Philippe Croizon made waves once again, this time not just as an inspiring athlete but as an entrepreneur on the popular French show Qui veut être mon associé? On February 26, 2025, Croizon, who is well known for being the first quadruple amputee to swim across the English Channel, presented his new venture, the application Very Important Parking (VIP) aimed at enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
Since the shock from his tragic accident, where he lost his limbs to electrocution, Croizon has always pushed boundaries. This latest project saw him share the stage with his partner, Thierry Garot, pitching for €120,000 to fund their app which seeks to help those with mobility challenges find accessible parking spots and facilities more efficiently.
Throughout his presentation, Croizon passionately articulated, "L’accessibilité n’est pas un luxe, c’est une nécessité" (Accessibility is not a luxury; it's a necessity), expressing the urgency of making daily life easier for the 24 million people affected by disability and their caregivers across France.
VIP enables users to locate accessible parking spots and identifies places such as shops, restaurants, and pharmacies equipped with necessary amenities like ramps for wheelchair access. Even before its public debut on the show, the app was making waves by amassing over 40,000 downloads and listing 800,000 accessible sites within just seven months of its inception.
Croizon, radiantly optimistic about his venture, entered the negotiation stage with five investors, including influential personalities like Kelly Massol and Éric Larchevêque, gifted with the discernment for recognizing potential businesses. Croizon maintained his charm and confidence, admitting, "Je vais m’amuser comme un petit fou" (I’m going to have fun like crazy). Despite facing challenging questions about the app’s profitability, his presentation's clarity and emotional weight drew interest from the investors.
The emotional standout was Julian Jacob, who related more than just as an investor, but as someone personally touched by the issue of disability, having faced his own serious health challenges. His heartfelt words moved Croizon to tears, as he remarked, "J’ai un problème. Le problème que j’ai, c’est que je vous adore" (I have a problem. The issue I have is I adore you). These sentiments spoke to the deeply human narrative both men shared, highlighting the intersection of struggle and resilience.
Beyond the emotional back and forth, investors weighed the business model critically. While Croizon and Garot were firm on their request, reactions were mixed: some had reservations, questioning the long-term revenue generation of the app. Anthony Bourbon and Alice Lhabouz were initially skeptical, not offering financial support due to concerns over the monetization strategy.
Nevertheless, the tide turned when Larchevêque, enchanted by Croizon's spirit and tenacity, dropped his offer to provide the requested €120,000 but for 25% of the equity—an offer reflective of Croizon's potential yet undoubtedly tooling with skepticism about the app’s sustainability.
Enter Kelly Massol, who stepped forward later with her counter-offer—€120,000 for only 20% of the company. This spurred negotiations immediately as Croizon and Garot weighed their options. Rather than remain passive, Croizon articulated objections positively to Larchevêque's investment percentage, viewing the marketplace dynamics with sharp business acumen. He tactfully retorted, reshaping Larchevêque's proposal to seek mutual benefits.
The climax of the meeting left Croizon elated; amid cheers and emotional exchanges, he accepted Larchevêque's offer, smiling as he laughed, stating, "J’vais encore chialer, putain! Pardon j’ai dit des gros mots" (I’ll cry again, damn it! Sorry, I used bad words), signifying not just the culmination of negotiations but the beginning of something promising.
Post-episode, the Very Important Parking app continues to grow—branching out beyond France and already impacting thousands of lives with its easy accessibility focus. With hopes to expand across Europe and refine their app by 2025, Croizon passionately expresses ambition not only to benefit people with disabilities but also to cascade the message of inclusivity to ordinary citizens too.
Croizon encapsulates this notion of empowerment, focusing on the collective rather than the individual: "On avance ensemble et on réussit ensemble" (We move forward together, and we succeed together). His inspiring narrative reflects on changing how people—in general—should conceptualize and contribute to accessibility, demonstrating how vitality persists even after incredible adversity.