In Europe, the war began between Qwant and Google

The Europeans have a dream. The great European powers declared war on Google. Qwant can be the first of a long series of fighters, launched against GAFA. Qwant has a strategy to counter Google. Qwant will counter the influence of Google with a search engine, which arises as the white horse of the web in the area of protecting the privacy of Internet users, with less powerful but more environmentally friendly technology. Some European governments believe in Qwant. It also has an advantage with private and public investments.

History of Qwant
Qwant launched a beta version on February 16th, 2013, then the final version on July 4th, 2013.  Qwant’s slogan is  “The search engine which respects your private life”. It was founded by Jean-Manuel Rozan and Éric Leandri. The company opened its capital to the publishing group German Axel Springer, which set 20 % of the capital and this investment allowed the project to have an European dimension. The differentiation strategy of Qwant pushed it to develop a search engine for juniors.
Qwant, the submarine of Bing!

From the beginning, we noticed that Qwant gives the same results as Bing. This coincidence comes from the fact that the search engines are using the same API. The company had to develop its API in order to silence the critics.

 
 
The business model of Qwant
Qwant allows its users to buy a product directly on its search page, that’s how it makes money.  Qwant uses only cookies  allowing to preserve your active session.
The reaction of the European, the necessity of one European Google.
The EIB (EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK) decided to invest 25 million euro in the capital of Qwant, in order to help accelerating its development on the European market. It is planned that the other member states will invest in the capital of Qwant too. This financing is planned in the European digital agenda in 2020. All the observers qualify this search engine “the European Google”. There is a question on the financing by the EIB, there is also a question concerning the absence of the BPI of Qwant’s capital, the answer can be found here: “http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xuganf_jean-pierre-jouyet-la-bpi-n-a-pas-vocation-a-aider-des-canards-boiteux_new”
An investment to politicize, French patriot ACT effect
Since the last law on the national security “La loi sur les renseignements” many actors of the internet threatened to leave France. The managing director of Qwant Eric Léandri had warned the government about the potential effects on the digital economy. The strategy of Qwant was to tell the consumers that it respects the private life, contrary to Google. This law will have for effect reducing to minimum the concept of the protection of the life. “http://www.numerama.com/magazine/33664-want-loi-renseignement.html”
A competitor furthermore for Google

Google is so advanced, that to compete with it is impossible. In Europe, Google is the king, a competition with it is very difficult. Currently, no government is ready to engage the necessary funds, or to set up barriers to allow Qwant to get closer to Google. “It is necessary for a government to restrict certain international exchanges, to allow the new industries develop in the international trade” –Karl Marx.
The limits bound strategy of differentiation of Qwant
Many European were shocked by the scandal of the NSA. We criticized the collaboration between the major companies of the internet and the American intelligence services. Today this posture is always valid? The idea of private life on the Internet can again become a differentiating factor. The French law on the intelligence services, as the patriot ACT, is systematically going to lead to wiretapping of the citizens. Qwant cannot guarantee any more the protection of the private life of the Internet users.
Qwant has not ambassador in the media, what takes its defense, they are bad. We can take the example the presenter Guillaume Durant in the broadcast television of 6th December 2015. According to him the use of search engine Qwant would be a shape of crusade count the GAFA.
Which future for Qwant

Qwant should rather develop the search engine” Qwant Junior “, because the current generation is already “Googleized”. This product could allow Qwant to reach the families as a target, who search safety for their children rather than performance and relevance of the results.
 
 
 
 
Louchard GUILLAUME
Étudiant en Master 2 Gestion et Droit de l’économie de l’Économie Numérique de l’université de Strasbourg. Je fais l’ensemble du parcours AES (administration économique et sociale) licence et master 1 à l’Université de Strasbourg. Je suis passionné les NTIC, le marketing. Je suis créatif et passionné par l’entrepreneuriat