Groupe SEB acquires minority stake in French start-up Auum, known for its eco-friendly alternative to disposable coffee cups; the countertop dishwasher cleans, disinfects and dries a glass within seconds using minimal water and no chemicals

SEB Alliance, the Groupe SEB investment vehicle, announced the acquisition of a minority stake in the auum start-up, "Arrêtons l’Usage Unique maintenant" (Stop Single-Use Now).

A French production

Designed and assembled at Châtillon, in France, at its brand-new production site covering 1,300m², the auum machine offers an ecological alternative to disposable cups and mugs. Certified Guaranteed French Origin, the machine enables, in one gesture, the cleaning, disinfection and drying of a glass in just a few seconds, with a small amount of water and no chemical products.

Assisting companies towards a circular world

Since 2019, auum has defined its corporate mission as helping companies to eliminating the use of the 
5 billion disposable cups still consumed in France each year. A mission in line with the SEB Alliance road map which has the corporate mission of supporting innovative concepts favoring new usages, notably in terms of CSR. By developing a commercial offering dedicated to companies, in line with the objectives of the Anti-Waste for a circular economy law, the industrial start-up has demonstrated its desire to assist companies toward a more sustainable world.

To continue to have maximum impact, to rapidly develop in our different markets and to accelerate our industrial project, it is important for us to link up with one of the flagships of French industry. We are proud to partner Groupe SEB, an inspiring example and a group that shares many of our values. I am convinced that their support will enable us to move to a new level.

 Clément Houllier, founder of the auum start-up 

As an industrial group, assisting the auum start-up, is above all promoting entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, values which are strongly anchored within Groupe SEB. It is also assisting, over time, the roll-out of an industrial solution with a strong environmental impact. We are proud to contribute to the success of auum and we will be by their sides to help them to grow from a young shoot to a giant!

 Stanislas de Gramont, CEO of Groupe SEB

About auum
Founded in 2019, the auum industrial company, acronym of “Arrêtons l'Usage Unique Maintenant” (Stop Single Use Now), has the purpose of preventing the generation of millions of waste cups in France per year. To do so, it helps companies to replace disposable cups and mugs with a reusable, ecological solution. Aware of the issues related to cleaning, the company has developed a patented, smart technology called auum-S. This solution enables, in one gesture, the cleaning, disinfection and drying of a glass in just a few seconds with a limited amount of water and no chemical products. Certified “Guaranteed French Origin”, auum-S is offered for rental with maintenance and installation services included. Auum has been the cleaning solution favored by major international companies since 2021.