Pépite France and WMH Project forge a strategic partnership in support of student entrepreneurship
Hélène ROBIC – Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space / Bertrand BIARD - WMH Project / Valérie FOURCADE - FNEGE / Élodie ITURRIA - Pépite France
The Pépite France network, the national benchmark for student entrepreneurship in France, announces the signing of a strategic partnership with WMH Project, a European non-media communications group and mission-driven company. This partnership reflects a shared ambition: to support students and recent graduates in developing impactful, sustainable projects rooted in society, by connecting innovation, research, local communities, and social engagement.
Pépite France: Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset Among Students Nationwide For more than 12 years, Pépite France has supported students and recent graduates who choose the entrepreneurial path. Structured around 32 Student Innovation, Knowledge Transfer, and Entrepreneurship Hubs (Pépite), the network spans the entire country and is now recognized as a key player in France’s innovation ecosystem. Administratively supported by the National Foundation for Management Education (FNEGE), Pépite France carries out its initiatives in support of student entrepreneurship across the entire country.
Pépite France promotes a vision of entrepreneurship grounded in:
the development of an entrepreneurial mindset based on engagement, openness, and experimentation;
action-based learning, which recognizes the entrepreneurial project as a pathway for developing skills;
the legitimacy of a diversity of forms and objectives, whether involving the creation of a company, association, or collective, business succession or intrapreneurship, and encompassing economic, social, environmental, and cultural goals.
WMH Project: Communication as a Creator of Connection and Meaning
Founded 30 years ago, WMH Project is a European non-media communications group born from a collective entrepreneurial journey. Specializing in experiential events, spatial design, business travel, and influence-driven initiatives, the group now brings together more than 550 employees across seven countries and generates €240 million in annual revenue.
WMH Project is also a purpose-driven company, with a clear societal commitment embedded in its bylaws: to foster lasting connections and develop projects that create meaningful impact for society and the economy. This mission is translated into concrete actions that promote social cohesion, environmental responsibility, and sustainable, ethical business practices.
A Strategic Partnership in Support of Student Entrepreneurs
Through this partnership, WMH Project becomes a strategic partner of Pépite France and commits to working closely with the network over the long term to:
help promote innovative student entrepreneurial projects,
share its expertise in non-media communications, with a strong focus on experience, usability, and impact,
foster meaningful connections between Student-Entrepreneurs, higher education institutions, businesses, and local communities,
support project leaders in addressing issues of purpose, responsibility, and sustainability.
“Student entrepreneurship is a tremendous field for innovation, collective intelligence, and boldness. Our collaboration with WMH Project is intended to help project leaders gain stronger recognition not only for the relevance of their value proposition, but also for the impact it delivers to their prospective audiences.” _ Alain ASQUIN, Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space
A Shared Ambition: Taking a Project-Driven Approach
Pépite France and WMH Project share a strong conviction: entrepreneurship is not a fixed process, but a living project shaped through experimentation, encounters, and collaboration.
“A company is, above all, a collective and evolving project. What we want to pass on to Student-Entrepreneurs is the desire to stay in project mode, to connect ideas with practical uses, to align innovation with usefulness, and to never lose sight of purpose and the impact created.” _Bertrand BIARD, WMH Project
By joining forces, Pépite France and WMH Project reaffirm their shared commitment to supporting the emergence of a new generation of engaged entrepreneurs, capable of combining academic excellence, scalable innovation, economic viability, environmental sustainability, and social value.
About Pépite France : Pépite France, the national network for Student-Entrepreneurs, was launched in 2014 by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Space. Organized around regional hubs known as “Pépite” and located throughout France, the network raises awareness among students about entrepreneurship and supports project leaders through the National Student-Entrepreneur Status (SNEE).
The Pépite program is open to all individuals who hold a high school diploma or equivalent and have a formalized project idea. Since its inception, more than 50,000 project leaders have benefited from its resources, including guidance and support, the possibility of replacing a traditional internship with an entrepreneurial project, assistance in securing funding, networking with ecosystem experts, access to coworking spaces, and more.
pepite-france.fr – Find us on LinkedIn
About WMH Project:
WMH Project (€240 million in revenue) is one of the leading non-media communications groups in France and Europe. The Group delivers more than 2,000 communications initiatives each year for corporate and institutional clients in over 100 countries. With more than 550 employees based in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Saint-Tropez, Saint Moritz, Courchevel, Brussels, Milan, Los Angeles, and Dubai, the Group integrates all design and production capabilities across five core areas of expertise: Events, Incentive & Travel, Spatial Design, Image, and Influence. A mission-driven company since 2023, WMH Project has taken its ecological, social, and societal commitments a step further to better serve its clients and contribute to the development of its employees and partners by enabling all types of sustainable connections.
For more information: https://www.wmhproject.fr/le-groupe/
Pépite France : Audrey PETIT – petit@pfnege.fr
Groupe WMH Project – TOUR ALTO – 4 Place des Saisons
