Back

On February 12, 2026, the IÉSEG community gathered for one of its must-attend events: the IÉSEG Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Organized by IÉSEG Network– the alumni network –and the IÉSEG Incubator, the event once again honored those who dare to transform an idea into a concrete project, illustrating the entrepreneurial vitality of the School’s students and graduates. This year, Speakli, a voice-based artificial intelligence solution for medical and social institutions, won the award.

A record-breaking and unifying edition

This 11th edition brought together a large number of participants for pitch sessions, discussions with the jury, and networking opportunities. A success hailed by Laëtitia DUGRAIN-NOEL, Director of IESEG Network:

“I am proud of this 11th edition of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which was a great success with nearly 300 participants throughout the afternoon and evening. It was a tremendous honor to welcome Christophe CATOIR, President of Adecco World and an iconic alumnus, as jury president to select the projects. This award is a truly unifying moment for our community of IÉSEG entrepreneurs, who are increasingly joining the adventure each year. “

The participation of Christophe CATOIR, Chairman of the Board of Directors and IÉSEG graduate, symbolized the strong ties between the school and its alumni network, as well as the importance given to the entrepreneurial spirit at IÉSEG.

Speakli, winner and symbol of a bold generation

Among the finalists, the start-up Speakli won the 2026 Entrepreneur Award and its €8,000 cash prize.

Speakli is a voice-based artificial intelligence solution designed for medical and social care facilities. It allows caregivers to dictate their reports and care notes, which the AI automatically transforms into structured, compliant texts that are then integrated into business software. Its goal is to lighten the administrative load on healthcare professionals, giving them more time to focus on their core business: people.

This victory was met with emotion and pride by Ruben Weinstein, an IÉSEG graduate in 2024 and co-founder of Speakli:

“We are delighted to see all this work rewarded. Samuel, Hugo, and I have been working tirelessly on this project for about a year. It’s taken many hours of work and a lot of risk-taking, because we could have chosen other career paths. We’re also very proud, because this is validation of our model and our technology by a panel of judges with a wide range of expertise, which pushes us to go even further! The €8,000 is significant for us: it will enable us to accelerate our growth and deploy more quickly during our pilot phases and then during rollouts. It will also help us improve our technological and operational processes and structure our commercial strategy. It’s a real opportunity!”

A growing entrepreneurial culture

This competition is part of a global ecosystem of support for entrepreneurship promoted by the School and its network. For participants, it is a showcase for visibility, privileged access to experts, and a credibility booster with partners and investors.

The 2026 edition confirms one thing: entrepreneurship is no longer a marginal path for graduates, but is becoming a natural trajectory, encouraged by an environment that combines training, networking, and support.

The Entrepreneur Award thus acts as a catalyst for talent and initiative, but also as a collective symbol: that of a community that values boldness, innovation, and the desire to act for change.