Michel Ward (Master 2016) : a student-entrepreneur invite you to try Apparel Paris

He is still a student but he already has its own start-up.  With The Innovation Company, Michel Ward (Master 2016) invite you to try its first app : Apparel Paris. A solution that may help you each time you are facing your clothes...

EDHEC Alumni : How did The Innovation Company (TIC)  come about?
Michel Ward : I had the idea to develop a technology that creates customized outfits during an academic exchange in New York in March 2013. The professor of Marketing wanted us to create a new product. I wondered: what can I do to enhance people’s daily life? Suddenly, the image of my sister struggling against her closet in order to find an outfit every morning came to my mind…and from that memory is born Apparel Paris, the first product of The Innovation Company. Its mission is to create outfits and make the most of the user’s appearance with his or her own clothes.  Even if the idea was - and still is - exciting, there were a lot of obstacles to overcome. I had to convince my family and my future partners that modeling fashion mathematically was possible, while this field is the very essence of subjectivity and intuition. Then, I was the only founder of the startup. That fact forced me to surround myself with skilled people whom I didn’t know at all. Last but not least, I had to design the fashion algorithm that didn’t exist until today.
In February 2015, the TIC team is made up of three persons. I have registered a patent and we have canvassed six ready-to-wear firms in order to promote our B2B product. 2 of them already want a proof of concept. Finally, the mobile app Apparel Paris, relayed by several medias (Melty Fashion, Madmoizelle, etc.), has just been released. 

What are your first conclusion about this adventure ?
MW : The first conclusion I can draw is that there is a huge gap between theory and practice. Concepts that are taught in business schools don’t seem to be that complex. But when it comes to implement them, it’s a whole different ballgame! It is during those moments that entrepreneurs use their competences, that is thinking about every single dimension that may impact his or her business with a full knowledge of the facts in order to make good decisions. 
Besides, entrepreneurship allows me to work in many different fields at the same time. Marketing, strategy, finance, law, accounting, human resources…all those sectors give rhythm to my daily life.

Have you ever benefited from the network of EDHEC graduates?
MW : I didn’t need the EDHEC Alumni Network until now. But I may take advantage of it in the future!

Do you have any advices to share with aspiring entrepreneurs?
MW : The first piece of advice I can give is to have nerves of steel. An entrepreneur has to face big highs but also big lows. The differential between those moments can be harsh. 
Distinguishing one’s private life from one’s entrepreneurial project is very important too. Without trying to do that, one can be easily overwhelmed. 

What are the next steps for The Innovation Company ?
MW : The first step is the success of Apparel Paris, the mobile app that we have just released.
The second step is to develop the B2B part of TIC. Ready-to-wear firms can gain a lot form the creation of customized outfits. It can increase their average basket and attract customers. That is the reason why two companies already want a proof of concept.

What do you expect to gain from EDHEC graduates?
MW : Our priority for now is to find firms that are ready to live the Apparel adventure with us. Several EDHEC graduates work in the ready-to-wear business. We hope that they will see our innovative technology as a mean to develop the firm they belong to. 

Download the Apparel Paris app !

Contact
www.innovationcompany.fr
mward@innovationcompany.fr
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