Mathilde Lefrançois (class of 2015) honored by FT

As part of a Financial Times article on the role of business schools in preparing women to create start-ups, Guy Champagne, ESSCA's Director of Entrepreneurship, and Mathilde Lefrançois (2015), founder of Farmitoo, talk to ESSCA about the specific nature of women's entrepreneurial careers, and the additional obstacles and hurdles they have to overcome.

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The problems encountered by women entrepreneurs go beyond stereotypes, financing or inspiration, explains Guy Champagne, Director of Entrepreneurship at Essca in France. "Often, the difficulties are linked to a lack of support from society - family, friends and social circles," he notes.

Guy Champagne explains that Essca focuses on targeting women entrepreneurs with loans and honorary funds, pitch challenges, start-up incubators and business incubators on its Bordeaux and Angers campuses, as well as networking and mentoring groups with alumni.

Mathilde Lefrançois is one of these graduates. She launched Farmitoo, an online store enabling farmers to buy equipment at fair and transparent prices, with delivery direct to their farms.

"In the agricultural sector, I noticed that a lot of people were surprised to see a young Parisian designer taking the plunge. I needed the extra effort and support of a mentor to prove that it was possible," she explains. "It's essential to support, reassure and accompany women in different ways, whether with mentors, incubators, investors, funds or training programs." .../..