Box, 24/24 terminal, network, algorithm... In this universe that is difficult to disrupt, a few start-ups are trying to offer new services and products around reading and/or the book object.Objective: to seduce readers, very attached to their good old books, paper version!Overview of these initiatives on the occasion of the literary season.Three hours.This is the time devoted by 20-25 year olds to reading each week.To choose, they favor novels, by far, but also mangas, comics, or even personal development.This is the result of the annual survey “Young French people and reading”, published by the National Book Center (CNL) and Ipsos last March.Despite the omnipresence of screens in our daily lives, it remains a key pastime, including among younger generations.“We remain a nation of readers, since 80% of French people say they have read at least one book in the year”, rejoices Régine Hatchondo, president of the CNL, interviewed by our colleagues from France Info.This attraction can also be seen in the size of the impressive book market.In France, it weighed more than 4.5 billion euros in 2021, with some 400 million copies sold.An important point to understand: we remain fiercely attached to the paper object.Digital, if it is progressing little by little, remains a minority: according to the National Union of Publishing, it represents around 9% of total sales by publishers.This figure drops to 5%, if we focus only on literature.Inevitably, a market of this magnitude, still little digitized, has something to inspire entrepreneurs.However, they are few to rub shoulders with it.“It's a difficult universe, where the margins are limited.This is the reason why there are few new entrants.In publishing, you have to reach a certain size before being considered and being listened to a little more,” says Samuel Cimamonti.A graduate of Essec in 2015, he quickly launched into entrepreneurship to create La Kube, with the desire to make his way there despite everything.Its concept: a box dedicated to reading, with works selected by professionals.“To respond to everyone's very specific tastes, we ask Internet users to complete a questionnaire.From these answers, one of our independent booksellers analyzes the profile and selects a reference that seems to him to correspond.The subscriber receives one per month, accompanied by small surprises.And it is quite possible to modify your profile as soon as you want something else!“explains the startuper.Your tastes grounded by an algorithm, and hop a box with a selection of books in your mailbox.DRAll for 16 euros per month, with indeed little extras: tea, bookmark, postcard, literary discovery, magazine, etc.The Kube now has 20,000 subscribers, adults and children.A number that should increase with Christmas, naturally the busiest period of the year.Offering services to lovers of letters is also the perspective of Khalil Mouna, founder of the free app Gleeph.An engineer by training, he is developing a social network focused on literature: “The user recreates his library on the app, adding the books he owns and has read.Based on this information, our algorithm provides recommendations.He can also chat with other users, discover their favourites, comment on them…” The app refers you to the bookstores around you if necessary, to see where the book is available.Ideal for readers looking for authors to discover.Top 4 apps to read quickly and wellBut how to get paid, knowing that the app is free?A major obstacle to overcome, otherwise difficult to sustain the project.Gleeph's competitor, Collibris, knows something about this that they threw in the towel last June, having failed to strike the right financial balance.“For us, it took time, it is difficult to find its model in the ecosystem of the book, which is quite hermetic.Our solution is to remunerate ourselves in particular through the huge panel represented by our users, while respecting the GDPR, of course”, specifies Khalil Mouna.He describes the business model of his start-up Gleeph as “virtuous”: “For the user, everything is free, without advertising.The data is then used completely anonymously.For the world of books, publishers, this information on the habits of readers and the tastes of Internet users is precious and useful.“Data that has been difficult for publishers to grasp until now…For their part, Cédric Le Guern and Lucas Moysan, both engineering students at Insa Rennes, have looked into reading accessories.“In high school, I used to read in my bedroom, with a badly lit bedside lamp.I liked to read from the side, but it's complicated with two hands.So, with my 3D printer, I started to imagine small prototypes to solve this problem,” recalls Cédric.His relatives like the idea, too.And so, the object Lizia was.In the background, Cédric Le Guern and Lucas Moysan with their Lizia, 3 in 1 accessory, in the foreground.DRConcretely, this little plastic gadget is wedged under the thumb and allows the work to be kept open with one hand.The entrepreneurial duo added two features: a light to illuminate the pages and a small rod, which serves as a bookmark."There are few accessories in this area, only a few competitors who sell small reading lamps, but these are objects made in China and whose use damages the book", adds Cédric, who claims a 100% product. made in France, made in Brittany and Vendée.In total, nearly 8,000 Lizia were sold in total (at a unit price of 19 euros).A figure he hopes to double next year.And what about the sale?After a first life in the supply chain, Franck Dalboussière also created his reading services company, Yoteq.His idea: install terminals dedicated to books, like candy dispensers, in public places."The objective is to make it possible to buy favorites in all places, to multiply bookstores, like antennas, and therefore the opportunity for the reader to discover this abundant offer, to choose and buy the work of his choice in places of flow and expectation.It can be a hotel lobby, a hospital, a train station, a boarding lounge at an airport…”, explains the trained engineer.Currently in the experimental phase, the young shoot is planning distributors each containing 300 references, with a selection of best-sellers.5 books to read (absolutely) to engage in the ecological transitionYoteq's objective is not to oppose bookstores, on the contrary, claims the company.“They will not be our competitors, but our customers!We are offering a new sales format for book players.The bookstore can, for example, project itself into a place close to its point of sale, by managing this terminal itself, open 24 hours a day, without any time constraints.Ditto for libraries”, emphasizes Franck Dalboussière.What relieve certain sudden literary desires, and this, at any time of the day.At the same time, literature enters places where it was hitherto inaccessible.All rights reserved - Les Echos Start 2022