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The first accelerator of student startups creation

If you are an entrepreneur student with a startup project, the HEC Paris Startup Launchpad is the perfect fit for you! We offer a unique format that combines a 'learning by doing' practical approach with an exceptional community of experts in the startup ecosystem.

The Launchpad is not an ordinary course of entrepreneurship but a startup creation accelerator built on the experiences of successful entrepreneurs and customer development methodologies. In just 11 intense weeks, we equip you with the essential methodologies and cutting-edge tools to transform your project into a thriving startup. You will gain a deep understanding of customer development and acquire the practical skills needed to drive your venture forward.

But the Launchpad is more than just a program; it's a vibrant community. You will have access to the expertise and experiences of over 170 professionals, including mentors, experts, coaches, venture capitalists, and successful entrepreneurs. They will guide you through the crucial initial steps of your project, providing invaluable support to launch your startup successfully.

 

"Each entrepreneur will go through the same steps, and we provide the ecosystem. By sharing methodologies and experiences, we can optimize your chances of success and save you valuable time. Regardless of the outcome of your project, the human experience gained will be invaluable. It is this experience that will propel early-bird entrepreneurs in their careers."
Guillaume le Dieu de Ville
Head of HEC Paris Startup Launchpad

Key facts

820

entrepreneur students since 2015

325

projects accompanied since 2015

+100

active startups

About the programme

Public: HEC Paris students in their final year + their team members (regardless of whether they are HEC students)
 
Goal: to help you build & launch your startup
 
Duration: the program lasts 11 weeks, from mid-January to the beginning of April (2024 cohort)
 
Credits: 15 ECTS for HEC Paris students
 
Location: HEC Paris campus and Paris area
 
Language: English
 
 

Profile Diversity

This program is open to students in their final year from the following HEC Paris Master & MSc programmes:

  • X-HEC Entrepreneurs
  • Data Science for Business
  • Sustainability and Social Innovation
  • Marketing
  • Digital Innovation & Acceleration
  • Medias, Arts & Creation


We also welcome students from our partner schools: Université Paris-Saclay as part of their Masters in Law, Entrepreneurship and Digital (M2 LEAD), NYU Stern, and ESA Business School as part of their Master in Entrepreneurship.

Launchpad school partners UPS NYU ESA

 

The programme is open to HEC Paris or partner schools students but welcomes all the members of the selected teams, including students from other schools and professionals from various backgrounds. Whether you specialize in business, law, engineering, coding, design, or other fields, the Launchpad values and leverages the diversity and complementarity of profiles as one of its key strengths.

 

Program Content

The HEC Startup Launchpad program is designed to provide startups with the necessary tools and resources to launch and grow their startup. With direct application to their startup project, students will be able to:

  • Understand the key principles of market research, customer discovery, and business model validation;
  • Develop a clear value proposition and identify target customer segments;
  • Develop sales and marketing strategies to drive customer acquisition and growth;
  • Define a suitable and viable business model;
  • Learn how to pitch and present their startup to investors and other stakeholders;
  • Build a strong team and company culture;
  • Successfully prepare a raise funds from investors and other sources.


The program includes masterclasses & coaching sessions with professionals, mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs, coaching or immersive weeks with professionals on dedicated topics, talks & company visits, numerous pitches to investors, a learning expedition week in London to discover the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the UK, and access to HEC's network of investors and partners.

Our startup alumni

Our News

Launchpad - London Grand Pitch Night
Join us on Wednesday, March 20 for the annual HEC Paris Startup Launchpad Grand Pitch Night, live from the Curzon Soho movie theater in London! This special evening will feature 6 finalists who have been...
Incubateur HEC Paris Autum 2023 batch
The Incubateur HEC Paris has just welcomed its September batch made of 12 startups. What makes this batch so special is the selection of five startups coming from one of our acceleration programs: the HEC...
Doers to Doers Paris Saclay Spring - Vignette
What's happened over the past two months at the HEC Paris Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center? As the academic year draws to a close, the Center offers a retrospective of its flourishing activity. Here's...
HEC UK - Startup Launchap March 23
Every year, the HEC UK Office organises a Learning Expedition in London for over 100 entrepreneur students from the HEC Startup Launchpad. This program, now run by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center...
The second edition of Demo Day took place on Tuesday, June 7 at Station F. More than 500 people attended to listen to inspiring speakers, discover tomorrow's innovative solutions and meet the major...
After nine weeks of intensive acceleration, the 46 projects of the 7th edition of the HEC Startup Launchpad presented their business plans during the Final Grand Pitch on Friday, March 25 in Paris.
London Grand Pitch Night 2022
Every year, the HEC UK Office organizes a Learning Expedition to London for 100 students entrepreneurs from the HEC Startup Launchpad. This program works like an accelerator, designed to help student...
HEC Paris UK Office - Startup Launchpad 2021
Every year, the HEC UK Office organizes a Learning Expedition to London for 170-200 student-entrepreneurs from the HEC Startup Launchpad. This program works like an accelerator, designed to help student...
Summer Intake 2020
Welcome to the HEC Incubator's Summer 2020 batch: Anomia, Ayro, HD Rain, Lakaa, Mercateam, Omny, Reglo, Shomi, Turgo and Velyvelo. This new batch is composed of 10 startups, including one from our partner...
Cédric O. sur le stand HEC Paris à Vivatech
For the third consecutive year and for three days, HEC Paris was represented at VivaTech, an international convention for start-ups & leaders, co-organized by Publicis and Les Echos.
launchpad-participants
On 22 March at Station F, each team condensed months of research, analysis and creative thinking into a 3-minute pitch presenting their ideas for a start-up to a Jury.
Hult Prize - Regional Winner - 2019
HEC Paris is marking the tenth anniversary of the annual Hult Prize, nicknamed the “Nobel Prize for students” after winning the regional final in London. A team from the MSc Sustainability and Social...
startup-made-in-hec-Garant-me
The start-up founded by two graduates of the Grande Ecole program offers a rental deposit solution to students with no guarantor Emile Karam and Thomas Reynaud, two friends and former students of HEC...
Nathan Blecharczyk - Startup Launchpad - HEC Paris
The third edition of the Startup Launchpad 2017 reached its halfway stage last week. Students from HEC Paris and Ecole 42 enjoyed a rare fillip when this year’s Launchpad patron Nathan Blecharczyk paid a...
Startup launch pad 2017
The effervescence was palpable in the corridors and cafeteria of HEC Paris’ S building on Monday January 30 where 138 students congregated for the kickoff of the Startup Launchpad they had enrolled for...
Guillaume le Dieu de Ville
Guillaume Le Dieu de Ville
Head of Startup Launchpad
Mathias Abramovicz
Mathias Abramovicz
Head of Pedagogy
Rémi Rivas
Rémi Rivas
Head of Pedagogy
Fabrice Graff - HEC Paris
Fabrice Graff
Program Manager
Sophie Rebouillat-Lesieur
Program Coordinator