If you’re not radical about AI, someone else will be

If you’re not radical about AI, someone else will be.

One year ago, Sortlist was a 100-person scale-up built around a proven business model. Today, the company looks very different. Under the leadership of CEO Nicolas Finet, management layers have disappeared, AI agents have become part of daily operations and an entirely new product has been launched in a matter of weeks. The reason? AI wasn't just an opportunity for Sortlist, it was an existential threat. At the AI Summer School this September, Finet will share how the company reinvented itself from the inside out.

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What was the turning point that convinced you Sortlisthad to become AI-first?

Nicolas Finet: “Our core business was directly threatened by AI.”

“Historically, Sortlist depended heavily on Google traffic.When AI started changing how people search, discover suppliers and make decisions, we immediately felt the impact. This wasn't just about new competitors entering the market. The foundation of our business model was changing.”

“For us, it became a question of survival. We could either adapt quickly or risk becoming irrelevant.”

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How drastic has the transformation been?

Finet: “Very drastic.”

“When I took over as CEO a year ago, we had around 70 people. At our peak, we had more than 100. Today we're below 50, and I'm not even counting AI agents.”

“We've removed management layers, redesigned teams and gone back to what I would call founder mode. In many companies, information used to flow through managers. But when everything is recorded, searchable and available to AI systems, you simply need fewer layers.”

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That sounds like a difficult process.

Finet: “It is. The hardest part is that many people were hired for a different stage of the company. Some joined to scale an existing machine. Suddenly you're asking them to go back to startup mode, to build from scratch, experiment constantly and operate in much more uncertainty.”

“Some people thrive in that environment. Others don't. Those are difficult decisions, but if you're not willing to make them yourself, eventually the market will make them for you.”

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Have you already seen tangible results from this shift?

Finet: “Absolutely.”

“We've launched an entirely new AI product in a matter of weeks. Before AI, that would probably have required a dedicated fundraising round, a new team and years of development.”

“We're also seeing a dramatic increase in productivity. Revenue per employee has roughly doubled and margins have improved. The combination of smaller teams and AI-powered workflows changes the economics of the business significantly.”

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What worries you most about companies that are moving too slowly?

Finet: “Their competition is no longer who they think it is.”

“Many founders still compare themselves to traditional competitors. I don't. I look at three-person AI-native teams coming out of YCombinator that reach millions in recurring revenue within months.”

“Those companies operate at a completely different speed. And speed is ultimately what matters. In an AI world, becoming AI-native is no longer optional. If you don't do it, someone else will.”

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What do you hope founders take away from the AI SummerSchool?

Finet: “Two things. First, founders need to be bold.There has never been a better moment to build than right now.”

“Second, many founders have become managers. I understand that because I fell into the same trap. But Europe needs builders again. AI rewards experimentation, speed and execution.”

“There are no playbooks for this transition. Nobody knows exactly what the winning organisation will look like in five years. That's why it's so important to learn from others who are making these decisions in realtime.”

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AI Summer School takes place from 9–11 September inOstend and brings together a select group of founders and senior leaders toexplore how AI is reshaping organisations, teams and business models. NicolasFinet will share how Sortlist transformed itself from a traditional scale-upinto an AI-native organisation — and what other founders can learn from thatjourney.

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👉 Interested? Check https://www.scaleupflanders.com/services/ai-summer-school-2026