The variety of companies created by ESSEC alumni reflects our community’s diversity. Discover the entrepreneurs who have recently made the news on the ESSEC Alumni website. 

Juliette Lévy (E10) launched her ecologically responsible cosmetics brand Oh My Cream as an outsider. Today, she has become a French leader in a global market that could reach over $860 billion by 2024. Find the full article (in French) here.

Yacine Hanaya (M09) created Aleia, a Montreal-based agency with branches in New York, Doha, Tunis and Martinique that assists major groups and start-ups with their digital strategy, communication and the design and development of digital products. Find the full article (in French) here.

After completing the entrepreneurship program at ESSEC and attending courses offered by Philippe Hayat (E90), Louis Duclert (E11) and Olivier van den Broek (E10) co-founded Iroko, an effective and socially responsible real estate savings solution that is accessible to all. Their services have already found a following: the start-up raised over €10 million during its first 3 months of existence. Find the full article (in French) here.

Former French university football champion with the ESSEC team, Guillaume Debelmas (M03), co-founded Le Five, a network of some forty sports complexes offering five-a-side football and paddle tennis in France and in the United States. Their business model incorporates an ethical approach: “We work hand in hand with communities to enhance the local range of sports programmes by making our facilities available almost free of charge to groups who are usually excluded from sports activities. Find the full article (in French) here.

Megha Gajjala (E19) created MentorMind, an online job platform for young people in India. “We have already attracted 12,000 students from 70 cities and 300 universities who are working on over 100 assignments proposed by some 90 partner companies.” Find the full article here.

Stéphane Madelenat (EXEC M07) co-founded Apollo Sporting Club, a network of boxing and fitness clubs and studios that make these sports more accessible as leisure activities, especially for women. As the chain celebrates its 10^th anniversary, it now has 8 locations and is stepping up its development with numerous new locations planned for 2022 in big cities throughout France. Find the full article (in French) here.

Lebanon-based Sami Tueni (E05) founded Fawter, an online payment and invoicing platform for e-commerce. “We offer approximately twelve payment solutions that are among the most frequently used in the Middle East to support our expansion throughout the region.” Find the full article here.

Matthieu Figeac (E16) co-founded clickandrent, a fully digital estate agency specialised in rental property. “Our automated processes allow us to greatly reduce the overall bill and free up more time for what really matters: people.” As a result, they have achieved growth of 500% in 2020, attracted over 600 landlord and tenant clients (including many alumni!) and have a team of 10 people. Find the full article (in French) here.

Sophie Bidwell (Dufourmantelle) (E99) co-founded Re_Set, a B Corp certified strategy consulting firm specialised in innovation and sustainable development. “We are convinced that global issues are also value drivers for companies of the future.” Find the full article (in French) here.

After participating in the ESSEC Change Management Chair, Arnaud Marec (E08) launched (r)evolution to support SMEs and mid-tier firms in all their projects involving both big and small transitions in their businesses. Find the full article (in French) here.

Nicolas Rouquette (M17) co-founded WebFabrick, an alternative, optimised solution for online software development. “Software products are often unnecessarily complicated, requiring months of development without fully responding to the specific needs of companies. We offer customised solutions in record time.” Find the full article (in French) here.

Jessica Hiridjee (ISFOGEP 15) launched Kleidi, a fully digital solution for professional risk assessment and management. “Our tool allows companies to establish action plans, indicators and other documents covering all workplace health and safety issues.” Find the full article (in French) here.

Arnault Martin (E20) co-founded Tabby, a smart browsing assistant that helps you manage your internet browser tabs to help you concentrate. The concept has garnered considerable support: the tool already has 2,000 users and was named “Product of the Week” on the Product Hunt website, which ranks new products. Find the full article (in French) here.

Pierre Janicot (E08) co-founded Sur les épaules des géants (“Standing on the Shoulders of Giants”), which offers weekly virtual forums for professionals with responsibilities, providing a space for reflection on concepts such as culture, responsibility and equality “to help them return to a path of free and focused thought”. Find the full article (in French) here.

After their son was born prematurely, Gaël Loric (E13) and his wife Laure Chevalier created Petit mais Costaud (“Small but Strong”), a premature baby clothing donation and rental platform. Recognised for its ethical and socially responsible approach, the company is one of the few brands in this segment to offer a range that is available at a solidarity price and with limited ecological impacts. Find the full article (in French) here. 

Antoine Marvier (E23) created Your Orientation for parents of students in their final year of secondary school in France who struggle to find their bearings on the country’s higher education admissions platform, Parcoursup. The solution incubated at ESSEC Ventures allows young people to have their application reviewed and receive assistance from students from the programmes they would like to pursue in order to maximise their chances of success. Find the full article (in French) here.

Clotilde Hibon (BBA 06) founded Emotions Games, a brand of fun and educational games that help children – and their parents – recognise and express their emotions. This valuable mental health tool also provides the ecological benefit of being locally produced using responsible materials. Find the full article (in French) here.

Also a graduate of École Camondo, Élodie Pacaud (BBA 02) co-founded Pacaud Concept, a Parisian interior architecture and object design studio. Find the full article (in French) here.

Sébastien Géliquot-Serna (EXEC M08) has created Octoos, a platform connecting visitors to Dubai with the local community to help them discover the city in a unique and authentic way. Find the full article (in French) here.

Sami Matta (ISFOGEP 11) has taken over and developed L’Os, a Lebanese restaurant founded in 1964. The chain, with two acclaimed locations, has proven resilient, remaining busy despite the crisis affecting the country. It now plans to expand internationally. Find the full article (in French) here.

Did you spot other ESSEC startups in the news recently? Let us know! 

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