Monel

What Monel does

Monel is a local inter-company currency and B2B exchange network operated by the French non-profit association MLML (Monnaies Locales Métropole Lilloise), founded in 2020 and headquartered in Lille, France. The platform enables enterprises, individual entrepreneurs, and associations located in the Lille metropolitan area and surrounding region to exchange goods and services using a proprietary local monetary unit, with functional features including zero-interest credit lines, instant payment terms, and a member directory. Underlying components include the Mon Compte Monel member portal (account management and transaction processing), the Place de marché Monel (an online marketplace where members post exchange listings), and the Espace Ressources document repository.

Name

Monel

Legal name

Monnaies Locales Métropole Lilloise (MLML)

Website

https://monel.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Monel, operated by the French non-profit MLML, is a local inter-company currency and B2B exchange network serving SMBs, entrepreneurs, and associations in the Lille metropolitan area with zero-interest credit lines and instant payment terms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Currency Exchange Network

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Currency Accounts, Wallets & FX Management (Consumer/SME) (FSAGAKAF)

Keywords

• Local complementary currency
• B2B exchange network
• Community currency platform
• Inter-company transactions
• Alternative payment network

Headquarters

HQ city

Lille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions: Businesses and associations pay membership fees to join the Monel network. The revenue model involves companies committing 1% of their revenue to the 1% Planet fund through the network.
2. Exchange Transaction Fees: Companies exchange goods and services using Monel currency within the network, generating transactional value through the local currency circulation system

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Monel operates a local inter-company currency and exchange network for businesses headquartered in the Lille Metropolitan Area, allowing member companies and associations to buy and sell goods and services among themselves using a dedicated local currency. The network provides zero-interest credit facilities and instant payment terms, supported by a web-based member portal and marketplace where participants manage accounts and post exchange listings.

Product overview

Monel operates as a unified local currency exchange platform for businesses in the Lille Metropolitan area. The core offering is the Monel currency system itself, which facilitates inter-company exchanges of goods and services using a dedicated monetary unit. This is supported by the Mon Compte Monel member portal for account management and transactions, the Espace Ressources document repository, and the Place de marché Monel marketplace for posting exchange listings. All components work together within a single ecosystem to enable local business-to-business commerce.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monel Local Currency Exchange Network A local inter-company currency and exchange network that enables businesses and associations in the Lille Metropolitan Area to trade goods and services using the Monel currency, with zero-interest credit lines and instant payment terms. Targeted at SMEs, intermediate-sized companies, associations, and tiers-lieux committed to sustainable local development.
• Mon Compte Monel (Member Portal & Marketplace) Online member portal and marketplace platform (moncompte.monel.co) where Monel network participants manage their accounts, process exchanges, search the member directory, and post marketplace listings to exchange goods and services with other network participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shortened supply chains with reduced transportation and intermediary costs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bazaar St SocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Bazaar St So is a 5,000 m² tiers-lieu with 126 structures and 270+ residents. Joined Monel in June 2024 with 80 resident structures, enabling room rentals and service exchanges via Monel. Hosts Monel team for weekly Monday morning consultations.
• No ParkingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of the 2nd Monel member encounter in March 2024. Provides testimony as network member.
• Share and SmileminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork member that provided testimonial at first Monel member encounter.
• Pauci Impacts ConseilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability consulting firm that conducted Moduo's carbon footprint assessment, partially paid in Monel.
• Souffle du NordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation promoting solidarity engagement located in Marcq-en-Barœul. Hosted Monel's first 'Jeu de la Corbeille' workshop.
• EuratechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTech hub in Lille where Monel hosts workshops including La Fresque de la Finance and other community events.
• radio.immominorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio station that featured Nicolas Gantois discussing Monel and local currency benefits for building professionals.
• 1% for the PlanetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental fund to which Monel members contribute 1% of their revenue as part of their sustainability commitments.
• La Fresque de la FinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative workshop series (similar to Fresque du Climat) that Monel organizes to educate members on finance and sustainability.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eusko: Local currency of the Basque Country in France, used by individuals and businesses for regional commerce. Comparable as a regionally-bounded French local currency network with a focus on community and local economic resilience.
• Sardex: Sardinian B2B mutual credit network enabling companies to exchange goods and services using a complementary currency, with very similar zero-interest credit and instant settlement features to Monel. The most direct operational analogue in Europe.
• Bristol Pound: UK local currency serving Bristol businesses and consumers. Operates a complementary currency with directory and account-management tooling closely akin to Monel's Mon Compte platform.
• BerkShares: Massachusetts-based local currency network for the Berkshire region. Functionally similar community-issued currency used for local commerce, providing a US-side comparable.
• Sol-Violette: Toulouse-area local currency operated by an association. Comparable French local-currency network with similar community/values orientation and SME acceptance model.
• La Gonette: Local currency in the Lyon metropolitan area, also a non-profit association model. Operates in a geographically and structurally analogous way to Monel and represents both a peer and a potential replicator.

Broad incumbents

• WIR Bank: Swiss B2B complementary currency cooperative serving SMEs for nearly a century. A mature, scaled version of the B2B local-currency model Monel is pursuing, offering a benchmark for potential scale.

Others

• 1% for the Planet: Environmental giving network that Monel members contribute to via the 1% Planet integration. Not a competitor but a key ecosystem partner reinforcing Monel's sustainability positioning.

Regional players

• Totnes Pound: Local currency in the UK town of Totnes. Comparable as a small-scale UK local currency initiative, though more geographically restricted than Monel.
• Calgary Dollar: Canadian local currency initiative operating in Calgary. Operates a complementary currency network for local businesses and consumers, with a community-led model similar to Monel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/monel-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Monel