Inova Sets its Sights on Japan

Determined to expand internationally, the Lyonnais software editor is sending one of its French employees to open a sales office in Japan. It’s another step towards reaching its goal of 90% in international sales.
Inova is evolving in a niche market: a SaaS CRM software (3 years ago the decision was made to migrate from perpetual licenses to SaaS) designed for the life sciences industry. Today, the software company has many international references in its client portfolio: AstraZeneca, Bayer, Merck, Sanofi and more. At the end of 2015, the company posted a turnover of 4.2 million euros, growing 15%. Sales were divided between the USA (45%), Europe (33%), France (20%) and the rest of the world (2%).
To extend its reach around the globe, the software editor is seeking to open a sales office in Japan and currently waiting for final administrative approval. “The life sciences are a subject that interests the Japanese,” explained Gilles Toulemonde, Inova CEO and co-founder. “Our salesperson will develop the domestic market and assist our local partner in their projects.” A small part of Inova’s 2% turnover from the rest of the world came from Japan, but it’s ripe for growth.
The software editor is planning to double its size in 6 years, pursuing 10 million euros in turnover and continuing its international development. “Naturally, the percentage of French sales will decrease,” predicted the CEO. “Our exports must exceed 90% of sales.” This international deployment will occur from Lyon, the headquarters as well as R&D center for new software development, and from New York, an office which includes an innovation center supporting experiments by large pharmaceutical companies. Six employees are being recruited: software developers, quality engineers and a marketing director for the US and France.
This article originally appeared in Le Tout Lyon Affiches and has been translated from French.