Join the incubator
If you are passionate about entrepreneurship, the GEM Alpine Business School Incubator will support you over a period of 6 to 18 months in bringing your projects to fruition. Join IncubaGem and turn your vision into reality by starting your own business!
Join the incubator
If you are passionate about entrepreneurship, the GEM Alpine Business School Incubator will support you over a period of 6 to 18 months in bringing your projects to fruition. Join IncubaGem and turn your vision into reality by starting your own business!
Our history
Created in 2011 by GEM Alpine Business School in response to the growing needs of its young entrepreneurs, IncubaGem is a support structure for business creation projects open to students, graduates, employees of our school, and people outside our institution.
Our values: innovation, creativity, sharing and commitment.
Some key figures
- More than 500 projects supported by our team since 2011,
- More than 70 projects supported every year,
- 8 hours of support per month per project: 3 hours per month of individual support, 4 hours of workshops per month, and one hour of networking for all project leaders.
- Two dedicated spacesfor entrepreneurs.
- Twenty experts & Twenty-five mentors.
Our support
Up to 18 months of incubation to create your business
We support project leaders for 6 to 18 months, renewable twice, with the possibility of basing your startup at the GEM Labs Campus, on Grenoble’s Presqu’île Scientifique, or at the GEM Paris Campus, in the Newport district of Pantin.
Our services
- Personalized mentoring sessions,
- Practical workshops,
- Meetings with former incubator participants and entrepreneurs,
- Experts who share key insights in all areas related to business creation,
- A network of committed entrepreneurs,
- Coworking spaces,
- Half-day 360° mentoring sessions to solve your key issues with our mentors.
How to join the incubator?
To apply, please complete an application form and return it to the GEM Alpine Business School Incubator email address. It will then be reviewed by our project team. If your project is selected, you will be invited to an individual interview to present your project to the jury.
At the end of the recruitment session, the jury will meet and let you know within a week whether your application has been accepted.
Two recruitment sessions are held each year:
- The first in May for recruitment in July,
- The second in November for recruitment in January.
Our incubatees
- Andyamo : WINNER of “50 Mobility Solutions for Our Regions.”
- Benu Blanc : Beauty Victory 2020/2021 – Top Innovation Benu Blanc received five awards for innovation and excellence: 3 awards from professionals in the cosmetics industry and 2 awards from consumers.
- Champiloop : Societal Angels winner, Petit Poucet winner in early 2021, Quartiers Fertiles winner at the national level, and Innotrophées 2021 winner.
- Choose your box : rapidly growing, the first subscription platform that allows you to change your box every month.
- Countact : winner of the Pépite UTBM award.
- Dabba : winner of the Rotary Isère Trophies, winner of Stardust Startup Factory, winner of the ESS Trophies from the Grenoble Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
- Detective Box : participation in the TV show “Qui veut être mon associé ?” on M6, best pitch of the season and two investors secured.
- Ficha : winner of the Réseau Entreprendre Isère award.
- Gnocchi Verdi : restaurant opened after six months of support.
- Intrenseque Design : winner of the French Tech in the Alps and Digital League pitch competition (Orange special prize).
Fundraising
- Homunity: €70 million
- Wizbii: €12.5 million
- ISKN: €10.5 million
- Lokki: €4 million
- En Voiture Simone: €3 million
- Pulse Origin: €600,000
- Detective Box: €140,000
Testimonials
“Choosing to become an entrepreneur also means choosing to work alone (or with two or three others) when you’re starting out. That’s why we were keen to surround ourselves with the right people.
We are fortunate to have a very well-structured incubator at GEM Alpine Business School. Why not take advantage of it? It was obvious to Raphaël and me to apply to the IncubaGEM incubation program. IncubaGEM supported us, particularly with the legal aspects of creating our articles of association once the MVP concept had been validated.”
Benoit PRIGENT and Raphaël MASBOU, Lokki
“Starting a business straight out of school, without much professional experience, is no easy task. The experts at IncubaGEM gave us access to valuable information on choosing the right legal status, writing a business plan, designing a communication strategy, and drafting press releases. It’s important to surround yourself with people when you’re starting a business! The community is also very active, and we regularly discuss each other’s issues. I highly recommend it!”
Maxime BONIFACE, Founder of Champiloop
Sale and delivery of mushrooms – oyster mushrooms and shiitakes
“Starting a business on your own can sometimes feel like a form of isolation and loneliness. Thanks to Incubagem, not only do I feel supported, but I can also exchange ideas with other entrepreneurs who are going through a similar adventure.”
Johanna BORG, Wia
“The GEM incubator played a decisive role in the founding of my firm, providing me with an invaluable network and expert advice from Julien Coupat, which was crucial in the early stages of my business. It was indirectly through this network that I met Ève-Marie Dyon, who has since become my partner. I am deeply grateful for the support and opportunities it has provided me during these two years of incubation.”
Chun Wing LAM, Wing Finance
Among our incubatees
Frequently asked questions
At what stage of project development can we apply?
You can apply as soon as you have established a business model, a document that describes the economic model of your future business, specifying revenue sources, cost structure, target customers, market research, sales strategy, and key activities aimed at generating profit.
I am studying abroad for a semester. Can I apply to IncubaGem?
Yes, you can apply to IncubaGem, as all of our events and meetings with mentors can be conducted remotely.
If I don’t speak French, can I receive support in English?
You can receive support from a bilingual mentor, but none of our events will be held in English.
If our application is not accepted, can we apply again?
Yes, you can reapply to the GEM Alpine Business School Incubator, provided you have taken into account the jury’s recommendations from your previous recruitment session, which will give you the opportunity to strengthen and improve your project.
How are experts and mentors selected?
Experts are selected for their specific skills and expertise in key areas such as finance, marketing, product development, and fundraising, in order to meet the needs of startups and lead workshops within the Incubator.
As for mentors, solid experience in entrepreneurship is essential to support incubatees in their strategic decisions. Being a mentor requires the ability to guide, coach, challenge, and advise entrepreneurs while imparting the soft skills essential to their success.
How do you choose an expert and a mentor for your project?
Choosing an expert and a mentor is a key step in the development of your entrepreneurial project. This choice must be carefully considered to ensure that the support you receive is tailored to your specific needs. Good chemistry between you and your mentors is essential to maximize the benefits of incubation and move your startup forward effectively. Each project is supported by a single mentor, while several experts can advise you. The GEM Alpine Business School incubator will guide you in choosing the professionals who will support you.
I am a student at GEM Alpine Business School. Can I do my 1A internship or gap year at the incubator?
As a student at GEM Alpine Business School, you can consider doing your 1A internship or gap year at the incubator, subject to prior approval from the “Learning through Professional Experience” department to validate this option.
I would like to join the GEM Alpine Business School Incubator. Do I have to be a resident of Grenoble or Paris?
To join the GEM Alpine Business School Incubator, you do not need to be a resident of Grenoble or Paris. You can live in France or abroad, as we welcome entrepreneurs from all backgrounds.
Do you finance the startups you support?
The school does not directly finance startups, as its core business is education, while the incubator focuses on providing strategic and operational support to entrepreneurs. However, we provide a network of qualified investors to support projects seeking financing.
Genius GEM, our partner association
A key player, Genius GEM, a branch of the Genius Global Federation, is the student association dedicated to entrepreneurship at GEM Alpine Business School since 2009
Composed of 50 members, it works to democratize entrepreneurship among students in two ways: by supporting project leaders through IncubaGEM by reviewing their pitch decks, and by promoting entrepreneurship through content creation and the organization of the Entrepreneurship Festival.
After incubation, project leaders can benefit from specific services offered by the association, such as market research, business model development, customer acquisition, and website creation advice.
The Entrepreneurship Festival, Genius GEM’s flagship event, enlivens student life for a week with conferences, after-work events, a pitch competition between startups with a social and environmental impact (CSR), a startup village, and hackathons organized within the school.
Throughout the year, Genius GEM organizes several major events at destinations for project leaders, including:
- Hackathon: an entrepreneurial marathon where participants work in teams to develop innovative solutions to a given problem.
- GEM ESS Contest: a pitch competition for startups with a social and environmental impact (CSR).
- Altistartup: a pitch competition that takes place in a gondola lift, during a ski lift ride, on the sidelines of the GEM Altigliss Challenge, Europe’s largest student ski and snowboard competition.
- Afterwork: a friendly get-together to meet other project leaders and share ideas on various issues related to entrepreneurship.
If you have any questions or want to follow the latest news from the Genius GEM Association, check out their LinkedIn and Instagram pages.
Become a mentor or expert
Join the GEM community by becoming a mentor (someone who can guide, coach, challenge and advise entrepreneurs while passing on the soft skills essential to their success) or expert (someone with expertise in a specific field such as finance, marketing, product development, fundraising, etc.) is an opportunity to meet project leaders and support them throughout their incubation process by providing them with theoretical and practical advice in all areas related to business creation.
Becoming a mentor or expert in an incubation programme has several advantages:
- Knowledge transfer: you have the opportunity to share your skills, experience and knowledge with entrepreneurs in the start-up phase of their project. You contribute to the success of the incubatee while strengthening your own expertise.
- Networking: you discover a dynamic world of entrepreneurs, investors and professionals in different sectors of activity.
- Personal and professional development: contributing to the success of the incubatee is a source of pride that strengthens your leadership and coaching skills.
- Participation in workshops: during this training period, you pass on your knowledge to incubatees in a specific field.
Be the mentor or expert who transforms ideas into success and inspires the next generation of leaders!
Become a jury member
Joining the GEM Alpine Business School community by becoming a jury member is a unique opportunity to meet new incubatees, allowing you to:
- Access innovation: jury members get a sneak preview of innovative projects and promising entrepreneurial ideas. This allows them to learn about market trends and new technologies.
- Share expertise: the jury offers an opportunity to pass on your know-how to new entrepreneurs. By evaluating projects, members share their perspectives and experience to help start-ups refine their ideas.
- Network development: the jury meets talented entrepreneurs, other experts from various sectors and potential investors. This broadens opportunities for collaboration and strengthens professional networks.
- Contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystem: it is an opportunity to actively participate in the development of the local ecosystem by helping young start-ups get off the ground and succeed.
- Personal enrichment: the jury evaluates a variety of projects in different fields, allowing them to broaden their knowledge.
- Benefits from GEM news: the jury is kept informed of new information about the school.
Being a member of the jury to select new incubatees is an enriching experience, both professionally and personally, as it allows us to encourage our young entrepreneurs!
If you would like to become a member of the jury, please contact us for more details.
Become an IncubaGem partner
Becoming an IncubaGem partner is a strategic opportunity that can bring significant benefits to your business while supporting innovation and the growth of start-ups. By contributing to the emergence of new structures, you strengthen your position in the market and stimulate your own growth.
Your benefits
- Access innovation: as an IncubaGem partner, you have privileged access to innovative start-ups and their cutting-edge technologies. This can stimulate your research and development and enable you to anticipate market trends.
- Enhanced reputation: your company gains visibility by being associated with innovative projects. This enhances your brand image.
- Investment opportunities: you can identify and invest in promising start-ups from the outset, maximising your chances of return while diversifying your investment portfolio.
- Developing talent: collaborating with start-ups allows you to identify exceptional talent and potentially recruit highly qualified and motivated individuals, thereby enriching your human capital.
How to become a partner:
- If you would like to support our young people and pass on the skills you have acquired during your career, become a mentor or expert.
- If you would like to offer your expertise and know-how to our incubatees as a GEM Alpine Business School alumni, we can identify you in our database of experts or mentors.
Benefits of this collaboration for graduates:
- Knowledge transfer: sharing the knowledge and skills you acquired after graduation helps new entrepreneurs avoid common mistakes and save time.
- Networking: expanding your professional network by connecting with incubatees and other potential mentors or experts can open up new business opportunities.
- Feedback: getting involved in the community of the school that trained them and helped them succeed can be rewarding.
- Personal development: mentoring incubatees can help you develop new skills.
- Recognition and reputation: being involved in supporting incubatees can strengthen your reputation as an expert in the field.
- Access to innovation: working with start-ups and innovative projects keeps you up to date with the latest trends and technologies, which can be beneficial for your career or your business.
- Investment opportunities: identify investment opportunities among the projects of incubatees.
- Personal satisfaction: helping others succeed is rewarding.
Whether you are a company or an individual:
- Support IncubaGem by making a tax-deductible donation to the GEM Foundation. The foundation is hosted by the Fondation de France.
Tax benefits:
- For companies: 60% of the donation amount is deductible from corporation tax, up to a limit of 0.5% of turnover.
- For individual donors: 66% of the donation amount is deductible from income tax, up to a limit of 20% of taxable income, and 75% of the donation amount is deductible from property wealth tax (IFI), up to a limit of £50,000.
- If you are a company, support Grenoble School of Management by allocating your tax payment.