Student entrepreneurship is gaining momentum at Institut Lyfe
Faire défiler la pageInstitut Lyfe has always had a clear ambition: to make entrepreneurship a genuine training pathway on a par with the traditional corporate career path. Launched in 2023, the entrepreneurial project offers fourth-year students on the Bachelor’s degree course in hospitality and restaurant management the opportunity to validate their final year of study by developing their own project, as an alternative to a conventional internship.
In practical terms, students enrolled in this programme devote six months, from January to June, to structuring and developing their entrepreneurial project. The aim is to transform this key stage of the programme into an immersive experience, encouraging students to discover entrepreneurship and develop a genuine spirit of initiative. Each year, more than a dozen students choose this demanding and formative path, accompanied by Cédric Favre, Ph.D. in Strategic Management/Entrepreneurship and lecturer at Institut Lyfe.
With Nathan, another student and friend, we always wanted to get into entrepreneurship. As soon as we heard about this opportunity at Institut Lyfe, we decided to give it a shot. Today, we are trying to learn how to bring our ideas to life and give them value so that we can realise our future career plans. – Quentin, student on the Bachelor’s degree programme in International Hospitality and Restaurant Management
A new step forward with the National Student-Entrepreneur Status
Since October 2025, the scheme has undergone a major change. Students who have chosen the path of entrepreneurship now enjoy official, recognised status: the National Student-Entrepreneur Status (SNEE).
This recognition marks a turning point. By joining CELSE’s pre-incubation programme, students gain access to enhanced support, complementing that offered by Institut Lyfe. They benefit from specific training (business plan, pitch, project structuring), personalised monitoring and, if necessary, the support of a dedicated tutor. This is a real alternative to traditional internships, professionalising the entrepreneurial approach and reinforcing the skills acquired throughout the course.
At the last meeting of the commitment committee, the nine students from Institut Lyfe who presented their projects all passed the assessment and were awarded National Student Entrepreneur Status. This is strong recognition of the quality of their work, their commitment and their ability to carry out a credible and ambitious project.
Projects rooted in hospitality and culinary arts
In 2026, 8 entrepreneurial projects were presented and approved, illustrating the diversity and creativity of the students at Institut Lyfe:
- Chiara is developing a new beach restaurant concept.
- Theo is spearheading a project to promote and market Savoie wines in France and internationally.
- Pauline is working on a concierge service project tailored to new uses.
- Jules envisions the private chef platform of tomorrow, aimed at culinary arts students and in partnership with hospitality schools. The goal is to showcase the expertise of younger generations while promoting schools through culinary experiences offered to the general public.
- Savana is studying a lodge project in Madagascar, combining hospitality and regional development, similar to the work carried out by our graduate Lara Dupré in Ivory Coast.
- Tom came up with the concept of Terraïa, a platform that reconnects people with local produce, craftsmanship and human experience. At the crossroads of the digital and real worlds, the project promotes local expertise through premium local produce boxes, immersive experiences and direct encounters with committed artisans, producers and chefs.
Terraïa’s ambition is simple: to restore meaning to consumption by telling the story of where products come from, the actions of those who make them and the regions they represent. Each experience becomes an object of transmission, designed as a cultural and sensory immersion rather than a simple product to be consumed. Terraïa is not just a marketplace: it is a living ecosystem, designed to create links between creators and audiences, and to reinvent the way in which the terroir is experienced, shared and recounted today.
- Quentin and Nathan plan to open a neighbourhood bar in Lyon, offering something for everyone in a friendly setting with a great brand image.
- Carl is working on a project that is currently being structured, demonstrating the wealth of entrepreneurial experience at Institut Lyfe.
Personalised support throughout the process
Beyond tools and methods, Institut Lyfe places a strong emphasis on personal support. Student entrepreneurs are monitored on a daily basis by Ludivine Schock, Talent Manager, who supports them when they experience moments of doubt, self-questioning or low motivation.
As Cédric Favre points out, entrepreneurship is not just about creating a project:
There is a real entrepreneurial education to be passed on. Learning to be an entrepreneur also means learning to manage uncertainty, to persevere and to develop as a professional.
By structuring this entrepreneurial pathway, Institut Lyfe confirms its commitment to entrepreneurial education in the fields of hospitality and gastronomy, and provides practical support to students who wish to transform their ideas into projects.
Join us from 6 to 10 July for the final presentations, a highlight that will bring several months of hard work, daring and commitment to a close.
Entrepreneurship after Institut Lyfe
18% of our students start their own businesses and become entrepreneurs as soon as they graduate. Discover their stories:
Claire, Thomas and Léo’s project with Domaine d’Ablon