At the 2024 edition of the Mines Paris – PSL – Transvalor Entrepreneurship Prize, Timothée Rambaud was awarded the Prix d’Honneur, recognizing the significant impact Legalstart has made since its creation. This distinction illustrates the ability of Mines Paris – PSL to train bold minds, capable of combining technical expertise, strategic vision and innovation to meet today’s challenges.
Mines Paris – PSL – Transvalor Entrepreneurship Award Ceremony on Tuesday December 12.
A graduate of Mines Paris – PSL, Timothée has a solid grounding in science and engineering. He completed his studies with a specialization in quantitative finance, a combination that has enriched his career in structured finance and investment. Building on this experience, he turned his background into an entrepreneurial springboard, co-founding Legalstart in 2014 with his partner Pierre Aidan, a key player in French legaltech, helping thousands of business founders tackle legal challenges in an accessible and automated way.
Pierre Aïdan and Timothée Rambaud
Launched in 2014, the platform offers online legal services to support entrepreneurs in a variety of areas: business start-ups, trademark registration, accounting and administrative management. With over 750,000 entrepreneurs supported, Legalstart embodies a modern vision of technology at the service of the law.
Timothée Rambaud’s story is an inspiring example for engineering students and recent graduates, illustrating the School’s ambition to train leaders capable of transforming their ideas into impactful businesses.
Interview with Timothée Rambaud:
What are your most vivid memories of your training at Mines Paris – PSL, and how has it contributed to your entrepreneurial career?
The School’s level of excellence, reflected in the quality of its professors, lecturers and students, is unique. The diversity of the subjects taught stimulates curiosity and translates into an extremely wide range of career opportunities.
How did the idea for Legalstart come about, and what major challenges did you face in its creation?
The idea came from a clear observation at the time. There was no simple, fast and affordable solution to meet the legal and administrative needs of entrepreneurs on a day-to-day basis. Traditional solutions did not meet these needs satisfactorily. The fairly standard nature of these needs meant that technology could offer an appropriate response. Adoption by entrepreneurs was almost immediate.
What does the recognition of the Prix d’Honneur du Prix Entrepreneuriat Mines Paris – PSL mean to you?
It’s obviously a great honor to receive this award. You don’t set up a company hoping to be rewarded, but it’s the culmination of years of tireless effort. I’m also very proud to be among the prestigious list of previous winners.
Legalstart has enjoyed impressive growth. What are the key factors behind this success?
The most important thing was to make sure we created a service that met our customers’ needs and expectations. It took an enormous number of iterations to come up with a solution that would suit all types of entrepreneur, whether novice or experienced, whether consultant, startup, craftsman or shopkeeper. We’ve spent an inordinate amount of time listening to our customers, so that we can offer them the most comprehensive range of services possible. We’ve been doing this for 10 years now, and it’s become part of the company’s DNA.
What is your vision of the future of legaltech in France and Europe?
The legaltech sector is complex. We’ve seen a number of highly successful initiatives. Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen new practices become established in the market. Although we were not well perceived by the profession and institutions at the outset, we have demonstrated our seriousness and are now part of the landscape. The arrival of AI opens up new horizons. The technological revolution in the legal profession has only just begun. So we’re very optimistic for the sector, both in France and in Europe, where various projects are also emerging.
What advice would you give to students or recent graduates of Les Mines who want to start their own business?
It’s a wonderful adventure, so if you feel like it, go for it. You have to be ready to invest yourself fully if you hope to get your project off the ground. Being well surrounded, listening to your customers and making no concessions on quality of execution seem to me to be the keys to success in this field.
