Frédéric Mazzella, committing to a better world
After revolutionising mobility with BlaBlaCar, Frédéric Mazzella is launching a new form of philanthropy for businesses. Dift is an innovative donation platform whose objective is to redirect millions of euros towards financing the ecological and social transition. This new challenge embodies the motto of the founder of BlaBlaCar: finding solutions to make the world a better place.
Profile of a resolutely committed entrepreneur.
There was little sign early on that Frédéric Mazzella was destined to become an entrepreneur. A graduate in physics of the École Normale Supérieure, he was heading for a scientific career until his computer science studies at Stanford University in the United States opened up new perspectives for him. “I discovered the exciting and creative world of start-ups and began to understand that I was more interested in becoming an entrepreneur than following the traditional career paths associated with my training,” he says.
Intuition and perseverance
When he couldn’t find any available train tickets to return to his native Vendée for the end-of-year holidays in 2003, Frédéric Mazzella got a lift from his sister and as they drove, he noticed the number of empty seats in the other cars sharing the road. This is how the idea of carpooling was born. “I saw an incredible opportunity to avoid wasting fossil fuels and reduce associated pollution while allowing users to reduce their transportation costs,” he says. It then took around ten years for Frédéric Mazzella and the two other co-founders of BlaBlaCar—Nicolas Brusson and Francis Nappez—to transform this idea into a community carpooling platform, which has now become a world leader.
The first few years were complicated, with alternating phases of failure, learning, questioning and the sharing of lessons … “Fail, learn, succeed is one of BlaBlaCar’s key values,” the entrepreneur emphasises. “We experimented with six business models before settling on the one that allowed us to off set the costs: a transactional system, based on a commission on journeys.” More reliable and transparent, this model marked a decisive turning point in the history of BlaBlaCar.
Today, BlaBlaCar has 100 million users, 80% of whom are outside France.
With a strong environmental impact as the key driver: an annual saving estimated at 2 million tonnes of CO2, more than all the road traffic CO2 emissions of a city the size of Paris. “This only represents 0.3% of France’s emissions, but it is encouraging because the more BlaBlaCar is deployed, the more the benefits for society increase, both in terms of reducing CO2 emissions and as a force for social bonding, underlines Frédéric Mazzella. This is what we call ‘impact by design’.”users, 80% of whom are outside France. With a strong environmental impact as the key driver: an annual saving estimated at 2 million tonnes of CO2, more than all the road traffic CO2 emissions of a city the size of Paris. “This only represents 0.3% of France’s emissions, but it is encouraging because the more BlaBlaCar is deployed, the more the benefits for society increase, both in terms of reducing CO2 emissions and as a force for social bonding, underlines Frédéric Mazzella. This is what we call ‘impact by design’.”
3 questions for Frédéric Mazzella
You recently launched Captain Cause (now Dift), a mission-driven company that links businesses and non-profit associations, allowing the former to direct their marketing budgets (gifts, loyalty points) towards social and environmental causes, while involving employees and customers.
Where did this idea come from?
I had a revelation when I saw young people participating in the climate march with signs saying “When I grow up, I want to be alive.” I asked myself how, as an entrepreneur, I could contribute to addressing the challenges posed by climate change. Many associations do great work, but lack resources. I was looking for a mechanism to address this, hence the idea of appealing to companies and powerful providers of funds who want to align themselves with the expectations of their employees and customers.
Concretely, how does Dift work?
Dift (contraction of “dons” — “donations” in French — and “gift ”) is a pre-financed donation oft ered by a company to its customers or employees. Companies can pre-finance an amount that they allocate to environmental or social projects listed on our platform. This amount is then offered in the form of a “dift ” to employee clients and partners who can choose which project to donate it to.
Does Dift have the potential to change society’s relationship to generosity?
Yes, with Dift we want to dust off the image of patronage. We have created a virtuous model for all stakeholders: companies get involved more easily because we secure donations and allow them to strengthen the loyalty of their communities. Associations benefit from additional funding and participants can support their favourite cause for free. As Victor Hugo said, “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come,” and I think Dift’s time has come.
Impact at the heart of the entrepreneurial project
After the success of BlaBlaCar, Frédéric Mazzella could have stopped there. But that would’ve been to misunderstand him. Because he is above all an entrepreneur on a mission. His primary motivator is providing solutions to environmental, social and societal problems, to positively influence behaviours, in order to create a sustainable future. This is, according to him, the role of the entrepreneur. He has plenty of ideas, although few of them see the light of day. Because beyond the study of their relevance and viability, he focuses only on potentially impactful topics that no one else is addressing. His latest hobbyhorse? The lack of financial resources for associations operating on the ground in the areas of the environment, health and social affairs. A major challenge that he intends to address with the online donation platform Captain Cause launched in 2022 and recently renamed Dift (see box).
A scientific approach and a researcher’s mindset
To take on this new challenge, Frédéric Mazzella is applying the same recipe as with BlaBlaCar: a clear vision, excellent mastery of technology, perfect execution and a good dose of perseverance. All this, with the scientific mindset that defines who he is.
“Mathematics provides the vision, physics the pragmatism and computer science the execution,” he says. The combination of the three allows me to rationally imagine topics and quickly assess their feasibility. With BlaBlaCar as with Dift, I quickly understood that there was no technological obstacle. The only obstacle is the change in mentality, culture and usage. I think we can change society by making it want to do good, not by moralising and lecturing it.” A movement already under way in France, driven in particular by impact entrepreneurs such as Yuka, Back Market, Doctolib, TooGoodToGo and of course BlaBlaCar.
Frédéric Mazzella’s journey in 8 dates
1997-2001
Graduates with a Master’s degree in physics from the École normale supérieure (France), holder of a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Stanford University (United States)
1999-2002
Research scientist for NASA in the United States and NTT in Japan
2007
INSEAD MBA
2006-2016
Start of the BlaBlaCar adventure before transferring the general management of BlaBlaCar to Nicolas Brusson in 2016 (Frédéric remains Founding Chairman of the Board of Directors)
Since 2018
Co-founder & Co-president of France Digitale
Since 2020
President & Co-founder of Dift (ex Captain Cause)
Since 2022
Host of the talk show “Les Pionniers” (The Pioneers) on BFM Business
Since 2023
Member of the INSEAD Board of Directors
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Stéphanie Livingstone-Wallace
A freelance designer-editor for more than 15 years,
Stéphanie Livingstone-Wallace writes for multiple communications media channels,
with the energy transition, transport and logistics,
education and finance and health as her main focus.
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