Pépite LR

What Pépite LR does

Pépite LR (Pôle Étudiant Pour l'Innovation, le Transfert et l'Entrepreneuriat) is a public higher education support organization headquartered in Montpellier, France, founded in 2011 and operating as part of the national Pépite France network of 32 regional poles. Hosted under Université Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD) and initiated in coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR) under the 2019 Plan Esprit d'Entreprendre, the organization serves students and recent graduates with entrepreneurial ideas across the Occitanie-Est region, with a second antenna in Perpignan. Its core offerings are the free Statut National d'Étudiant-Entrepreneur (SNEE) status and the paid Diplôme d'Établissement d'Étudiant-Entrepreneur (D2E) diploma (€300–€434 per student), supported by monthly Engagement Committees, individual and collective coaching, pedagogical modules, Créathlon and Escape Game challenges, the Pépitizy digital community platform, and access to the national Prix Pépite competition (€2,000–€5,000 prizes).

Pépite LR is not a technology company and does not develop proprietary technology products; the underlying infrastructure is the Pépitizy platform (pepite-lr.pepitizy.fr), used for community management, event registration, engagement-committee calendars, and partner directory listings. Distribution is embedded institutionally via Réfèrents Entrepreneuriat et Innovation (REI) appointed in 8 founding member universities and 20+ partner establishments, ensuring on-campus student access. Revenue mechanics are overwhelmingly public-grant-driven: MESR, Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, Nîmes Métropole, Bpifrance Création, Banque Populaire du Sud, and member-institution contributions form the core operational budget, with D2E tuition fees functioning as minimal cost recovery rather than a commercial engine. No revenue, ARR, or financial figures are publicly disclosed.

The organization's customer base is a mass-market, individual-level (B2C-equivalent) audience of students and young graduates, with secondary segments including university faculty (for sensitization modules) and ecosystem partners (incubators, banks, chambers of commerce). As of the 2025-26 academic year, Pépite LR is supporting 303 student-entrepreneurs (a 20% year-over-year increase), with cumulative reach of 2,000+ student-entrepreneurs supported since 2015 and 18,000 students sensibilized to entrepreneurship since 2021, anchoring its position within the national network that has collectively supported 40,000 students since 2015.

Name

Pépite LR

Legal name

Université Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD)

Website

https://pepite-lr.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Student entrepreneurship
• University innovation support
• Entrepreneurial coaching
• Business creation program
• Academic entrepreneurship

Headquarters

HQ city

Montpellier

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Diplôme d'Établissement d'Étudiant-Entrepreneur (D2E) Fees: Revenue generated from student enrollment fees for the D2E diploma program. Students enrolled in another university program pay €300; students enrolled only in D2E pay €434 (including CVEC and library fees). This is a minimal cost-recovery model supporting the public mission of fostering student entrepreneurship.
2. Public Funding (Government Grants): Pépite LR operates primarily through public funding from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR), regional governments (Occitanie, Nîmes Métropole, Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole), and institutional contributions from member universities. This constitutes the core operational budget.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pépite LR is a public student-entrepreneurship hub that delivers the national Statut National Étudiant-Entrepreneur (SNEE) status, the Diplôme d'Établissement d'Étudiant-Entrepreneur (D2E) diploma, awareness-raising modules, individual and group coaching, innovation challenges, and networking events (Pépite Sessions). It supports students and recent graduates from partner universities in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in launching and developing their ventures.

Product overview

Pépite LR (Pôle Étudiant Pour l'Innovation, le Transfert et l'Entrepreneuriat) operates as a comprehensive student entrepreneurship support ecosystem with two main programs: the Statut National d'Étudiant-Entrepreneur (SNEE) offering free, age-unlimited support from post-Bac level, and the Diplôme d'Établissement d'Étudiant-Entrepreneur (D2E) providing a paid university diploma with deeper accompaniment. The portfolio includes pedagogical modules (Découverte de l'Esprit d'Entreprendre, Initiation par le projet), entrepreneurial challenges (Escape Game, Créathlon), and the Pépitizy digital platform for community engagement. Additional services encompass coaching sessions, Pépite Sessions seminars, and access to the national Prix Pépite competition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Statut National Étudiant-Entrepreneur (SNEE) Free national status granting French university students and recent graduates the right to develop a business project while remaining enrolled and keeping student benefits. Delivered through a simple online application via the Pépitizy platform.
• Diplôme d'Établissement d'Étudiant-Entrepreneur (D2E) Fee-based university diploma (around 1,500€) awarded to students who complete an entrepreneurial project during their studies. Recognized as a diploma of higher education and open to students at any French university with reduced rates for low-income students and Pôle Emploi beneficiaries.
• Pépitizy Digital Platform National digital platform operated by the PEPITE network that allows students to apply for SNEE status, find coaching, and connect with experts, investors, and partner organizations supporting their entrepreneurial projects.
• Module Découverte de l'Esprit d'Entreprendre Awareness module offered to university students to introduce the entrepreneurial mindset and culture. Part of the educational offerings of the PEPITE program.
• Module Initiation par le projet Project-based module that helps students initiate and structure their business project as part of the PEPITE educational offerings.
• Coaching Individuel et Collectif One-on-one and group coaching provided by Pépite LR to support students in developing and launching their entrepreneurial projects, from ideation to business creation.
• Challenge Créathlon Innovation challenge organized by Pépite LR that allows student-entrepreneurs to develop their creativity and pitch their projects in a competitive setting.
• Challenge Escape Game Escape-game-format challenge organized by Pépite LR, providing a playful, immersive experience to develop entrepreneurial problem-solving skills.
• Pépite Sessions Networking and educational events organized by Pépite LR to connect student-entrepreneurs with experts, investors, and the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Prix Pépite National award recognizing outstanding student-entrepreneur projects. Regional selection by Pépite LR feeds into the national Prix Pépite competition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 303 student-entrepreneurs supported in 2025-26 academic year (+20% YoY)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, primary and secondary.

• Université de Perpignan (UPVD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founding member institution of Pépite LR. Hosts one of the two antennas (Perpignan). Professor Yvan Auguet serves as Director of Publication for Pépite LR website.
• Université de MontpelliercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founding member institution. One of the largest universities in the region, contributing students and faculty to Pépite LR programs.
• Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founding member institution specializing in humanities and social sciences, contributing students to the entrepreneurship program.
• Université de Nîmes (Nîmes Université)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founding member institution contributing students from Nîmes campus to Pépite LR entrepreneurship programs.
• École Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier (ENSCM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founding member institution providing chemistry and science students access to entrepreneurship accompaniment.
• Institut Agro Montpellier (formerly Montpellier SupAgro)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founding member institution specialized in agricultural and environmental sciences, contributing students to the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
• Montpellier Business School (MBS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founding member institution providing business school students and expertise in entrepreneurship education.
• IMT Mines AlèscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founding member institution contributing engineering students to Pépite LR programs with focus on technical and innovative projects.
• EPF Engineering SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partner institution (founding member) contributing engineering students to Pépite LR programs.
• ISCOM MontpelliercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partner institution contributing communication and media students to Pépite LR programs.
• ENSAM (École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partner institution contributing arts and crafts engineering students to Pépite LR entrepreneurship programs.
• Pépite France - Le réseau des Étudiants-EntrepreneurscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014National umbrella network federating all 32 Pépite poles across France. Initiated by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. Provides the national framework for the SNEE status, national competitions (Prix Pépite), and shared resources for student-entrepreneurs.
• BIC de Montpellier (Business and Innovation Center)primaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal business and innovation center providing accompaniment support, mentorship, and potential incubation pathways for student-entrepreneurs graduating from Pépite LR programs.
• BGE MontpellierprimaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation for enterprise creation providing professional coaching and support services. Mohamed El Mansouri from BGE Montpellier serves as professional tutor for D2E students.
• CCI Hérault (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of commerce providing networking opportunities, business resources, and connections to the broader business community for student-entrepreneurs.
• BIC Innov'UpsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation-focused business incubator providing acceleration support for innovative student projects.
• Premières OccitaniesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of first-time company creators providing peer support and early-stage entrepreneurship resources.
• RésO IP+ AD'OCCsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network coordinated by AD'OCC (development agency) providing ecosystem connectivity and support for student-entrepreneurs.
• ENIsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership listed among national action partners supporting Pépite France network activities and competitions.
• APECsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation pour l'Emploi des Cadres providing career support resources for student-entrepreneurs and graduates.
• Live for GoodsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation supporting entrepreneurs with positive social and environmental impact, aligned with sustainable entrepreneurship values.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pepite-lr8646
• Facebookfacebook.com/pepitelr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pepite-lr
• Instagraminstagram.com/pepite-lr

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pépite LR