The Startup Launchpad 2025: An Unforgettable London Experience

Every year, the HEC Paris Office in the UK organises a dynamic Learning Expedition in London, bringing together over 140 aspiring entrepreneurs from the HEC Startup Launchpad program. Managed by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute (IEI), this accelerator program is designed to guide students in launching their start-ups within just 11 weeks.

“The London trip is an incredible opportunity for our students to engage directly with an international ecosystem of investors and entrepreneurs. The workshops equip them with essential new skills to successfully conclude their Launchpad journey. A huge thank you to Adrien Nussenbaum, this year’s Launchpad cohort sponsor, for kicking off this study trip with an insightful student-led interview and for serving as President of the Grand Jury.”

Guillaume Le Dieu de Ville, Director, HEC Startup Launchpad

A Thrilling Acceleration Experience in London

This year’s expedition, held from March 24-26, was an inspiring blend of entrepreneur talks, networking meet-ups, hands-on workshops, and an engaging panel discussion with venture capitalists. The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the Pitch Competition during the much-anticipated "Grand Pitch Night." Broadcasted live on YouTube, the event was a momentous occasion, not only for the students but also for the HEC alumni community, who proudly witnessed the next generation of entrepreneurial talent in action.

A Grand Opening at the Cinéma Lumière – with Adrien Nussenbaum & VCs

The event started at the French Institute's Cinéma Lumière, featuring an exclusive conversation with Adrien Nussenbaum, Co-Founder & CEO of Mirakl and Patron of the Launchpad 2025 cohort. Interviewed by students Inès le Chatelier and Theophile De Maistre, Adrien shared invaluable insights into his entrepreneurial journey. Following this, a panel discussion took place with distinguished VCs Juliette Souliman (Principal at Portage Ventures) and Jannat Rajan (Tech Investor at Forstay). Moderated by Dannerys Peralta and Fynn Frohlich, the panel provided key insights into investment strategies, start-up success factors, and practical fundraising advice.

Interactive Workshops for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Students had the opportunity to deepen their skills through interactive workshops. Stewart Bewley from “Amplify Me” led a session on storytelling, equipping students with practical techniques to craft compelling narratives that resonate with investors and customers. Meanwhile, Nikita Mikhailov from “Lumina Spark” facilitated a workshop where students took personality assessments, helping them understand their team dynamics, decision-making styles, and potential areas for collaboration or conflict resolution with their co-founders.

Exclusive Entrepreneur Meet-ups & Inspiring Talks

During their stay in London, students engaged in informal yet insightful meet-ups with entrepreneurs, both at their offices and at the HEC UK House. These sessions provided a rare opportunity for students to hear first-hand experiences about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Additionally, students attended an inspiring talk by Nathalie Gaveau, who shared her very inspiring entrepreneurial journey, from her early ventures to overcoming challenges and achieving success. Her interview was led by two students: Anna Kovacs & Cecilia Diamante.

The Grand Pitch Night: A High-Stakes Competition

On an exhilarating afternoon, 31 start-ups pitched their ideas in front of a panel of 17 judges, including VCs, entrepreneurs, and investors. Following intense deliberation, 5 finalists were selected. However, in a surprising twist, the second runners-up from each jury had one final chance to secure the 6th and last spot for the Grand Pitch Night, making the competition even more thrilling for the students!

A special thank you to all start-ups that participated in the pre-selections—their professional and passionate pitches made the selection process incredibly competitive. Heartfelt gratitude also goes to our alumni and partners who played a key role in the selection process.

The six finalist teams then participated in an exclusive mentoring session with ten expert mentors, refining their pitches and strategies for the big night. A huge thank you to these mentors for their dedication and invaluable guidance!

Finally, the Grand Pitch Night served as the pinnacle of the week, with six start-ups presenting live, both in person and via YouTube, before a high-calibre jury featuring Adrien Nussenbaum (Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Mirakl), Nathalie Gaveau (AI Tech Entrepreneur & Board Member), Nicole Anderson (CEO & Founder of Redsand), and Harsha Shah (Managing Director at Bank of America).

Meet the Winning Teams

For the first time, the Jury Prize was awarded to two outstanding teams: SOLEA and VEGA, while the Audience Prize went to GuestEase.

• SOLEA (Youssef El-Arjoun, Celine Cailliau, Hugues Moreau): Unlocking cheaper and greener energy with safe, free, and easy storage. To learn more about SOLEA, follow this link.
• VEGA (Hugo Barras, Valentin Pruvost, Aurelien Kremer): Optimising the exchange of take-off slots for airlines.
• GuestEase (Alexandra Catalina Negoita, Nicola Massari, Nicolas Schroeder, Tarek Massoud): AI-driven hospitality communications—instant, proactive, end-to-end solutions. To learn more about GuestEase, follow this link.

Missed the live event? Catch the replay on YouTube!

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