The ESSEC Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre has teamed up with CentraleSupélec’s 21st accelerator to launch Lead’Hers, the new mentoring initiative for entrepreneurial women. Check out the programme - and meet the 11 alumnae of the first cohort. 

“In 2023, according to F Fund, 7% of calls for funding in Europe were conducted by entirely female teams and represented 3% of all raised capital. In France, according to French Tech, 84% of start-up founding teams are entirely male, 12% are mixed and only 8% are made up entirely of women. Clearly, there is a need for greater diversity.” 

Hence the decision to launch Lead’Hers, an immersive, multi-partner initiative that focuses on ecosystem accessibility and access to funding. The programme includes Learning Expeditions, mentoring and tailored accompaniment, practical workshops, regular peer encounters and a project-boosting Demo Day. 

The 11 Alumnae of the First Cohort  

Clémence d’Aligny (E24) is developing Umi, a platform that aims to facilitate access to gynaecological consultations. “We help women to find trustworthy specialists with the help of a directory created jointly with patients and associations, to understand their symptoms thanks to a blog written by healthcare professionals, and to make day-to-day life easier with a selection of products that have been recommended by women who are clients and approved by a female pharmacist.”  

Victoire Crampe (E23) is launching Maison d’Este, an art & craft showcase based on specific content and creative partnerships. “Our name is a nod to Isabelle d’Este, one of the greatest Renaissance benefactors. She supported Leonardo da Vinci and Titian, as well as the jewellers, embroiderers and sculptors behind the treasures of Mantua. Her famous Studiolo was home to some unique works that combined different art forms. We aim to keep that commitment going and look forward to revealing to you shortly our first limited-edition artwork, designed in cooperation with an outstanding craftsperson.”  

Marie Dufau (E24) has co-founded Loomi, a peer-to-peer rental platform for outdoor activity equipment. “It’s easier than buying and pollutes less.” And it’s flourishing; the European market for outdoor activities was estimated at €6.1 billion in 2022, compared to €5.4 billion in 2021, and concerns 34 million people in France. 

Léa Fleury (E19) has co-founded Ordalie, a GenAI, SaaS-based solution capable of organising and writing a well-founded response in the field of law, summarising and analysing legal documentation and generating bespoke contracts. “When I worked in a law firm, I spent 60% of my time searching for information and extracting clear and structured answers to clients’ queries from the results. With our tool, the task only takes a few seconds.”   

Émeline Groen (M23) is launching Petits Mijotés, a brand of eco-friendly, French gourmet dishes for dogs. “We’re at the product-market fit stage.”  

Eunyoung Lee (EXEC MBA 22) has co-founded Kwore, a software that creates social media content and posts it automatically. “Our AI solution adapts to all clients, with an emphasis on small businesses. It can generate customised advertisements, organise advertising campaigns and assess the pertinence of a communication strategy, for an affordable price.”  

Haude Leroux (E22) and Constance Remy (E22) have co-founded Artransfer, an application for the peer-to-peer resale of artworks. “We remove the need for this market’s traditional, often costly and non-transparent intermediaries, by combining the simplicity of Vinted and the quality of Vestiaire Collective.”  

Chloé Marie Moutarde (E23) is developing Golden Hour Club, a service that organises bespoke and turnkey travel packages. “We provide idyllic sailing experiences but through an approach to tourism that’s more ethical towards both our customers and their destinations.”  

Tahnee Perrot Ramirez (M23) has created Balanced France, a ‘société à mission’ (a business pursuing specific sustainability goals) that tackles the issues of quality of life at work. “Our method combines expertise in the fields of neuroscience, physical and mental health, mind-body techniques, training and change management, to help you establish a balanced lifestyle as one of the key cornerstones of the success of your staff and of your company.”   

Elisabeth Sagroune (E23) is launching DocFormed, a lifelong-learning organisation for doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals. “Stay at the forefront of your field with our programmes combining on-site and remote learning, application quizzes, articles, case studies, podcasts and other educational resources.”

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