[Hashtag Startup Challenge]
From an Extractive to Regenerative Economy

A “Real-world” Educational Experience

The Hashtag Startup Challenge is an educational opportunity available to all students enrolled in the “Innovation & Entrepreneurship” minor of the Grande École master’s program.

Over the course of two days, participants have the chance to:

• Dive into the methodologies unique to startups,
• Conceptualize innovative solutions addressing CSR issues,
• Collaborate in teams and actively engage in their own learning journey.

In collaboration with French Tech Clermont Auvergne and generously sponsored by CEC Massif Central, this year’s challenge centered around the overarching theme: “How can we ensure the transition from an extractive economy to a regenerative one by 2030?”

Examples of sub-issues proposed to students include:

• Streamlining the integration of sustainable mobility practices within companies.
• Enhancing waste sorting practices beyond households (such as at concerts, in public transportation, at cinemas, in fast food establishments, on streets, etc.).

Detailed Information

1st prize: in da HUB

“In da HUB” is a gamified mobile application designed for festivalgoers in groups. Its aim is to incorporate eco-friendly behaviors into the customer experience by enabling users to distinguish themselves from other friend groups through their exemplary actions.

“The more effort you make, the more points you score.”

• Carpooling with Blablacar? 10 points scored.
• A deposit returned via the Raboule application? 5 points gained.
• A bottle recycled in a cliiink collector? An additional 15 points in the kitty.

All festival-goers who accumulate more than 50 points become eligible for a draw, granting them the opportunity to meet their favorite artists and forge unforgettable memories. However, there’s a catch: they must first remember their evening when they wake up!

2ND PRIZE: ROOLCOOL

Roolcool is a “private inter-company park-and-ride service.” While the term may seem complicated, the concept is straightforward: it aims to provide practical solutions for employees to cover the last miles of their commute to work, ensuring it’s 100% carbon neutral.

To realize this objective, Roolcool offers companies a monthly subscription, granting employees access to a park-and-ride facility and the option to reserve sustainable modes of transportation to complete their journey. Whether it’s a shared shuttle or a self-service bike, the choices are abundant—all they needed was accessibility!

3RD PRIZE: LOCAVORE

Locavore gathers “ugly” fruits and vegetables directly from producers to distribute them via anti-waste baskets within its distribution network.

With a firm belief in self-service as the future mode of fruit and vegetable consumption, the team intends to invest in autonomous basket dispensers placed in city centers. Customers simply need to pick up their basket whenever convenient, ensuring they not only collect but also consume the vegetables promptly—after all, that’s where the true value lies.