Committed to supporting student entrepreneurs developing emerging projects, the Lille European Metropolis (MEL), Pépite Hauts-de-France, and the crowdfunding platform Ulule launched the fourth edition of the Pépites de la MEL in November 2025.
8 winning student-entrepreneurs and “Pépite de la MEL” have launched their crowdfunding campaigns and will test their concepts with the general public and industry professionals. These eight projects, led by student-entrepreneurs all committed to addressing current environmental and social challenges are innovative and highlight the vitality and dynamism of the metropolitan area.
Meet the 8 winners:
💡 Alto Lille – Anatole Collet: lighting fixtures designed and made from recycled materials. A wonderful project that combines design and environmental responsibility!
🥞 Breizh Trailer – Margaux Verriele: A food truck specializing in Breton crêpes and galettes, to make your private or professional events (weddings, birthdays, seminars, etc.) truly special. We serve the entire Hauts-de-France region, with a strong presence in the MEL area.
🌱 Ehope – Timothée Duverlie: A civic app to accelerate the ecological transition. Ehope brings together a community committed to protecting nature, influencing public policy, and empowering everyone to take action.
🥤 GL1TCH, Cyril Revaux: A functional beverage that aims to reinvent energy: a healthier and more effective alternative to traditional energy drinks.
🏀 Hoop N’Fit – William Ezelin: The fitness app made for ballers. 100% personalized training programs tailored to position, skill level, and goals for both amateur and semi-pro basketball players.
🐈⬛ Nekoffee – Maëlle Meyer: A tea room… with cats! Nekoffee plans to open a cat café in the Lille metropolitan area, which will also serve as a foster home to help facilitate cat adoptions.
📚 Readz – Benjamin Demassieux: The first streaming platform for serialized reading, ethical and designed by and for authors, readers, and publishers.
💼 Saisonnier bien logé – Amaury Penverne: A platform that connects owners of vacant properties with tourism professionals so that finding (or offering) seasonal accommodations is no longer a headache.
The MEL’s objective:
The goal of this fifth edition is to enable the eight winners to present their solutions directly to the general public and industry professionals in order to raise funds and thus develop their ideas. To this end, since March, Pépite Hauts-de-France, the MEL, and Ulule have been supporting the winners as they prepare their crowdfunding campaigns.
