At 7.30 pm on 16 November, Mary-Lou Mauricio, representative of EDHEC Alumni and Brigitte Maissa, Delegate of the Espeme Association, were at the MIP in Paris to welcome the numerous participants to a special evening dedicated to entrepreneurship. The evening saw the official launch of two structures created to assist all those interested in setting up their own business, underscoring EDHEC Business School‘s aim to support enterprise from every angle!

If you have a start-up project, then EDHEC Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) was is just what you're looking for! The incubator was created by EDHEC Business School in July 2010 and offers tailored coaching to all students and alumni interested in setting up their own business. Based in Lille, it's open to both Edhec and Espeme alumni, providing moral and practical support for 2 years. “The critical phase for a start-up is the start!” Jean-Michel Ledru, consultant in charge of EYE, explained. “That's when entrepreneurs come face to face with enemy n°1 - isolation – and when they need the most advice, assistance and network support.” After an interview with the committee, chaired by Olivier Oger, the projects selected are given operational and strategic support on how to develop a business plan, find financial partners and are offered help with legal and fiscal matters by the EDHEC faculty. It's the natural extension to the school's academic input, offering young entrepreneurs long-term solutions.

The second structure presented during the evening was EDHEC Business Angels, an association created by the two alumni organisations to promote entrepreneurial projects. Coordinated by Sébastien Appleby (GE 1994) and Antoine Vergnat (GE 1996), it provides a meeting point for supply and demand, in other words, it enables alumni wishing to invest to find enterprising young businesses to invest in, bringing entrepreneurship full circle at EDHEC!

Contacts :
EDHEC Young Entrepreneurs : jean-michel.ledru@edhec.edu.
EDHEC Business Angels : edhec-businessangels@edhec.edu