Custom internal software
Custom internal software: a tool built for your company, which you own
Custom internal software is a management tool — CRM, quotes, field jobs, scheduling, invoicing, reporting — built around your company’s real processes. With C-Esium, a complete software starts from AED 200,000 excluding VAT (€50,000 in France), AI is built in from the first version and you become the owner of the code, the data and the documentation.
The essentials in 30 seconds
- What we build
- Your custom internal software — CRM, quotes, invoicing and reminders, scheduling, field jobs, payroll inputs, documents, reporting — with AI built in from the first version.
- Ownership
- The client owns its software: C-Esium assigns to it by contract all rights to the project code — including the building blocks we reuse from one project to the next — together with the database and the documentation. No per-user licence, no dependence on a software vendor. The code is placed in a Git repository (GitHub or GitLab) in the client’s name, at the latest on delivery.
- Price
- Complete internal software: from AED 200,000. Focused project (one module, an AI connector, automations or a field mobile app): from AED 40,000. Excluding VAT; in France, from €50,000 and €10,000. No price grid beyond that: the budget depends on your size, users, sites and business units, current tools and scope, and is set in a firm quote after the assessment. The first call and the assessment workshop are free. Details
- Method
- Assessment workshop → Scoping and firm quote → Build in sprints → Delivery and transfer of ownership → Training and support. A demo every two weeks. The method
- Hosting
- For clients in the UAE, by default: AWS (Amazon Web Services) in its Middle East (UAE) Region, so the data stays in the country. A European region is possible on request. For clients in France: AWS in a European region by default, for its value for money; if data sovereignty matters, a European host such as Infomaniak, in Switzerland. By default, the hosting account is opened and paid for by C-Esium, then re-invoiced to the client; it can be opened in or transferred to your name at any time, on request.
- Maintenance
- Optional maintenance, as a monthly package. Because the client owns the code, it can also bring the day-to-day management of the software in-house later, or hand it to another provider.
- Continuity
- Code in a Git repository in the client’s name · Technical and functional documentation delivered · Skills transfer to an in-house developer or a third-party provider · Source code escrow with a trusted third party (for example the APP, the French software protection agency), as an option. Standard, widely used web technologies — TypeScript, React, Node.js, PostgreSQL: any web developer can take over the code.
- UAE contracting
- In the United Arab Emirates, C-Esium projects are contracted and invoiced in AED by SCALEUP FORGE WEB - FZCO. Dubai trade licence no. 70206 (IFZA).
- Reference
- Tech-O, a multi-branch water-leak detection network in France: 3,000+ hours saved per year (C-Esium estimate with Tech-O). The case study
What you get
A single tool, from the customer request to payment, for the field, head office and management. Each module is designed around the way you work.
Customer requests & CRM
Quotes
Field jobs & sites
Teams & scheduling
Purchasing & stock
Invoicing & cash
Documents
Built-in AI
The software connects to your existing tools: accounting, payroll and working time, telephony and text messages, the technical software of your design office. Information entered once is never re-keyed.
Custom, ERP, business SaaS, no-code: the decision grid
There is no universal right answer. Here is how the options an SME owner really has on the table compare.
| Option | Who it suits | Cost | Ownership | AI on your data | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business SaaS | Processes close to the norm in the sector | Subscription per user per month | No (licence) | Depends on the vendor, limited to its scope | You follow the vendor’s roadmap |
| Off-the-shelf ERP (Odoo, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics…) | Multi-activity companies with standard processes | Licences + integration + configuration | No (licence) | The vendor’s AI modules | Adapting the ERP to a specific business is expensive and freezes the existing set-up |
| No-code & automations (Airtable, Make, Zapier, n8n…) | Small scopes, simple needs | Low entry cost | Partial | Patched together, case by case | Fragile at scale, often depends on a single person |
| Freelancer | A one-off, well-defined project | Variable | Depends on the contract | On request | Continuity and change management to organise |
| IT services company | Large companies with an in-house IT department | Time and materials, by the day | Depends on the contract | On request | Change management to provide for in the contract |
| C-Esium custom internal software | SMEs and mid-sized companies with specific processes, every sector | From AED 200,000 (focused project from AED 40,000), firm quote | All the project code, the data and the documentation, assigned to the client | Built in from V1: dictated reports, copilot, access from ChatGPT and Claude | Upfront investment; focused V1 in 1 to 2 months, complete software from 6 months to more than a year |
How much does custom internal software cost?
A complete C-Esium internal software starts from AED 200,000 excluding VAT. To start smaller, a focused project starts from AED 40,000. For clients in France: from €50,000 and €10,000 excluding VAT.
Beyond the starting price there is no price grid: the budget depends on the size of the company and the number of people who will use the software every day, the number of sites and business units, the current tools and how scattered the data is, and the scope and depth of the software. The exact price is set after the assessment, in a firm quote. Two companies of the same size can have very different needs: you get a firm quote, not a range.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Company size and daily users | More people using it every day means more profiles, permissions and training, and higher reliability requirements. |
| Sites, branches and business units | Each entity adds its own rules, its approval workflows and the need for a consolidated view. |
| Current tools and scattered data | Data spread across files and software calls for migration, clean-up and integrations. |
| Target scope | A first journey (from the customer request to the invoice) or the whole company, from the first version. |
| Depth of the software | Business rules, automations, dashboards and AI features, more or less advanced. |
An example to get your bearings
A company of about fifteen people can, from AED 200,000, bring its key operations together in a single tool. A company with several business units, many daily users and data scattered across many tools will need a significantly higher budget. The assessment is what makes a precise quote possible.
How a project is paid
Payment in milestones: kick-off, mock-ups, screen approval, delivery. Maintenance is optional, as a monthly package. To see where your profile stands and what makes the budget vary, answer 3 questions.
Contracting in the UAE
In the United Arab Emirates, C-Esium projects are contracted and invoiced in AED by SCALEUP FORGE WEB - FZCO. Dubai trade licence no. 70206, issued by the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (IFZA).
You own the software and its code
Yes, the software belongs to you. The client owns its software: C-Esium assigns to it by contract all rights to the project code — including the building blocks we reuse from one project to the next — together with the database and the documentation. No per-user licence, no dependence on a software vendor. The code is placed in a Git repository (GitHub or GitLab) in the client’s name, at the latest on delivery. Ownership is not a sales argument: it is a clause in the contract.
The source code
Your data
The documentation
Standard technology
What is assigned to you, and what is not. Custom software is never written from scratch: it relies on generic building blocks (open-source languages, frameworks and libraries, a database, hosting services, third-party APIs for text messages or AI), which remain under their own licence; some services remain pay-per-use. Everything else is assigned to you: the project code, including the building blocks C-Esium reuses from one project to the next, with the data model and the documentation. What it means to “own” software.
No per-user licence, no dependence on a software vendor: you can evolve the software with us, with another provider or in-house. Software you own is a company asset, not a subscription. Its accounting treatment — capitalised or expensed — depends on your situation: decide it with your accountant. Renting or owning your software: what changes.
Where is your software hosted?
For clients in the UAE, the software is hosted by default on AWS (Amazon Web Services) in its Middle East (UAE) Region, so the data stays in the country; a European region is possible on request. For clients in France, AWS in a European region is the default, or a European host such as Infomaniak, in Switzerland, if data sovereignty matters. By default, the hosting account is opened and paid for by C-Esium, then re-invoiced; it can be opened in or transferred to your name at any time, on request.
UAE clients, by default: AWS in its Middle East (UAE) Region
For clients in the UAE, by default: AWS (Amazon Web Services) in its Middle East (UAE) Region, so the data stays in the country. A European region is possible on request.
AWS bills on usage, with no long-term commitment, and offers managed services — for example for PostgreSQL, the database our software uses — that take care of automated backups and updates.
The AWS account holder chooses the Region where content is stored, and AWS states that it will not move or replicate that content outside the chosen Region without the holder’s agreement, except where needed to provide the services requested or to comply with the law.
By default, the hosting account is opened and paid for by C-Esium, then re-invoiced to the client; it can be opened in or transferred to your name at any time, on request.
Clients in France: AWS Europe, or a European host
For clients in France: AWS in a European region by default, for its value for money; if data sovereignty matters, a European host such as Infomaniak, in Switzerland.
AWS has several Regions in Europe, including one in Paris.
Infomaniak is a Swiss company, headquartered in Geneva, which runs its own data centres in Switzerland. The data it hosts is subject to Swiss law. The European Commission recognises that Switzerland provides an adequate level of protection for personal data: it can be transferred there from the European Union without additional safeguards.
Health data: defined at scoping
Health data: the hosting arrangement is defined at scoping, in line with the applicable health-data rules.
The host, the hosting arrangement and the scope of the AI are set before the build. By default, AI assistants only access data that is not health data (scheduling, HR, invoicing).
C-Esium is not itself a health-data host: the chosen host must meet the applicable rules.
| Option | Who it suits | What it implies |
|---|---|---|
| AWS (Amazon Web Services), Middle East (UAE) Region — default for UAE clients | Most SMEs and mid-sized companies in the UAE | Pay-as-you-go billing, no long-term commitment; managed database services (backups, updates); storage in the chosen Region, in the United Arab Emirates. A European Region is possible on request. AWS is an American provider. |
| AWS, European Region — default for clients in France | Most SMEs and mid-sized companies in France, with no particular sovereignty requirement | The same AWS services, with storage in the chosen European Region. |
| European host, for example Infomaniak (Switzerland) | Companies in France for which data sovereignty matters | Swiss company, data centres in Switzerland, data subject to Swiss law; Switzerland benefits from a European Commission adequacy decision. |
| Health data | Organisations that process health data (health and social care) | Hosting arrangement and scope of the AI defined at scoping, in line with the applicable health-data rules. |
Sources
Official or primary sources, with the date each was accessed.
- AWS — List of AWS Regions (documentation) — accessed 6 October 2026
- AWS — Data Privacy FAQ (choice of the storage Region) — accessed 6 October 2026
- AWS — Pricing (pay-as-you-go billing) — accessed 5 October 2026
- AWS — Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL — accessed 5 October 2026
- Infomaniak — À propos (in French) — accessed 5 October 2026
- European Commission — Adequacy decisions — accessed 5 October 2026
- APP — Software escrow — accessed 5 October 2026
After delivery: maintenance or bringing it in-house
You choose. Optional maintenance, as a monthly package. Because the client owns the code, it can also bring the day-to-day management of the software in-house later, or hand it to another provider.
| Option | Who it suits | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance by C-Esium — monthly package, optional | You want the team that built the software to keep it running | Your requests go through the C-Esium Space project space, which becomes the support channel: a screenshot, a few words or a voice message are enough, and you follow how they are handled as a Kanban board, a table or a timeline. |
| Bringing day-to-day management in-house | You have, or are hiring, a developer | You own the code: C-Esium trains your developer (skills transfer), who relies on the technical and functional documentation delivered. |
| Handing the software to another provider | You already work with an IT provider, or prefer to choose another one | The code in your Git repository, the documentation and a standard stack (TypeScript, React, Node.js, PostgreSQL) let them take over the software; C-Esium can handle the skills transfer. |
Maintenance is never a condition for keeping your software: it belongs to you, with or without a package.
What if C-Esium disappeared?
Your software would remain yours, and another developer could take it over. The question is legitimate with any provider: here is what protects your investment, whatever happens to C-Esium.
What protects your software
- Code in a Git repository in the client’s name.
- Technical and functional documentation delivered.
- Skills transfer to an in-house developer or a third-party provider.
- Source code escrow with a trusted third party (for example the APP, the French software protection agency), as an option.
- Standard, widely used web technologies — TypeScript, React, Node.js, PostgreSQL: any web developer can take over the code.
Escrow means depositing a copy of the code with a trusted third party, which you can access under the terms set out in the contract, in particular if the provider fails (APP, the French software protection agency, accessed 5 October 2026).
Who is behind C-Esium
- Noé Fantino — Founder
- Jean-Philippe Diez — Partner — sales director
- Cyrille Fantino — Partner — change management
Three partners, based near Lyon, France — serving clients in France and the United Arab Emirates. C-Esium is a brand of SINEO SAS. In the United Arab Emirates, C-Esium projects are contracted and invoiced in AED by SCALEUP FORGE WEB - FZCO. The team.
How a project runs
Five steps, each with a concrete deliverable, and a demo every two weeks during the build: you see the tool grow. Each step is detailed on the Method page.
- 01
Assessment workshop
Half-day workshop, on site or by video: the real journey of a case, from the incoming call to the invoice.
- 02
Scoping and firm quote
Document delivered: current journey, friction quantified in time, scope, roadmap in phases, firm quote.
- 03
Build in sprints
Short sprints, a demo every two weeks: mock-ups you see, try and correct.
- 04
Delivery and transfer of ownership
Code, data and documentation transferred. Your current tools stay in parallel, for safety.
- 05
Training and support
Hands-on training for everyone, support after roll-out, optional maintenance.
One condition: an internal lead on your side. A V1 on a focused scope in 1 to 2 months; a complete software from 6 months to more than a year, delivered in batches. Payment in milestones: kick-off, mock-ups, screen approval, delivery.
See the complete method, step by stepA real case: Tech-O
Frequently asked questions
Do I own the software and its code?
Yes. With C-Esium, you own your software: the rights to the project source code are assigned to you by contract — including the building blocks we reuse from one project to the next — together with the database and the documentation, and the code is placed in a Git repository in your name at the latest on delivery. There is no per-user licence and no dependence on a software vendor: you can evolve the software with us, with another provider or in-house. Its accounting treatment is decided with your accountant.
How much does custom internal software from C-Esium cost?
A complete internal software starts from AED 200,000 excluding VAT (from €50,000 for clients in France). Beyond that there is no price grid: the budget depends on your situation — the size of the company and the number of people who will use the software every day, the number of sites and business units, your current tools and how scattered your data is, and the scope and depth of the software. A company of about fifteen people can, from AED 200,000, bring its key operations together in a single tool. To start smaller, a focused project — a single module, an AI connector on your current tools, automations between your tools or a mobile app for field teams — starts from AED 40,000 (from €10,000 in France). The exact price is set after the assessment, in a firm quote; maintenance is optional.
Can we start with something smaller than a complete software?
Yes. C-Esium offers a focused project, from AED 40,000: a single module as a V1 (CRM, scheduling or quotes and invoicing), an AI connector to query your current tools from ChatGPT or Claude, automations between your tools, or a mobile app for field teams. You own the code, as with a complete software, and the project can later grow into a complete internal software.
Do you work with companies in the United Arab Emirates?
Yes. In the United Arab Emirates, C-Esium projects are contracted and invoiced in AED by SCALEUP FORGE WEB - FZCO (Dubai trade licence no. 70206, IFZA). Prices start from AED 40,000 for a focused project and AED 200,000 for a complete internal software, excluding VAT. By default, the software is hosted on AWS in its Middle East (UAE) Region, so the data stays in the country. The first call and the half-day assessment workshop take place on site or by video.
Where is the software hosted?
For clients in the UAE, the software is hosted by default on AWS (Amazon Web Services) in its Middle East (UAE) Region, so the data stays in the country; a European region is possible on request. For clients in France, AWS in a European region is the default, or a European host such as Infomaniak, in Switzerland, if data sovereignty matters. By default, the hosting account is opened and paid for by C-Esium, then re-invoiced; it can be opened in or transferred to your name at any time, on request.
Who maintains the software after delivery?
You choose. C-Esium offers optional maintenance, as a monthly package. But because you own the code, you can also bring the day-to-day management of the software in-house — with a developer trained by C-Esium — or hand it to another provider.
What would happen to my software if C-Esium disappeared?
It would remain yours, and another developer could take it over. The code is in a Git repository in your name, the hosting account can be transferred to your name at any time, the technical and functional documentation is delivered, and the software is written with standard, widely used web technologies (TypeScript, React, Node.js, PostgreSQL) that any web developer can take over. C-Esium can train an in-house developer or a third-party provider, and offers source code escrow with a trusted third party as an option.
How long does a project take?
For a focused first scope, allow 1 to 2 months for a working V1. Software covering the whole company takes from 6 months to more than a year, delivered in batches. You see the tool grow with a demo every two weeks, and your current tools stay in place until the switch-over.
Do we have to replace all our current tools?
No. The approach is non-invasive: we keep what works and what your teams know, connect your existing tools (accounting, payroll, telephony, technical software) and only replace what needs replacing. The goal is to enter each piece of data once, never twice.
Custom software or an off-the-shelf ERP: how do you choose?
If your processes are close to the norm in your sector and your budget is limited, off-the-shelf software (a business SaaS or an ERP) is the right choice. Custom software makes sense when your processes are specific, when your teams re-key the same information into several tools, or when you want to own your tool and have AI work on all your data.
Is my data sent to ChatGPT or Claude?
Only if you decide so, and only for the users you authorise. AI assistants access your software through a read-only, logged MCP connector. We recommend business plans (ChatGPT Business or Enterprise, Claude Team or Enterprise, or the API) that do not use your data to train the models, and the framework is set out in the contract. Health data follows specific rules, defined at scoping.
Your software, built for your company.
30 minutes to understand your organisation, your tools and what an internal software with AI would change for you. No commitment.