Ecosystem
Fablab Descartes
Fablab Descartes is a nonprofit set up in May 2015 in the heart of the Descartes Cluster in Marne-la-Vallée - Paris Est.
“Create and Inspire”, “Learn and Design”, “Prototype and Produce”, “Share” are the defining watchwords of Fablab Descartes, which also adheres to the MIT charter.
More informations about FabLab Descartes
Incubateur Descartes
The Descartes local business incubator is a structure that supports the emergence and success of innovative business creation projects with high technological added value. A general business incubator, it helps creators of projects with a high scientific and technological content to make the transition from idea to proof of concept, from defining a product/market pairing to producing a business plan for a company with a robust finance plan. The incubator is aimed at entrepreneurs from all backgrounds: young graduates, PhD candidates, researchers, academics, or creators from the business world.
More about Descartes incubator
The GreenTech business incubator
The GreenTech incubator is a support structure for innovative entrepreneurial projects relating to ecological transition. Apart from offering free accommodation, this one-of-a-kind state funded incubator provides support on entrepreneurship (sales, communication, finance, etc.) and on the environment (impact assessment, use of public data, backing from the Ministry’s scientific and technical bodies, such as Ademe), as well as assistance in dealing with government bodies.
The start-ups are selected through calls for GreenTech projects (in addition to a subsidy of up to €150,000), School Competitions and hackathons organised by the Department of Ecological and Civic Transition.
Contact: Matthieu Humbersot
Station F
The Ponts Incubator is one of the 23 acceleration programmes partnered with Station F. An architectural masterpiece designed by the Ponts et Chaussées engineer Eugène Freyssinet, this former freight station was converted by the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte into a veritable cathedral of entrepreneurship, housing 1000 start-ups and 3000 entrepreneurs.
Our incubation programme includes:
- rents funded by Ponts Alumni by Ponts Alumni,
- personalised coaching by members of its “Start-ups” group, consisting of experienced entrepreneurs and investors,
- special access to École nationale des ponts et chaussées’s courses in entrepreneurship and innovation,
- free services provided by legal and tax experts,
- access to the School’s laboratories with the potential for codevelopment…
Admission Criteria:
- link with the School’s disciplines: civil and structural engineering / mechanical engineering and materials science / industrial engineering / applied mathematics and computer science / economics, management, finance.
- very high growth potential,
- profile of the leadership team, at least one of whom must be a student or graduate of École nationale des ponts et chaussées.
More information about Station F
PEPITE 3EF
The facilities of PEPITE (Student Centre for Innovation, Transfer and Entrepreneurship) 3EF are intended for all students of Paris-Est, whatever their start-up project.
SNEE (National Student Entrepreneur Status)
Conditions of access:
Student-entrepreneur status is primarily for students aged under 28, the age ceiling for student status. It gives entitlement to the following services:
- Support from 2 tutors (one faculty member + one external tutor).
- Access to a co-working area where student-entrepreneurs can network.
- For students with this status still in education (registered for a national degree): working on the project rather than the internship or the final year assignment.
- Access to a CAPE: a business project support contract with a partner structure such as a business incubator, so that the student can test their business (intial invoices) without having to set up a legal structure.
- For young graduates aged under 28 (who have finished studying): retaining student status.
Student-Entrepreneur Degree (D2E)
The content of the degree programme favours learning through action, is based on digital teaching resources and includes joint supervision for the project initiator by teachers and professionals, with coaching/mentoring provided by the support partners.
Conditions of access:
- Possession of student-entrepreneur status.
- Registration is compulsory for young graduates aged under 28 wishing to acquire student-entrepreneur status.
- Registration is recommended for students in mid-curriculum wishing to benefit from course adjustments (ETCS...).
Rights of holders of the student-entrepreneur degree
In addition to those arising from the status of student-entrepreneur:
- Adjustments to coursework (as with top-level sports performers).
- Recognition of the programme content in the form of ECTS in the student’s national degree program.
- Scholarships based on social criteria.
- For young graduates (who have finished studying): retaining student status.
Learning methods
- Distance and in situ learning.
- Support from 2 tutors (1 faculty member + 1 practitioner).
- Project tracking and support for a minimum of 3 years after the degree to monitor progress.