Creative Destruction Lab
at HEC Paris
HEC-Paris have partnered with the CDL to launch the first program of its kind in France. CDL uses a smart objective-setting process to turn today’s scientific breakthroughs into tomorrow’s world-changing businesses. The program is an intensive blend of fruitful networking, invaluable mentorship, and constructive critiques.
Together with HEC Paris, CDL leverages France’s world-renowned science and engineering talent to translate regional excellence in innovation into global entrepreneurial success. For founders developing cutting-edge research and innovation that could help us mitigate immediate climate impacts and shift towards a more resilient future.
Program
Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a not-for-profit seed-stage program for massively scalable science-based companies. The program takes no equity and charges no fees - it is funded through philanthropy.
The program’s objective-setting process enhances the performance of technical founders who learn from the insights of experienced entrepreneurs, increasing their probability of success.
- Focused mentorship from proven entrepreneurs who have founded, led, and sold significant tech companies
- Technical advice from world-leading scientists, engineers, and economists
- Access to top business students, who embed within the company to provide business development support
- Opportunities to raise capital from North American and European investors
Climate Stream
HEC Paris launched CDL Climate, a stream that coordinates entrepreneurs, scientists, mentors, and investors in a structured process to increase the probability of success for high impact and scalable solutions targeted towards climate change challenges.
The first cohort started in October 2020 with 20 climate-focused recruited startups, with a focus on continental Europe. The second cohort began in October 2021.
The eight-month early-stage program for science and tech-based companies revolved around five objective-setting sessions designed to enhance the performance of tech leaders through intense interactions with seasoned entrepreneurs.
The CDL-Paris is organising 5 sessions this year:
- October 12th, 2021 (virtual)
- December 7th, 2022 (virtual)
- February 1st, 2022 (virtual)
- April 19th, 2022 (in person in Paris)
- June, 2022 (TBD)
CDL Climate focuses on innovation areas such as renewable/alternative energy, power storage, infrastructure, transportation, carbon/methane sequestration, select water, ocean and food initiatives aligned with climate solutions, and geo-engineering. The stream operates from CDL-Paris (HEC Paris), CDL-West (Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia) and CDL-Oxford (Said Business School).
CDL Certificate for HEC Paris' students
Thirty MBA students have the opportunity to work directly with the companies in CDL-Paris. Students help these ventures develop financial models, evaluate potential markets, and fine-tune their strategies for scaling up their businesses.
For the nine months of the certificate, students gain first-hand experience in all aspects involved in founding a company, including:
- Creating the idea/business
- Protecting yourself from competition
- Designing competitive advantage
- Building a business model
- Financing a new ventures
500+
Participating Companies
$13B
in equity value created
as of October 2020
TEN
Sites Focused on Global Impact
"There are 3 unique opportunities that CDL presents MBA students: First, exposure to seasoned entrepreneurs who offer raw, unadulterated advice on how to build and scale up a start-up; second, the opportunity to apply business theory to real-world problems by working as a consultant for the venture; lastly, and quite simply, CDL presents you with the unparalleled opportunity to be part of something potentially huge, right from a very early stage and in a controlled environment."
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