The hotel-restaurant business, a pool of entrepreneurs

It’s in this dynamic that Institut Paul Bocuse encourages its students from all of the continents to develop their entrepreneurial spirit and make their dreams become reality. The proof is in the figures, 30% of them “take the leap” within five years after completing their studies at the Institut. Beyond these excellent findings, the school of management underscores its engagement and trust in its students and young graduates; Institut Paul Bocuse accompanies the best projects to conduct feasibility studies and raise funding and includes entrepreneurial challenges all throughout the regular curriculum to foster entrepreneurship.

The originality of teaching at Institut Paul Bocuse is to educate students to become managers and entrepreneurs capable of interpreting signs and symbols, ways and customs, the rules and principles of the hotel and restaurant sector, and to contribute by being entrepreneurial managers sensitive to transmitting ‘la joie de vivre’, this happiness so desired. Hervé Fleury, General Manager at the Institut.

Built on strong values including respect, high standards, generosity and ethics, the two international programs offered to students at Institut Paul Bocuse stimulate the creation of companies. The ‘Avant-Scène’ and ‘Talents of students’ concepts as well as Human Resources challenges each year..., the Institut mobilizes its students to work with professionals in the sector to challenge their entrepreneurial spirit. It’s a fun and pedagogical way to practice taking on managerial roles that goes hand in hand with the creation of companies, and is in line with the desire to encourage students to rival in imagination, creativity and ambition in their professional projects.

Thus, Cook&Go, MiWam, Ouest Express, Celnat… have seen the day, all original concepts launched by young entrepreneurs from the school of management; and the Bocuse & Co Trophies award the professional successes of three graduates each year who “have dared” to become entrepreneurs, a sign of excellence and hope in the future for the hotel-restaurant sector that is in no short supply of ideas to renew itself.

The company incubator at Institut Paul Bocuse: making dreams become reality

Institut Paul Bocuse encourages entrepreneurial fiber and has also proved it by equipping itself in 2011 with the 1st sectorial incubator in the hotel and restaurant sector. This incubator supports and accompanies the best projects for company creation, namely thought up in the framework of the ‘Young Entrepreneurs and Innovation’ mission. Carried out by undergraduate students in International Hotel and Restaurant Management, this mission seeks to envision futuristic concepts while taking into account the objectives of feasibility and financial viability. From dream to reality, there is only one step… The incubator thus enables its graduates’ professional projects to become concrete by associating self-fulfillment and a quest for success, an ideal and reassuring environment for up-and-coming entrepreneurs...

The 1st project incubated was masterminded by Steve Wood, a young 23 year old graduate, who benefitted from managerial and logistical accompaniment as well as the school of management’s network and marketing strength. He is offering a new model to conceptualize hotels in airport zones whose code name is “Breakbox”. Intended for a clientele in transit or victims of bad weather, “taken hostage” in airport security zones, Breakbox meets a demand hitherto ignored and whose needs are highly variable (depending on the time of transit between two flights, poor flight conditions…).