AMBA & BGA EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Damien Demoor is on a mission to transform our oceans using cleantech
as EY consulting; communication support; and funding support. Moreover, just being in the same location as other start-ups allows us to share knowledge and benefit from the experiences of others, with each project having its own field of expertise.” How else has your business school experience contributed to getting Greenov to where it is today? “It’s clear that without my EMBA I would not have been able to launch – and hopefully succeed with – Greenov. Most likely, I would not have had enough confidence to even start the project. But Audencia’s contribution isn’t limited to the programme experience – there is also the mentoring it provides to the school’s alumni and the important role it has played in my being able to win this award, for example.” Ecological activism is important to Greenov. Can you tell me about its participation in the 1% for the Planet programme? “1% for the Planet is a very important programme that enables customers to select companies that are committed to this cause [it involves pledging to donate one per cent of annual sales to environmental causes]. At Greenov, 100 per cent of our actions are for the planet and, in particular, for the oceans that represent 80 per cent of it.” What advice would you give someone thinking about completing an EMBA or MBA? “I would advise them to work on their personal objectives and what they want to learn before they start. I would also highly recommend that they discuss it with their family and their company/colleagues to be sure that the choice of an MBA is possible. This is because it’s a lot of work to really take advantage of the programme’s short duration – 18 months in my case. Once enrolled, I would advise them to give their all to ensure they get the most out of it.”
You have a background in naval defence design, development and construction. How did your experiences converge and diverge from those of your fellow class members during the EMBA? “For me, the richness of a part-time EMBA is based on this diversity of profiles. Mixing people from a range of backgrounds creates a blend of knowledge and experiences that leads to mutual enrichment and endless exchanges on different ways of doing things.” How has Greenov benefited from the Centrale-Audencia-Ensa Nantes business incubator? “These three schools [engineering school Centrale Nantes, architecture school Ensa Nantes and Audencia] decided to combine their willingness to help start-ups by creating a common incubator. It helps us greatly with logistics by providing us with an office, meeting room and internet service offered free of charge that allows us to focus on more critical priorities during the early stages of a start-up. “But the support goes far beyond that. It offers access to students and professors at the three schools for studies and advice; personalised feedback from mentors; connections with prestigious companies that can also provide help for free, such
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