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Each year, the Innovation Challenge stands out as a key highlight for Bachelor cycle’s students at IÉSEG. This interdisciplinary project, developed in partnership with companies, reflects the school’s ambition: to train professionals who can apply the skills learned in class in real-world contexts, while fostering creativity, teamwork, and a deep understanding of today’s business environment.

Hands-on learning rooted in real business challenges

“Our goal is to immerse students in the reality of business from their very first years. Working on real projects provided by companies—with demanding briefs and clear expectations from our partners—is a core part of their learning experience. What makes the Innovation Challenge so valuable is this direct exposure to the complexity of the professional world. Students can’t simply apply concepts in a theoretical way. They must adapt to a real context, with its constraints, uncertainties, and requirements. That changes everything,” explains Helen Cocco, Professor of Marketing and coordinator of the Innovation Challenge.

This year, 1,200 second-year students took on a major challenge: supporting an international company in launching an innovative product aimed at a new target segment in the French market. Their mission included redesigning packaging, creating a new brand identity, and developing a 360° communication campaign—all while complying with regulatory constraints. To support the development of this new offering, students also analyzed market data to define a pricing strategy, identified relevant market segments, built financial forecasts, and developed a strategic sales pitch around their product.

“The company provided us with an extremely comprehensive brief: 50 slides, all the key market figures, the brand’s values… The kick-off, held in September and led by the company’s teams alongside IÉSEG professors, really set things in motion,” adds Helen Cocco.

An interdisciplinary project to build diverse skill sets

By nature, the Innovation Challenge is interdisciplinary, drawing on all areas of the Bachelor’s curriculum: Marketing Management, Econometrics, Accounting and Finance, Data Analysis, Trademark Law, Sales Techniques, and more. Students are encouraged to combine perspectives, challenge each other’s ideas, and propose innovative solutions aligned with market expectations.

“The Innovation Challenge teaches students to work differently—to connect disciplines and people. They quickly realize that success doesn’t depend solely on mastering one subject, but on their ability to listen to different viewpoints, challenge their analyses, and integrate their knowledge to build a comprehensive, coherent, and relevant solution together. In business, every decision has cross-functional implications: a marketing idea must be validated by finance, comply with legal requirements, rely on solid data, and fit within the overall commercial strategy. The Innovation Challenge gives them hands-on experience of this cross-functionality. It’s a true lesson in collaboration, dialogue, and dealing with real-world complexity. This is when students fully grasp the value of teamwork and the importance of combining expertise to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.”

Helen COCCO, Professor of Marketing and Coordinator for the Innovation Challenge

A win-win partnership with companies

Since its launch, the Innovation Challenge has built strong partnerships with companies such as Cellnex, Rakuten, Gant, Ladurée, ID Kids, and AB InBev. “For us, it’s a unique opportunity to expose our students to real-world conditions while also addressing current business challenges. It’s also a real challenge for faculty members, who must guide students on topics that are constantly evolving,” notes Helen Cocco.

For companies, the benefits are equally significant: fresh perspectives, original ideas, and sometimes even concrete development opportunities for their products or services.

A human and educational journey

Beyond technical skills, the Innovation Challenge is also a human experience. Four months of intensive work, discussions, doubts, and achievements that leave a lasting impact on students.

Eloi du Bourguet, a second-year Bachelor’s student, shares: “During this project, we learned a lot—not only from our professors, but also from the company, which supported us throughout the process. I particularly appreciated the very practical aspect of the project: I truly felt like I was working as a consultant, expected to provide concrete solutions to the company’s challenges, while benefiting from their trust and expertise. It’s an experience I won’t forget anytime soon, and I hope to take part in similar projects before I graduate from IÉSEG.”

“Our goal is to train agile graduates who can adapt, innovate, and contribute to business transformation. The Innovation Challenge is a great example of that,” concludes Helen Cocco.