Prof. Bich Liên Doan, previously Associate Dean of Research and Industrial Partnerships at CentraleSupélec - Université Paris-Saclay, in collaboration with the EUGLOH Alliance and the Graduate School of Economics and Management and the Institute of Law, Ethics and Heritage (IDEP), organised and launched the second edition of the Boost Your Entrepreneurial Spirit! training programme. This initiative, which was open to master's and PhD students from the nine universities of the EUGLOH Alliance, took place from February 10 to 14, 2025, at the Lumen Learning Center. The programme brought together 45 students, including 21 from partner universities and 24 from Université Paris-Saclay.
The programme aimed to give students hands-on experience in transforming a research project into a marketable product. Over five days, participants worked in teams on ten research projects, focused on health and environmental issues for vulnerable people. The curriculum included workshops on business models, market exploration, and communication strategies, as well as roundtables with entrepreneurs who shared insights on the startup ecosystem and funding strategies. By working in diverse, international teams, students gained valuable experience in innovation, adaptability, and collaboration.
One of the standout testimonies came from Abdulrahman, a PhD candidate from UiT Norway, who said: “It’s fun, we’re meeting a lot of people from different backgrounds. It’s about entrepreneurship, which is something I really want to learn—how to build your startup. The visit to the incubators was really useful. It gave us clear steps on how to take an idea and turn it into a startup, making it easier to secure funding.”
The event also featured renowned experts, including Prof.Pascal Corbel (Director of the Graduate School of Economics & Management), who introduced the programme, Prof. Kira Gama Rocha (Porto Business School), Prof. Filippo Fabbri (Université Paris-Saclay), Jan-Frederic Kuhlmann (LMU Munich), Prof.Véronique Magnier (Graduate School of Law), and Véronique Tibayrenc (IUT Cachan). Administrative assistance was provided by Rochane Sabbah, Project Manager at CentraleSupélec, and Macarena Furque, Project Manager at EUGLOH.
Students also visited incubators, innovation parks, and companies like Servier, where they interacted with entrepreneurs and mentors, gaining practical insights into turning ideas into successful businesses. Visits to the Paris-Saclay Summit and the French bio-cluster Génopole further broadened their understanding of the industry.
Contact: Prof. Bich-Liên Doan – (Bich-Lien.Doan@centralesupelec.fr)