On 13 March, the Start-up company Ambassade Du Champagne co-founded in 2012 by three young entrepreneurs, two of whom were students from the NEOMA BS TEMA programme, has won the Trophée des Jeunes Talents du Tourisme de la Marne, which is awarded for innovative tourism services that promote our terroir and its traditions.

BIRTH OF A START-UP COMPANY
Adrien Ruggirello, a Parisian event organiser, settled in Reims in 2008 when he began his studies at TEMA. He quickly fell in love with Champagne and its region, and decided to contribute to its promotion.
Léo Ginailhac set up his first film production company when he was still at school. He was fascinated by new technology and a marketing buff, and hoped to launch a career in e-commerce, so he joined TEMA in 2008. During his studies, he served as president of the NEOMA BS Entrepreneurship Club.  
Guillaume Bonvalet is from Reims and has a master degree from Advancia-Negocia. He soon specialised in the sale of wines and spirits. His experience at Taittinger, Pommery, Laurent Perrier and Chapoutier quite naturally led him to manage the firm’s commercial aspects.

The three friends were united in their love for the region as they began their venture to promote this area of French terroir.
“We joined the NEOMA BS business incubator at the Reims campus, in October 2013. The premises, the School’s infrastructure, and the help we received from faculty helped us develop in a healthy, positive environment. The financial help we received from the incubator via the NEOMA BS Foundation enabled us to launch our e-commerce website, whose initial sales were phenomenal. Ambassade du Champagne (ADC), supported by KPMG and FinanceUp is currently raising funds in order to accelerate its growth and international development.”


THE FIRM

Ambassade du Champagne delivers the finest selection of champagne produced by independent growers.  All its growers, who harvest their own grapes and produce their own champagne, use only traditional champagne methods and offer you authentic  champagnes, mostly made with Premiers and Grands Crus grapes. The company, recognised by the champagne producers’ association (SGV), offers its champagne for sale on an innovative website. It also caters for professional organisations for events and annual purchases. www.ambassadeduchampagne.com


Thanks to our year spent with the incubator, we have achieved:

•    140 000 euros in turnover
•    200 different clients
•    Exports to nine different countries
•    NEOMA Alumni award for the brightest hope of  2015. Read more
•    The Trophée des Jeunes Talents du Tourisme de la Marne. Read more

Our aims for 2015:

•    Raise 150 000 euros in new capital
•    Become the leader in online sales of independent grower champagne
•    Launch the largest  library of wine producers in the world
•    Develop exports and major clients
•    Pop-up stores in large French cities
•    Develop wine tourism


THE NEOMA BS BUSINESS INCUBATOR
The NEOMA Business School business incubator is open to teams of company creators at least one of whom is a current student at our School.
It is a structure to host and support company-creation projects.
The incubator provides support in the form of office space, advice (coaching, mentoring, experts) and funding, from the idea up until the actual launch of the company.
NEOMA BS has physical incubators in Rouen and Reims, and a virtual incubator (without office space) in Paris. http://incubateur.neoma-bs.fr/

THE NEOMA BS FOUNDATION
The Foundation supports the strategic development of NEOMA Business School by enabling firms and individuals to fund projects that it identifies as significant.
Entrepreneurship is one of the School’s major strategic areas. NEOMA BS considers that it must support project leaders as they attempt to conceive and develop new markets. With this aim in mind, and thanks to the support of its donors, NEOMA BS Foundation supports the incubator as it encourages these young start-ups to turn their dreams into reality. If you would like to support the incubator, visit www.fondation-neoma-bs.fr