The 14th edition of Powered By NEOMA, NEOMA’s entrepreneurship festival, took place on Thursday, 20 March, at the Rouen campus. This event once again showcased the innovation, boldness, and energy of the startups competing in the pitch contest.

The context: On 20 March, NEOMA’s incubator hosted the 14th edition of Powered By NEOMA on the Rouen campus. The festival gave students the opportunity to present their projects to a range of professionals, including companies, banks, law firms, and investment funds (see the list below). A networking lunch also facilitated informal discussions between aspiring entrepreneurs and potential partners.

What’s in it for project leaders? Beyond networking with key players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, incubated students had the chance to refine their pitch in front of a supportive audience. For many, the experience was both exciting and nerve-wracking, especially for first-time pitchers. Around 30 students took on the challenge of delivering a one-minute pitch—no easy feat. At the end of the session, the audience voted for their favourite project, with the winner receiving the Incubator Award and a €1,000 grant to support their development.

Who won the 2025 Incubator Award? This year’s Incubator Award went to FunSoap, a project by Romane Hulmer, which secured 30% of the votes. Romane developed a liquid soap concept designed to make handwashing more engaging: “With its gel-coated soap capsule, the product encourages good hygiene habits, especially among children.”

Second place went to FEEDO, a biodegradable, dissolvable sheet-form deodorant, which earned a €500 prize. After an initial pre-incubation phase, students can move on to full incubation, where they receive personalised support to further develop their projects. The festival wrapped up with a cocktail reception.

 This year’s event brought together 43 partners, including: Three law firms (Deloitte, Fidal, Carno Avocats), two banks (BNP, Caisse d’épargne), eight investment funds (including BPI and Initiative Rouen), four start-up support organisations (incubators and accelerators), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), the French Patent Office (INPI), the Université de Rouen, the Normandy Region authority, and local business leaders.