In this episode, Mat Vaxelaire (Partner @ Hexa) sits down with Titouan, CTO and co-founder of Dotfile (HX21), a startup launched with Hexa in 2021 that simplifies KYB management and already powers more than 80 clients such as Spendesk, DeFacto, and Payset.
Titouan embodies resilience and technical ingenuity: from a 12-year-old kid drilling a hole in the wall to plug in his Ethernet cable, to a founder capable of pivoting in the face of negative market signals. He looks back on his journey, from teenage hacks to meeting Hexa, and finally to the decisive pivot that turned Dotfile into a reference for onboarding and compliance management.
💡 What’s inside:
Turning every constraint into an opportunity — starting at age 12
First steps in coding and entrepreneurship at 15
Lessons learned from working as a CTO-as-a-Service
Meeting Hexa and the early FileX project
The foundational pivot to Dotfile and finding design partners
The first “aha moment” with clients like Spendesk and DeFacto
Behind the scenes of raising funds in a tough macro context
The importance of shared values between co-founders
The long-term vision: becoming a true category leader in KYB
🔥 An inspiring episode for entrepreneurs reflecting on resilience, timing, and the ability to pivot in order to build a solid startup.
👇 Let us know in the comments what stood out to you most — and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episodes of Start Mode with Mat Vaxelaire.
Timecodes
00:00 – Introduction and presentation of Titouan
00:36 – Early days in tech and first hacks at age 12–15
03:00 – First entrepreneurial experiments and creative business models
04:40 – Experience as CTO-as-a-Service and key learnings
05:55 – Meeting Hexa and the FileX project
07:40 – Early negative signals and the decision to pivot
09:50 – How the idea for Dotfile was born and validated with pilots
14:20 – First signed client and key learnings
15:45 – The real “aha moment”: convincing major accounts (Spendesk, DeFacto…)
16:30 – When clients can’t work without your product
17:45 – Fundraising in a tough macroeconomic environment
19:30 – Lessons and advice from the 0 → 1 phase
20:50 – The crucial role of co-founder dynamics with Vasco
22:40 – Long-term vision: becoming a KYB market leader
