Our Vision is to make travel affordable for students to enable you to discover the diversity of cultures accessible just a few steps away in Europe.
Why? Because travels transform us, whether they last a day or a year. Because we want international mobility to be as simple as taking a backpack and settling in a new town.
Traveling is an enriching experience that should be part of every student's education. That is why we are creating an accommodation exchange community for students. Our greatest reward would be a student calling and saying : "Thank you guys, I could afford to undertake my dream-internship in Paris".
Thank you for your interest in our project. You, student, student union, university, company, can expand our vision to help us help students. Contact us at hi@switcharound.com or here.
It all started out in September 2010 with 4 students and a class project: to create an innovative service. We were students. We loved travelling. And we had no money. The idea was about making it possible for students to travel more for less. How? Why not creating a community to exchange our flats and travel with advice from local students. A community for students, by students. The idea seemed so great that we decided to pitch the project to an incubator. In November 2011, after we all got our masters' degree in Service Activities Marketing and Management at the IAE Aix-en-Provence, France, I decided to pursue the adventure in a unknown but amazon city : Bordeaux.
We are in October 2012 now. 2 years after the initial idea, including 1 year of full time work, bootstrap-style, few resources and an amazing dream-team, here we come, proud to finally present you our first version!
Please, use it, try it, test it ! Let's build it together. Give us your feedback, we want this community to be tailored according to your needs. Our vision is to make travel cheaper for students. Laurine, Sylvain, Gaël, Yannick, Maxime, myself and the extended talents that have helped - and still do - make this project real, hope this will give you the opportunity to discover Europe and its cultures, and will make a change in it own way.
Thank you for your support.
Melvyn, founder
1, October 2012
The talents behind the project
Managing director & founder
melvyn@switcharound.com
+33 (0)5 56 81 87 63
Facebook.com/melvynmouflin
@melvynmouflin
Chief Technical Officer, Backend specialist & co-founder
sylvain@switcharound.com
Chief Product Officer, User experience specialist & co-founder
max@switcharound.com
Technical developer & co-founder
laurine@switcharound.com
Graphic designer
graphiste-yannick-toussaint.com
Partnership manager
sarah@switcharound.comEvent manager
mathieu@switcharound.comMarketing intern
Friend-at-large (aka strategic advisor)
Graphic advisor
elsagirault-photography.com
Graphic designer
fluographic.tumblr.com
Because I can't mention everyone in this section, I want to take some time to thank all the talents that have worked on this project and helped made it real. I want to thank our incredible technical core team: Sylvain Faivre, Maxime Hersand and Laurine Jacquet. My first acknowledgement goes to Gaël Caray, who moved to Bordeaux to join me in this challenge, for his loyal friendship and dedication. I want to thank all my family and friends that have supported me over this year and been there to encourage me to hang in there. I particularly want to thank Rodolphe Bermes-Klaine and Mélodie Moucheraud for their unconditional support, thank you so much. I want to take a minute to thank Yannick Toussaint for his huge support as a web-designer and as a close friend. The project wouldn't be half of what it is today without his work and I couldn't thank him enough for his huge implication, patience and emotional support. I want to thank Sarah du Vinage for her dynamism and her unbreakable optimism in all conditions, and for her precious help during the construction of this project. I also want to thank Ronnie R. F. Yearwood for his guidance, his wisdom, his heart. For being there for me each and every time I needed him over these past years. Ronnie you're one of the most unique people I've met, and always will remain one of my dearest friends for life. I want to thank Elsa Girault for these long conversations we had when we were just kids and the lifestyles we've got now that fit our dream life back then.
I want to thank Aquitaine Europe Communication - especially Thierry Ulmet, Benoît Bougeard and Cedric Faivre - and Marie Catoire at Bordeaux Unitec for their help, guidance and back up. I want to thank Sylvie LLosa and Kiane Goudarzi for their trust in our project and their help during my masters' degree in service management and marketing at IAE Aix-en-Provence. I also want to take some time to thank Jonathan Peterson for his inspiration, his excessive kindness and love and for the time and patience he demonstrated with me. Jonathan Peterson have had such a significant impact on my life at a time when I was trying to find my way. Thank you not only for teaching us the stuff the right way, but for taking the time to teach us that other secret stuff that really does matter. The second person that has had a consequent impact on my life is François Liets. I've learn so much by just being around him. His consideration for people, his unique character and his kindness have changed me on several aspects. Françis, I consider you as a mentor and hope to stay around you for a long time. I hope you're proud of me.
I want to thank my grandfather Claude Himbert for his love, his trust in me and his support. He has been the ultimate caring grandfather I could have dreamt of. I want to thank my late grandmother. I want to thank my dad for helping me become the person I am today. I wouldn't be half of who I am if it wasn't for his guidance in its own way. I want to thank the two greatest uncles : Gillou Himbert and Jacky Himbert. And of course, the ultimate acknowledgement. Last but not least. Thank you mom for giving me birth and enabling me to breath and enjoy all the sweetness and wonders this planet has to offer. Thank you for carrying me, being there for me. For unconditionally loving me, in my bright days as much as in my darkest days. I enjoy every single day of my life and it's all thanks to you. I love you mom.