I met Jorge in Toulouse when I was speaking at Toulouse Business School. Founder of Krante, the first French-Peruvian nocode/lowcode agency in Peru (and one of the first in the world in 2020), he tells me how he went from hydraulic engineering to no-code and shares its vision of this technological revolution that allows everyone to create applications without code. We have since collaborated on several Kreante projects.
Little lexicon to better understand
Before entering the heart of the subject, let us clarify some key terms:
- The development no-code (or visual programming) allows to create applications without writing code, using visual interfaces. Although the final result is coded, the user does not need to program directly.
Popular tools: Bubble, Webflow, Glide, Softr, Adalo, etc. But also: Wix, Dreamweaver...
- The low-code development represents a compromise between no-code and traditional development. It mainly uses visual interfaces but allows to add custom code for specific features.
Popular tools : Weweb, Make, Xano, Flutterflow
From hydraulic engineering to no-code, what has been your journey?
« I started as a hydraulic engineer at Airbus in Toulouse and then GDF (today Engie) in Paris, working on very long-term infrastructure projects – we were talking about projects over 15-20 years. After three years, I realized that I needed more challenges on a daily basis. I then became a commercial engineer in the oil & gas sector, which allowed me to develop a more relational and international side.
But I've always had this entrepreneurial spirit. In 2018, I attended a Master in Entrepreneurship and Startup at TBS (Toulouse Business School), where I started my first startups. The first was an application to divide the addition to the restaurant, the second to manage the heating in the apartments. These experiences face a reality: Without technical skills or a substantial budget, it was very difficult to translate these ideas into reality..
It's late 2019, while I was running an incubator in Peru, that I discovered the no-code through French newsletters. I started testing tools like Glide, Adalo and Bubble. My first experience was to create a revenue sharing app during the Covid. What would have taken me a year in traditional development, realized in three weeks with Bubble. »
What types of projects are you developing today?
« Since the creation of Kreante in October 2020, we have achieved more than 125 projects, ranging from startups to major groups. A striking example is our collaboration with Decathlon, for which we have developed in four weeks a platform for finding spare parts for their products, as part of their circular economy initiative.
In particular, we have accompanied startups like Iconoclass and Mariaschools. These companies had first tried to develop their platforms in a traditional way or to use LMS (Learning Management System – e-learning platforms). They have encountered many obstacles, particularly in terms of customisation of design and integration with other tools. After investing a lot of time and money without achieving satisfactory results, they turned to the no-code. In just three months, we were able to deliver tailor-made solutions, for a much more accessible budget. »
What are the advantages of no-code over traditional development?
« Our main value proposition is the speed of execution, not only for the first version but also for future iterations. We can achieve 10-15 iterations per year, adding or modifying features very quickly.
Cost is also a major benefit. A project that would require 50-80,000€ in traditional development can start From 15 000€ in NoCode / LowCode. But beyond the cost, it is above all the speed of marketing Which makes the difference. In three weeks instead of one year, you can test your idea with your users and rotate if necessary.
Contrary to popular ideas, the no-code and lowcode tools today allow for a Total design customization and can manage complex applications. Of our 125 projects, only one went to the traditional code, and it was for very specific machine learning needs. »
How do you see the future of the no-code?
« I see no-code as a natural evolution of development, which creates a new market by making digital innovation accessible to all. Prior to that, it was necessary to raise funds or have a substantial budget to develop an application. Today, many more entrepreneurs can test and validate their ideas.
France is also at the forefront of this movement with initiatives like NoCode France, the Syndicat Français des Professionnels du NoCode, and even a AFNOR certification. These structures professionalize the sector and contribute to its adoption.
My dream would be that developing countries could take advantage of these tools to narrow the technological gap with developed countries. This is a great opportunity, even if there are many challenges. »
The keys to an agile no-code approach
The no-code approach makes sense when it is part of an agile approach. With Laboratoria, one of the largest EdTech in Latin America, we make Three-week sprints. Each sprint we launch one or two new features. What is interesting is that even if they had technical expertise in-house, they chose the no-code for its speed of execution.
This agility is not always easy to set up with large groups. With Schneider Electric or large health companies, processes are longer. It takes several weeks to validate security, several months for the IT department to validate the tools. Sometimes you even have to sign contracts directly with no-code tool providers. The solution? Often go through innovation departments, already accustomed to this agile culture.
From 0 to 25 employees: Kreante's story
« In 2020, we made a simple post LinkedIn offering to be the technical partner of three entrepreneurs, in exchange for their feedback. We received about fifty messages. This first experiment validated the need and refined the offer.
Today, Krante has 25 employees and about ten external collaborators. We are remote and international from the beginning, it's in our DNA. What motivates me personally is tohelp entrepreneurs realize their dreams. When asked about my "why" it's really that: helping people and allowing people who have an idea to make it happen. »
The no-code in the world: uneven adoption
While France is a leader with its structured community (NoCode France, SFFN, AFNOR certification), adoption varies widely among countries. In the United States, Jorge still often has to explain what the no-code is. On the other hand, Kreante has customers all over the world – from South Korea to Japan to Malaysia – which shows that the need is universal.
This disparity is also an opportunity: Jorge would like developing countries to benefit from these tools to narrow the technological gap. Unfortunately, innovation is not always the priority in those countries where primary needs are not always met.
No-code vs IA: two complementary approaches
Today, more people know about AI than the no-code. Jorge thinks it's related to the notion of effort: with the AI, we promise that the machine will do everything for you. No-code and low code require learning, personal investment. There is a learning curve – not as long as the traditional code, but it exists.
This difference is also a strength: the no-code keeps control over what you create, while benefiting from the advances of the AI for certain specific tasks.
The impact of Covid on the adoption of the no-code
The pandemic played a catalytic role in adopting the no-code. By 2020, people were at home, they had more time to learn and test new things. It is also during this period that Kreante created its first application – a tool for sharing revenues between confined cousins.
The Covid has also changed the way companies view applications development. The need for rapid digitization has made it clear that traditional methods of development are sometimes too slow in the face of urgency.
Any advice for those who hesitate to start?
« It's really time to do it! The tools are there, the training is available. There is no more technological or budgetary excuse. In France, you can train with actors recognized as Contouring for productivity tools, or the Cube and Ottho School for application development.
The only real question is: what is your motivation to develop your product ? For today the means exist. »
To contact Jorge: find him on LinkedIn (Jorge Del Carpio) or visit Krante.co.
This interview was conducted as part of a series of discussions with digital experts who share their vision and experience.
