there any inspirational saying or words of encouragement you want to share with other creative/disruptive professionals?

Create a strong vision for the business. This is the north star that will guide every single decision you, the other co-founder and the team take. This will define how your company will move forward and grow.

And explore international opportunities as early as you can.

Photos & Text: Vivien Fuhrer

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Antonio Mira
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Antonio Mira joined NS Partners in 2006 as Group Chief Financial Officer. He heads the corporate functions and is involved in coordinating and implementing the decisions of the Executive Committee.
An experienced bank auditor, Antonio started his career in 1995 with Arthur Andersen, where he worked for some 7 years before joining Ernst & Young in 2002 as a Senior Manager.
Antonio is a Swiss chartered accountant and a Business graduate of Lausanne University (HEC).

Sébastien Poiret
DEPUTY HEAD OF WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Sébastien Poiret joined NS Partners in 2008 and manages funds of hedge funds and private client mandates. He also oversees the development of the Group’s offices in Mauritius.

Prior to joining NS Partners, he served as a Trader, Head of Manager research and Portfolio Manager in the USA and Switzerland for a single hedge fund (1998-2004) and for Optimal (2004-2008), Grupo Santander’s fund-of-hedge funds operations.

Sébastien holds a Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Finance from the ESPEME Business School (EDHEC Group) and an MBA in Finance and Economics from the Institute of Business Administration, both in Nice.

Abir Oreibi
BOARD DIRECTOR

Abir Oreibi joined the Board of the NS Partners Group in 2018, where she brings her truly international perspective and rich experience.
Among many other ventures, Abir set up Alibaba.com’s first European office. After living and working in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok and London, she now lives in Geneva, where she is CEO of Lift Events, an organization that identifies technology trends, their business and social impact through the organization of events and open innovation programs. Issues related to the challenges and opportunities created by new technologies as well as the strategic responses from organizations are at the heart of Lift’s activities.
Abir holds a BA in Political Sciences from the University of Geneva. She is an investor, and member of advisory and innovation boards.

Romain Pidoux, CAIA

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Romain Pidoux joined NS Partners in 2011 and heads the Group’s Risk Management.
He started his financial career in 2005 as Head of Quantitative Analysis for a Swiss Family Office, selecting funds and managing portfolio allocation. In 2008, he switched to the alternative world and joined Peak Partners as hedge funds analyst.
He is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and holds a Master’s degree in international relations from the Graduate Institute of International Studies at Geneva University.

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