Toulouse-based start-up Funelior sells funeral marble on its e-commerce site with the aim of making funeral services more accessible.

Fact sheet
Date of creation: 2019
Workforce: 8 employees
2020 turnover: 220,000 euros
Expected turnover in 2021: 1 million euros
Head office: Toulouse

A new generation of funeral marble. Based in Toulouse, Funelior sells tombstones and funeral items to private clients on its e-commerce site. A market innovation, since the start-up has developed a network of 300 installation partners nationwide, to democratise access to quality and to make funeral services accessible to all.

« We manufacture and then ship the headstones to our partners, allowing us to help all our customers regardless of their geographical location », explains Julien Lesly, the company’s CEO.

Transparent quotes, prices 20% to 30% lower than local competitors, 24-hour delivery, administrative support… The marble sets itself apart by disrupting the market’s usual rules. « We offer support all the way through, from personalising a plaque, placing a death announcement or choosing a memorial photograph, with delivery anywhere in France », adds Julien Lesly.

To move forward, Funelior wants to expand its sales team and recruit masons in order to develop the installation business and no longer depend on the partner network. A fundraising campaign is currently underway for €1.8 million to develop the sales team and the funeral side of the business.

« We plan to hire around 230 employees by 2025, including around 20 in 2022. Having our own logistics and human resources will strengthen the profitability of the company », he adds.

Another project: Funelior is developing a new service for the funeral industry. « We are working on collecting requests for funeral estimates (burial, cremation) in France, to resell these qualified contacts to local funeral directors« , says Julien Lesly.

Julien Lesly underlines the support of AD’OCC as part of Occitanie Invest:

« This scheme has already enabled us to be supported in terms of raising funds, at the start of our activity, via meetings with investors. »