5 KEDGE Alumni join forces to create Micromégas, a micro-brewery

"It's simple, without KEDGE Business School, the project wouldn't exist!" these are the words with which Yannick Maurice, ESC graduate, class of 2014, started our interview.

Indeed, out of the nine founding associates for his project, five graduated from the ESC programme in 2014. "From the first months of the programme, a friendship, as well as a desire to create together, was born. KEDGE gave us the keys we needed to succeed and fostered the synergy needed to rise to the challenge" he explained. 

The Micromégas micro-brewery, which will start producing stylish beers this summer from its production site in Saint-Sever (40), will be a name to remember in the world of artisan beer. The company, which was created this year, wants to manufacture and sell its own beers. "Our mission is to offer beer lovers a trip through the different styles and tastes of beerss. I discovered artisan beers when I travelled to Quebec after the Master's, learned the styles, manufacturing process, and met with actors in the market, some of whom became friends. I returned to France with the project in my suitcase and shared it with my friends from the class of 2014. We had wanted to start a business together for some time. Funny story: we almost went through with launching a franchise we created as part of a course on building a business plan at KEDGE! When we defended our project, the banking partner in the jury reached out to see if we wanted to launch the business. When I came back to France we spent a year doing a market study, looking for funds, filling out administrative papers to start the business, and the micro-brewery is ready to come out of the ground this summer! We are starting with a regular range of 5 beers in bottles and kegs, as well as a season collection which will be offered temporarily for a single season. We are currently working on referencing our products and are hoping to achieve national coverage."

Previously, Yannick was specialised in strategic marketing and worked as Entrepreneurship Mission Officer for the  Schneider Electric group. The desire to create his own business has always been there, guiding his professional choices up to today. In 2012, he joined KEDGE Business School to start a professional transition. That is when he met Eric Labarthe, Marc Neigel, Frédéric Fautous and Philippe Terrenoir, his future associates.

"The programme equipped us with the skills we needed to be business owners, enabling us to be comforable in every business area. As proof, we were very autonomous in carrying out our market study and building our business plan, and our partners were very impressed (banks, CCI, region, accounting firm, etc.). Today, we have all the tools we need to manage our company rigourously and with ambition."

His advice to recent graduates who want to become entrepreneurs: "You have to go for it! When you leave KEDGE, you will have all the skills you need to succeed. You realise it in the field as you meet people. The level we get to with KEDGE enables us to aspire to be business owners, and I mean great businesses, that aim to grow, create jobs, and make a difference in the local economy. Creating a business is an obstacle course during which we oscillate between euphoria and worry. Knowing how to surround yourself with the right people to overcome these obstacles is also key to being successful. Micromégas strength lies in the unity and combination of skills from all the associates who graduated from KEDGE."

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