Close Menu
  • English
  • Featured
    • AI & Robotics
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Leisure
    • Science
    • Security
    • Sustainable Development
    • Tech
    • Transport
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of Ethiopia's planned 62-story skyscraper in Addis Ababa, as an artificial illustration.
Skyscraper Showdown: Ethiopia’s Daring Comeback Promises to Crown a New Sub-Saharan Giant and Transform the Nation’s Skyline Forever
Illustration of the Jeddah Tower construction site resuming in Saudi Arabia, generated by artificial intelligence.
“They’re Back and Building Higher Than Ever!”: $26 Billion Jeddah Tower Construction Roars Ahead, Set to Obliterate All Records as the World’s Tallest Structure
Illustration of the Jeddah Economic Company Tower rising over the city of Jeddah, generated by artificial intelligence.
“Saudi Arabia Is Building Beyond Belief!”: World’s Tallest Tower Surges Upward With Unstoppable Speed, Shattering Records and Dwarfing All Competition
Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn RSS
Rude Baguette
Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
Newsletter
  • Featured
  • AI
    Illustration of advanced robotic vision sensor technology adapting to lighting conditions, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “These Robot Eyes See What We Can’t!”: Breakthrough Technology Lets Machines Outspeed Human Vision by Reacting to Blinding Light Five Times Faster

    July 9, 2025 at 6:11 AM
    Illustration of BurgerBot robots assembling burgers in a fast-food restaurant. Image generated by AI.

    “We Just Replaced the Line Cook”: BurgerBot in California Automates Fast Food With Lightning Speed and Zero Human Error

    July 7, 2025 at 5:10 PM
    Illustration of the ATMO robot transforming mid-air from a flying drone to a wheeled rover. Image generated by AI.

    “It Transforms While Flying”: Engineers Create Shape-Shifting Robot That Morphs Mid-Air to Land and Roll on Wheels

    July 7, 2025 at 5:53 AM
    Illustration of four prominent researchers transitioning from OpenAI to Meta. Image generated by AI.

    “We’re Watching a Brain Drain in Real Time”: OpenAI Hit Hard as 4 Top Researchers Defect to Rival Tech Giant Meta

    July 5, 2025 at 12:08 PM
    Illustration of the future potential of human-level artificial intelligence advancements. Image generated by AI.

    “We Only Need a Few More Miracles”: Microsoft AI Pioneer Says Human-Level Intelligence Is Closer Than Anyone Realized

    July 5, 2025 at 7:48 AM
  • Energy
    Illustration of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator's record-breaking nuclear fusion performance. Image generated by AI.

    “We’ve Never Reached This Level Before”: German Scientists Smash Nuclear Fusion Record in Leap Toward Infinite Clean Energy

    July 6, 2025 at 8:58 AM
    Illustration of the assembly of the ITER vacuum vessel by Westinghouse Electric Company. Image generated by AI.

    “We’re Building the Heart of a Star”: Westinghouse to Assemble Core of the World’s Largest Fusion Reactor in Historic First

    July 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM
    Illustration of Elon Musk's xAI gas power plant project in Memphis. Image generated by AI.

    “Elon Musk’s AI Power Grab Spirals”: 26 Titanic Gas Turbines Roaring at 1.4 GW—But No One Approved Them

    July 3, 2025 at 5:10 PM
    Illustration of Huawei's groundbreaking solid-state battery technology promising an 1,864-mile range. Image generated by AI.

    “We Just Crushed EV Limits”: Huawei Unveils Electric Car With 3,000 Km Range and 5-Minute Full Recharge Capability

    July 3, 2025 at 10:12 AM
    Illustration of a groundbreaking electric vehicle battery capable of charging to 80% in just 10 minutes. Image generated by AI.

    “1,000 Cycles, 10-Min Charge”: US Scientists Stun Auto Industry With Ultra-Fast, Long-Life EV Battery Breakthrough

    July 2, 2025 at 7:00 AM
  • Finance
    Illustration of James Howells searching for his lost Bitcoin hard drive in a landfill. Image generated by AI.

    “He’s Still Digging”: Man Who Lost $700 Million in Bitcoin 12 Years Ago in a Dump Faces Stunning New Twist in His Hunt

    June 13, 2025 at 9:05 AM
    Illustration of a lost hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins buried in a landfill. Image generated by AI.

    He Just Gave Up €200 Million in Bitcoin: After 12 Years of Digging Through Trash, the Lost Hard Drive Is Gone for Good

    May 30, 2025 at 7:14 AM
    Illustration of a man sleeping with black tape over his lips. Image generated by AI.

    “Doctors Sound the Alarm”: Viral Mouth Taping Trend Called Dangerous and Completely Unproven by Leading Medical Experts

    May 25, 2025 at 8:02 AM
    Illustration of Visa's integration of AI systems into digital payments (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    Visa’s AI Is Now Shopping for You: This Robot May Soon Swipe Your Card Automatically—and Mess With Your Mind

    May 4, 2025 at 8:07 AM
    Microsoft Strikes Unprecedented Deal: World's Largest CO2 Removal at 7.44 Million Tons, Setting New Environmental Milestone

    “Microsoft Strikes Historic Climate Deal”: World’s Largest CO2 Removal Pact Targets 6.75 Million Tons in Unmatched Green Push

    April 19, 2025 at 9:55 AM
  • Leisure
    Illustration of Shebara Resort's futuristic, pod-like villas shimmering above the Red Sea. Image generated by AI.

    “Solar Villas Rise on the Red Sea”: Shebara Resort Unveils Ultra-Futuristic Eco-Luxury Powered Entirely by the Sun

    June 30, 2025 at 9:06 AM
    Illustration of the world's largest Legoland theme park in Shanghai, featuring eight themed zones and a 250-room hotel. Image generated by AI.

    “China Builds the Unthinkable”: World’s Largest Legoland Ever Made Opens Soon After $550 Million Mega Investment

    June 27, 2025 at 7:06 AM
    Illustration of Quentin Tarantino endorsing the Netflix film Havoc. Image generated by AI.

    “It’s Really Badass”: Tarantino Raves About This Explosive Tom Hardy Action Film That Just Dropped as a Netflix Exclusive

    June 23, 2025 at 5:50 AM
    Illustration of a Nintendo Direct event focused on Donkey Kong Bananza for the Nintendo Switch 2. Image generated by AI.

    “This Hero Smashes Everything”: Nintendo Switch 2’s Most Explosive Star Will Dominate the Nintendo Direct in 48 Hours

    June 22, 2025 at 4:53 PM
    Illustration of Sony's vision for the future of gaming with the anticipated PS6. Image generated by AI.

    “Next-Gen Is Coming”: Sony President Drops First Official PS6 Statement That Sets the Tone for the Future of Gaming

    June 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
  • Science
    Illustration of the largest-ever map of the universe created by the James Webb Space Telescope, showcasing nearly 800,000 galaxies across 13.5 billion years.

    “They’ve Mapped the Beginning of Time!”: James Webb Telescope Reveals the Largest-Ever Cosmic Atlas, Unveiling 13 Billion Years of Hidden Universe

    July 9, 2025 at 8:02 AM
    Illustration of the unexpected emission of a powerful radio pulse from NASA's long-dormant Relay 2 satellite. Image generated by AI.

    “It Shouldn’t Be Alive”: Zombie NASA Satellite Sends Shockingly Strong Radio Pulse After 60 Years of Total Silence

    July 8, 2025 at 5:02 PM
    Illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope capturing images of distant galaxies in the early universe. Image generated by AI.

    Universe Unveiled: New Cosmic Map Sheds Light on Ancient Structures Formed Just After the Big Bang

    July 8, 2025 at 11:59 AM
    Illustration of a reimagined dinosaur trackway study revealing new insights into their speed. Image generated by AI.

    “We Got It All Wrong”: New Study Reveals Dinosaur Speeds Were Vastly Overestimated by Decades of Fossil Trackway Data

    July 7, 2025 at 6:53 AM
    Illustration of the mysterious celestial body identified as a potential Planet Nine beyond Neptune. Image generated by AI.

    “We’re Seeing Something Massive Out There”: Astronomers Detect Possible Ninth Planet Beyond Neptune in Chilling New Discovery

    July 6, 2025 at 9:53 AM
  • Security
    Illustration of Scattered Spider hackers targeting the aviation sector. Image generated by AI.

    “FBI Issues Maximum Alert”: These Ruthless Scattered Spider Hackers Now Target Civil Aviation With Unprecedented Cyber Assault

    July 3, 2025 at 4:04 PM
    Illustration of North Korean hackers using AI tools like ChatGPT for cryptocurrency theft. Image generated by AI.

    “AI in the Wrong Hands”: North Korean Hackers Exploit ChatGPT to Steal Millions While Malaysian Funds Vanish in Digital Heist

    July 1, 2025 at 11:49 AM
    Illustration of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile, a key element in Russia's military strategy. Image generated by AI.

    “Putin Orders Mach 10 Missile Surge”: Russia Escalates Hypersonic Arsenal With Terrifying New Strike Capabilities Ready for Deployment

    June 30, 2025 at 4:02 PM
    Illustration of a Chinese satellite capable of identifying human faces from over 62 miles away. Image generated by AI.

    “China Can See Your Face From Space”: New Spy Satellite Sparks Global Alarm With Its Unprecedented Orbital Surveillance Power

    June 10, 2025 at 3:53 PM
    Illustration of the F-15E Strike Eagle equipped with APKWS II rockets targeting drones. Image generated by AI.

    “We’ll Swat Them Out of the Sky”: U.S. Air Force Upgrades F-15E With 42 Drone-Killing Rockets in Explosive Power Boost

    May 28, 2025 at 10:00 AM
  • Impact
    Illustration of Ethiopia's planned 62-story skyscraper in Addis Ababa, as an artificial illustration.

    Skyscraper Showdown: Ethiopia’s Daring Comeback Promises to Crown a New Sub-Saharan Giant and Transform the Nation’s Skyline Forever

    July 9, 2025 at 4:47 PM
    Illustration of Frank Lloyd Wright's visionary skyscraper, The Illinois. Image generated by AI.

    “We Dreamed Bigger Than Anyone”: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unrealized Mile-High Tower Would Have Crushed the Burj Khalifa

    July 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM
    Illustration of Saudi Arabia's seed-inspired stadium with a 92,000-seat capacity. Image generated by AI.

    “We Wanted It to Grow From the Earth”: Saudi Arabia Unveils Seed-Inspired Stadium With Jaw-Dropping 92,000-Seat Capacity

    July 6, 2025 at 3:49 PM
    Illustration of the Khalid Bin Sultan City in Sharjah, UAE, featuring a central oasis park and fluid architectural designs. Image generated by AI.

    “We’re Building the Future in the Desert”: Zaha Hadid Architects Unveil Futuristic UAE City With a Lush Oasis at Its Heart

    July 6, 2025 at 6:50 AM
    Illustration of a biodegradable memory chip dissolving in water. Image generated by AI.

    “Chip Melts in Water, Not Under Pressure”: Biodegradable Memory Tech Survives 3,000 Bends Before Vanishing Without a Trace

    July 2, 2025 at 9:02 AM
  • Tech
    Illustration of the Jeddah Tower construction site resuming in Saudi Arabia, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “They’re Back and Building Higher Than Ever!”: $26 Billion Jeddah Tower Construction Roars Ahead, Set to Obliterate All Records as the World’s Tallest Structure

    July 9, 2025 at 3:52 PM
    Illustration of the Jeddah Economic Company Tower rising over the city of Jeddah, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “Saudi Arabia Is Building Beyond Belief!”: World’s Tallest Tower Surges Upward With Unstoppable Speed, Shattering Records and Dwarfing All Competition

    July 9, 2025 at 12:08 PM
    Illustration of a young TikTok user critiquing 432 Park Avenue in New York City, highlighting skyscraper flaws.

    “They’re Calling It the Worst Building Ever!”: Viral TikTok Rants Ignite Fury Over Luxury NYC Skyscraper, Exposing Shocking Secrets and Resident Outrage

    July 9, 2025 at 9:55 AM
    Illustration of the rumored Sony handheld console 'Jupiter', created by artificial intelligence.

    “PlayStation Fans Left Speechless!”: PS6 Leak Reveals Mind-Blowing Next-Gen Specs That Will Obliterate Gaming Expectations and Shake Up the Entire Industry

    July 9, 2025 at 9:04 AM
    Illustration of Elon Musk unveiling the Colossus AI supercomputer, an artificial illustration.

    “Elon Musk Unleashes the Colossus!”: World’s Most Powerful AI Supercomputer Dwarfs All Rivals and Sparks Panic in the Global Tech Community

    July 9, 2025 at 7:06 AM
  • Transport
    Illustration of the Mercedes AMG Concept GT XX showcasing its innovative design and technology. Image generated by AI.

    This Insane 1,340-HP AMG Concept Car From Mercedes Hits 220 MPH and Charges Faster Than Anything on the Road

    July 8, 2025 at 4:12 PM
    Illustration of the Honda Fastport eQuad navigating urban streets for efficient deliveries. Image generated by AI.

    Urban Delivery Reinvented: Honda’s Fastport eQuad Brings Electric Efficiency and Maneuverability to City Logistics

    July 8, 2025 at 10:08 AM
    Illustration of Venus Aerospace's Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine test flight. Image generated by AI.

    “We Just Lit the Future on Fire”: Venus Aerospace Successfully Tests Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine in Groundbreaking US Trial

    July 8, 2025 at 8:05 AM
    Illustration of the SP80 kite-powered sailboat designed to break the world speed sailing record. Image generated by AI.

    “We’re About to Break the Ocean Speed Limit”: Revolutionary Kite-Powered Sailboat Closes In on Historic World Record

    July 8, 2025 at 6:46 AM
    Illustration of the VORTEX spaceplane unveiled by Dassault Aviation at the Paris Air Show. Image generated by AI.

    “We’re Rewriting the Rules of Spaceflight”: Dassault Unveils VORTEX Spaceplane in Paris, Promising Full Reusability and Runway Landings

    July 8, 2025 at 6:09 AM
  • English
Rude Baguette

10 Successful Web Startups founded by HEC Alumni

Eirwen WilliamsEirwen WilliamsMay 8, 2013 at 4:49 AM0
Share Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Google News
Share
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link

HEC_entrepreneurs_logo_v1

Ever since I wrote about 10 French Stanford Alumni who are rocking it in the startup scene, I’ve found myself wondering what Universities in France are churning out more entrepreneurs. When I spotted that LeWeb & Seesmic founder Loic Le Meur was giving a talk to HEC Entrepreneur students in California last month, I began to dig a bit further to see who else had come out of HEC. With a little help from HEC, I discovered much more than 10 web startups founded by French entrepreneurs, but I decided to focus on some of the more well-known startups:

Viadeo – Dan Serfaty, CEO

A 1987 graduate of HEC, Dan Serfaty founded and is the CEO of the world’s 2nd largest professional social network, with 50 Million members (behind Linkedin’s 200M+ members). The social network was originally a spin-off of an entrepreneur’s club that Serfaty founded in 2000, Agregator. The social network, designed as an online social network for the members of the community, spun-off in 2004 as Viaduc, and latered changed its name to Viadeo in 2006 when it raised its first round of funding(5 Million euros) to launch in English & Italian. Serfaty lives today in Beijing, where Viadeo has been growing quickly in the Asian market.

Sarenza – Stephane Treppoz,

A 1989 graduate of HEC, Treppoz was the CEO of AOL France as well as an active investor before founding France’s leading shoe & bag e-commerce site in 2007. With revenues exceeding 100 Million euros in 2011, the company, considered the French Zappos(US)/Zalando(Germay), raised a mere 3 million euros in 2009, but continues to grow, with the founders (including Treppoz) having bought back an 80% stake in the company in 2011.

PriceMinister(Rakuten) – Pierre Kosciusko-Morizet, co-founder & CEO

The price-comparison giant which sold to Rakuten in 2010 for around 200 Million euros came from HEC’s class of 1999. Pierre “PKM” Kosciusko-Morizet is still the group’s CEO today. PKM founded the company just one year after graduating from HEC, with nothing more on his résumé than a consulting firm he founded before his MBA, and a 1 year stint at Capital One. These days, PKM is also a Business Angel, usually found among the ranks of Meetic’s Marc Simoncini & Vente Privée’s Jacques-Antoine Granjon.

LaFourchette.com – Bertrand Jelensperger, Owner

A 2001 graduate of HEC, Jelensperger founded several companies before La Fourchette, including Boursipoly in 2000, an online casual game revolving around the stock exchange. LaFourchette was founded in 2006, and raised 8 million euros last April from Serena and Partech, announcing 9 million euros in annual revenue, a 95% annual growth for the company. The company was valued at 40 million euros at the time of the fundraising.

Spartoo – Boris Saragaglia, Founder & CEO

A 2005 graduate of HEC’s Masters program, Saragaglia founded Spartoo, an e-commerce shoe store, in 2006. The company raised 25 Million euros last October – one of the biggest rounds of funding of the year – totaling 45 million euros raised thus far. At the time of fundraising, the site announced 12 million unique visitors per month, making it one of the most popular sites in France.

Dealissime (LivingSocial) – cofounders Tatiana Jama & Lara Rouyres

2008 graduates Tatiana Jama & Lara Rouyres founded daily deals site in September 2009 during the rise of such giants as Groupon and Living Social, the later of which purchased the company less than two years later. While the details of the acquisition have not been disclosed, Tatiana & Lara have become regular figureheads in the Paris startup scene, with the later currently a member of the National Digital Council (Conseil National Numerique).

Sparrow (Google) – Dominique Leca, cofounder

Perhaps one of the most recognizable iPhone apps up until its time of acquisition. Dominique Leca graduated from HEC in 2008 and went on to build Sparrow, an iPhone, iPad and Mac email client that was purchased by Google in 2012 for <25 Million dollars. Now living in Mountain View, reported working on Gmail’s iPhone app,

—–

Some of the more interesting companies founded by HEC alumni that I didn’t include in the initial list are Roland Garros Automobiles, founded by Roland Garros (go figure), a 1908 graduate of HEC,which was established in 1881, four years before Stanford.

1940 graduate Robert Mazars founded Mazars, one of the top-10 European accountancy firms, in 1940, right in he middle of World War II before France was occupied by Germany.

Francis Bouygues founded Bouygues construction company in 1952, just one year after graduating from HEC. His son, Martin Bouygues, succeeded him in 1989 to run the company, which now operates as France’s 3rd largest telecom company, in addition to a thriving construction company.

Lastly, BFM & CF News, two essential business publication in France, were both founded by HEC entrepreneurs.

 

 

Did you like it? 4.6/5 (26)

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Dealissime PriceMinister Viadeo
Follow on Google News Follow on X (Twitter)
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Previous ArticleRude VC: Euronext’s SME Marketplace
Next Article Nanigans launches in Europe to help companies scale up their Facebook advertising
Add A Comment
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of Ethiopia's planned 62-story skyscraper in Addis Ababa, as an artificial illustration.
Skyscraper Showdown: Ethiopia’s Daring Comeback Promises to Crown a New Sub-Saharan Giant and Transform the Nation’s Skyline Forever
Illustration of the Jeddah Tower construction site resuming in Saudi Arabia, generated by artificial intelligence.
“They’re Back and Building Higher Than Ever!”: $26 Billion Jeddah Tower Construction Roars Ahead, Set to Obliterate All Records as the World’s Tallest Structure
Illustration of the Jeddah Economic Company Tower rising over the city of Jeddah, generated by artificial intelligence.
“Saudi Arabia Is Building Beyond Belief!”: World’s Tallest Tower Surges Upward With Unstoppable Speed, Shattering Records and Dwarfing All Competition
News by category
  • English
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leisure
  • Transport
  • Science
  • Security
  • AI & Robotics
  • Energy
  • Sustainable Development
Information
  • Meet the Team
  • Legal notice
  • Privacy policy
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
© RudeBaguette.com. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.