It all started with a cold shower. One winter, in a flatshare, for the third time, I found myself with no hot water. My first reaction was irritation, then I realised that you never know how much water you are using at the moment you use it, and while it stays invisible, changing habits is hard. That moment turned a conviction into a project: giving everyone the means to take back control of their consumption, with clear feedback that helps change habits for good. That is where Molleau came from.
An award that confirmed the direction
On 14 June 2023, after a year of incubation in the Les Audacieuses programme run by La Ruche, Molleau won the KPMG Foundation Jury's Favourite award, which came with a €5,000 grant.
To place Molleau in two sentences: we develop the Molleaumètre, a device that displays in real time the number of litres used in the shower, with a light ring that changes colour as consumption rises. And we were in the middle of preparing its rollout where the impact is most measurable: collective residences, hotels and social housing.
In the field, the first results now speak for themselves: 23% less consumption per shower measured in a residence, and up to 61% less among the heaviest users. The Molleaumètre makes visible what was not. And seeing it, evidently, changes behaviour.
Curious to see the Molleaumètre in action?
Whether you run a hotel, a residence or a housing portfolio, let's take thirty minutes to talk about your water use and how to reduce it, simply.
What the award brought
Recognition. A strong signal that a simple solution, rooted in everyday use, can be taken seriously by institutional players. A personal idea, born of a personal frustration, finding a concrete echo.
Mentoring. Being coached by La Ruche and then by KPMG consultants brought structure and perspective: how to formalise a business plan, how to look several years ahead, how to grow without losing what matters.
The grant. The €5,000 was very concrete support for a startup at seed stage: prototyping time, additional testing, product iterations.
Les Audacieuses is an incubation programme run by La Ruche for women entrepreneurs building impact ventures. From a cohort of several dozen projects, the KPMG Foundation singles out a few favourites each year.
Our thanks to the KPMG Foundation and the whole Les Audacieuses and La Ruche team for their support, and to the entrepreneurs we met along the way.
A word from the founder
“What I also take from it is something more human: the mutual support between women entrepreneurs. Moving forward surrounded by women who are also building impact ventures changes how you get through the moments of doubt. You share the highs and the lows, the good ideas, and you advise one another.”