Yolo Takes on Women's Mental Load With Paid Life Admins

French startup Yolo wants employers to pay for something most workers handle on their own time: the mental load of personal life. Founded in 2022, the company sells a service that takes over errands such as booking medical appointments, filling in paperwork or arranging care for a sick relative.

The idea came from research. Before launching, the founders surveyed more than 500 women, who said they spent at least one hour a day on personal matters during working hours, according to cofounder Rebecca Fischer-Bensoussan. She founded the company with Camille Agon, cofounder of WeThinkCode, a South African coding-education initiative. Fischer-Bensoussan previously led development at Groupama Asset Management.

A network of 100 freelance Allies

Yolo relies on about 100 independent women called "Alliées". Each beneficiary is matched with one Ally based on their situation, and each Ally supports 8 to 12 people. Tasks range from finding a speech therapist to organising a move, applying for a visa or managing bills. The company says it has received more than 3,500 applications in three years.

Yolo sells only to businesses. It says it has more than 50 corporate clients and has opened accounts with nearly half of the CAC 40, including L'Oréal, Sanofi, Engie, Accor, PwC and Pernod Ricard. Freelancers and independent professionals can also subscribe through their business, and they generate 25% of revenue.

For employers, the pitch is financial: according to the company, five hours of support a month would give back about three working hours a week, roughly a month per year.

Profitable, independent and expanding

Yolo says it has supported more than 1,000 beneficiaries and is already profitable. It expects €2.5 million in revenue in 2026. It has avoided equity fundraising, though it has used Bpifrance support and loans. "If we can stay free and independent, we will," Fischer-Bensoussan says.

The Ally network is starting to grow in the United Kingdom, Belgium and Italy, with the aim of becoming Europe's reference in "life care", support through every life stage. Next month Yolo plans to announce a scientific programme with partners to measure effects on mental health, engagement and career interruptions. In the United States, Duckbill offers a comparable human assistant service backed by AI.