IT support built for demanding leadership

IT support for demanding leaders.

A senior handles you directly. Not a junior technician, not a ticket queue, not an offshore call center.

Request a conversation See the tiers
Alexandre Ouaknine, founder of Volta

The founder

Thirty years of infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Alexandre Ouaknine has spent thirty years at the intersection of critical infrastructure and cybersecurity: co-founder of DC3, the U.S. Department of Defense's cybercrime center, leadership of critical infrastructure for Fortune 500 companies, technical leadership in the online gaming industry in Malta. That same rigor now applies to the everyday IT oversight of demanding SMEs and firms: backups verified, access reviewed, updates applied — no jargon, and no handing you off to a junior.

For clients whose data volume or sensitivity outgrows this scope, Volta also builds ‘Volta Sovereign’ — a sovereign, on-premise AI appliance. Learn more.

Read the full profile

Pricing

Three tiers. An hourly rate for everything else.

Month-to-month contract, cancel anytime with 30 days' notice, no minimum term. Billed monthly.

Tier 1

Sentinel

€2,200/month

For SMEs with 10–25 employees and no in-house IT lead.

Oversight & security

  • Backup monitoring (confirming jobs run and are restorable)
  • Application and tracking of critical security updates (workstations and servers)
  • Monthly review of user access
  • Monitoring for suspicious logins on professional email accounts

AI component

  • Initial mapping of AI tools already in use by the team
  • Written AI usage policy, reviewed once a year
  • Quarterly check-in on new risks and tools

Support

  • 6 hours of troubleshooting/advice per month
  • Response within 24 business hours
  • Direct access by phone and email, no intermediary

Monthly deliverable: a one-page written report.

Tier 2

Advisor

€3,800/month

For SMEs with 25–60 employees, or mid-sized regulated firms.

Everything in Tier 1, plus:

  • Backup restoration tests, twice a year
  • Continuous proactive monitoring with real-time alerts
  • Annual GDPR compliance audit, with a written report and action plan
  • Deployment of a secure AI tool for one specific business use, with team training included (one session)
  • Quarterly review of new use cases and risks
  • 12 hours of troubleshooting/advice per month
  • One on-site visit per month included
  • Response within 4 business hours

Monthly deliverable: detailed report plus points of attention.

Tier 3

Strategic Partner

€6,500/month

For established firms (attorneys, notaries) or SMEs with 60+ employees handling sensitive data.

Everything in Tier 2, plus:

  • Externalized CIO role: regular physical presence (typically half a day per week, by arrangement)
  • Involvement in hardware and software purchasing decisions
  • Single point of contact for external vendors
  • Deployment and oversight of a complete AI solution across several use cases
  • Feasibility study included for an eventual migration to VSAI, if data volume and sensitivity justify it (learn more)
  • Ongoing team training, quarterly sessions
  • Full security audit twice a year, with basic penetration testing
  • Monthly compliance review, with a detailed written report
  • 20 hours of troubleshooting/advice per month
  • Priority on-call, response within 2 business hours

Monthly deliverable: full report on security, compliance, and strategic recommendations.

Hourly rate

For occasional needs, no contract

€120/hour

1-hour minimum billing per call-out, travel surcharge beyond a 20-minute drive. No monthly commitment. Billed per engagement — the natural entry point for irregular needs.

Common questions

Straight answers.

How much does IT support cost for an SME in Nice or Monaco?

Volta's monthly contracts start at €2,200/month for an SME with 10 to 25 employees (Sentinel tier), up to €6,500/month for externalized-CIO-level support (Strategic Partner tier). For occasional needs with no contract, the hourly rate is €120/hour, with a 1-hour minimum per call-out.

What is an externalized CIO?

An externalized CIO fills the role of chief information officer without being an employee of the company: regular presence on site, involvement in hardware and software purchasing decisions, and a single point of contact for outside vendors (telecom carrier, software publisher, hosting provider). This is the level of support in Volta's Strategic Partner tier.

Is there a minimum contract term?

No. Volta's monthly contracts can be cancelled at any time with 30 days' notice, no reason required. There is no minimum commitment period.

Does Volta operate outside Nice?

Yes, across the entire Côte d'Azur and in Monaco. On-site visits are straightforward for companies located in Nice, Monaco, and the surrounding area.

What's the difference between Volta Sovereign (VSAI) and Volta's IT services?

VSAI is a sovereign, on-premise AI appliance at €150,000, built for firms and family offices with the highest confidentiality requirements. Volta's IT services (Sentinel, Advisor, Strategic Partner tiers) are monthly support and security contracts starting at €2,200/month, for companies that don't yet have that level of need or budget.

Next step

Request an initial conversation.

Describe your current situation — team size, what concerns you today (backups, security, compliance), and the tier that seems to fit. Alexandre Ouaknine will respond to you directly.

info@volta.quest LinkedIn — Alexandre Ouaknine