About us
Umbreon wasn't born in a research lab or a startup incubator. It was born in the field, from a real need, with a PowerPoint and a few VBA macros. Here's how it all started.
Why "Umbreon"?
Pokémon fans will have recognized it: Umbreon is the dark evolution of Eevee. Discreet, reliable, always there when it gets dark. A bit like a good retrospective tool: it shines when things get complicated and helps teams see more clearly. And for the pronunciation, it's simple: om-bré-on.
The journey in key dates
The spark
Samuel is a developer at Renault. The team, spread across the Paris region, Lyon and remote work, is starting its transition to agility. The problem: how do you run engaging retrospectives when everyone isn't in the same room?
He then hacks together a prototype on PowerPoint, with VBA macros to simulate a collaborative board. It's handmade, a bit wobbly, but after 2-3 retrospectives (on 2-week sprints), the conclusion is clear: the team loves it, discussions are richer, retros are no longer dreaded.
From PowerPoint to the web
Encouraged by the success of these first sessions, Samuel begins developing a real web application. The goal: allow multiple people to connect to a shared board and see each other's contributions in real time. Umbreon was born.
The first features
The tool grows with real-world needs. New features quickly emerge: ROTI to measure how the team felt after each sprint, and Planning Poker for playful and collaborative ticket estimation.
Open to the public
Umbreon opens its doors to everyone. Any team can now create an account and run their retrospectives. That same year, it becomes possible to create your own retrospective templates, giving every team the freedom to adapt the tool to their way of working.
First steps internationally
Umbreon crosses the language barrier with an English version. A first sign that the tool is meant to support teams beyond French borders.
The team grows
Sabrina joins the adventure as co-founder. A freelance Scrum Master, she supports product and tech teams daily in large organizations. Her field perspective and passion for agile best practices bring a new dimension to the project.
Going global
Umbreon gets a fresh start and focuses on what truly matters: delivering the best retrospective experience possible. Available in over 18 languages, the tool now supports teams around the world. Fewer gimmicky features, more value on the essentials.
The team
Two agile enthusiasts, convinced that great retrospectives change the lives of teams.
Samuel Kauffmann
Co-founder & Fullstack Developer
A passionate fullstack developer, Samuel has worked at major companies like Renault and Warner Bros. Discovery, tackling high-traffic challenges and large-scale multi-brand systems. An AI enthusiast, he pushes the integration of artificial intelligence into teams and products.
Outside of code, you'll find him running, playing badminton, or immersed in a sci-fi novel. Father of two boys, aged 10 and 12.
Sabrina Letiront
Co-founder & Scrum Master
A freelance Scrum Master, Sabrina navigates between large companies - Orange, Renault, Free - to support product and tech teams on a daily basis. Facilitating collaboration between distributed teams, unblocking stalled situations, bringing meaning to agile rituals: that's her playground. She brings Umbreon a demanding eye on user experience and real knowledge of what happens in the trenches.
When she's not facilitating a workshop, you'll find her on a padel court, devouring a leadership podcast, or walking her dog.
What drives us
Simplicity
No unnecessary features. Every button, every screen has a reason to exist.
Field-tested
Built by agile practitioners, for agile practitioners. Every feature comes from a real need.
Accessibility
18+ languages, no account required for participants. The retro must be accessible to everyone.
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