In January the 940 students on the Master in Management Programme took part in the Hackathon PGE organised in Reims and Rouen. Two large companies, Amazon and Saint-Gobain, set problems to solve: reaching the zero carbon target by 2040, developing a second-hand business, managing construction waste, managing unsold goods, and so on.

They worked in teams over four days, helped by professors and visiting facilitators from business. “The aim was to develop an enterprise creation project, or an intrapreneurial project,” says Olivier Giacomin, professor at NEOMA. “From a teaching and learning point of view, the idea was to apply the concepts they had come across in the course of the first semester.” It was a matter of coming up against actual business problems and having to find solutions. Even the most eccentric ideas were welcome.

At the end of the four days, the students had to present their projects to a judging panel. Amazon, Saint-Gobain, the NEOMA incubator, and their own peers each chose the best.

Arthur, PGE student, member of the winning team

“We had the idea of making insulation with seaweed collected from the beach, as a more ecological and cheaper solution. It was a really great experience: we learned to think together, exploring various avenues, good or bad, working as a team and setting up project. And finally bringing it before a panel of judges. I am very proud that we won.”

Charlotte, PGE student, member of the winning team

“The thing I learned above all else over those four days was not to give up. First we had an idea, then we discovered that Saint-Gobain was already doing it. So, 15 minutes before we had to do the oral, we thought of the seaweed idea. This hackathon was a real challenge for us!”

Zoé, PGE student, member of the winning team

“What I learned was how to create a project and bring it into being in reality. We applied everything we had learned in class, especially in entrepreneurship: how to do a feasibility study and analyse the competition, etc. It was really interesting.”