The fourth annual HEC Seed Forum brought together 300 attendees to determine what life-changing products young entrepreneurs might create when given the opportunity. Held each year at HEC Paris, the one-day event is designed to empower young entrepreneurs by connecting them with investors and business professionals.
Over the course of the forum, students participate in panel discussions, informal networking cocktails, and a pitch competition. The panel discussions surveyed topics like the impact of fintech on the banking industry, while the pitch competition pitted 10 finalists against each other in a two-stage contest.
The competition startups came from a wide range of backgrounds and industries, at various stages of development from love money to seed funding. However, a few dominant themes emerged among startups, which tended to address concerns related to shipping, freight, food tech, and the green economy.
There were a few outliers, like Claire Cabot’s Endeer startup, which focuses on offering women made-to-measure bras, and Sillages, which won the €5,000 HEC Seed award for its innovative DIY perfume production concept.
“We are aiming to revive the French high perfumery heritage by creating fragrances that are unique to each wearer,” explained Sillages Co-Founder Maxime Garcia-Janin. “You tailor your own fragrance with the help of our perfumers, and we deliver a creative, balanced and harmonious product. And this is done all online, naturally.”
Other startups at the HEC Seed event included:
- Carbon Karma, a platform that aims to reduce carbon emissions
- Dataswati, an AI-driven company that uses data to optimize industrial processes
- Garantme, which seeks to fix the problems between landlords and tenants that are prevalent throughout France
To learn more about the HEC Seed forum, including Data Soluce and Backacia, the two construction companies that each took home this year’s $25,000 Innovation Award, read the original press release.
