Laurent Didier, accelerator of entrepreneurs and visionary of sustainable innovation
If you are part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem at HEC Paris, the name Laurent Didier is surely familiar to you... Otherwise, he is one of those individuals worth knowing! Marketer, entrepreneur, business acquirer, consultant, and mentor, Laurent Didier has built an impressive career. Today, he advises leaders of medium-sized enterprises (ETIs) and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). More importantly, he helps a new generation of startups succeed in the entrepreneurship challenge.
Laurent Didier: Accelerator of Entrepreneurs and Visionary of Sustainable Innovation
A native of Grenoble and father of four, Laurent Didier is focused on building a world for future generations. He believes that this world can no longer rely on past methods. His clear ambition is to accelerate sustainable and innovative projects led by the new generation. To him, "young people aged 22 to 37 are the true catalysts of change," and his role is to provide them with the confidence and resources they need to turn their ideas into reality.
Graduating from HEC Paris in 1979, Laurent attributes a significant influence in his career to the school. Later trained in design thinking, he quickly realized that “success lies not only in brilliant ideas but in their ability to meet real user needs.” This user-centric approach, known as "Job To Be Done," guides his marketing and communication concepts.
A Career of Transformations and Reflections
With a diverse background in marketing, communication, advertising, and design, Laurent has gained rich experience working with major companies like Unilever and several design agencies. He became a business owner in 1992 and made a name for himself in the business world, leading multiple companies to success and collaborating with leading brands in various sectors, from food to luxury.
Naturally drawn to marketing, he places crucial importance on communication and understanding user expectations in business strategies. This approach, bolstered by his design thinking training, led him to reconsider the role of startups and young companies in innovation. He sees them as change agents that can bypass the slow processes of large corporations due to their agility.
From Entrepreneurship to Social Innovation
Laurent left the design world to dive into the realm of startups, ETIs, and SMEs, convinced that true wealth lies there, fueling the economic fabric and creating prosperity. “I was shocked by how difficult it was for young people to enter the job market and how banks failed to support young entrepreneurs.” Moving through institutional barriers, finding shortcuts, and connecting with the right people appeared to be the solution for promoting business creation and fostering a real entrepreneurial ecosystem. This is the goal Laurent Didier chose to support.
As a business acquirer, he joined the Club des Repreneurs through HEC Alumni. When it came to developing the entrepreneurial aspect within the school, particularly through the HEC Paris Incubator, Laurent was at the forefront. “I brought together dozens of experts to support the entrepreneurs.” Today, the HEC Paris Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which includes the Incubator, has more than 1,000 members!
Cultivate Your Strength to Make a Difference
As a mentor for the HEC Paris Incubator, part of the Incubation and Acceleration Center Laurent primarily focuses on wealth creation and value proposition—two metrics that are less measurable but just as essential as the value chain. His holistic approach to entrepreneurship is distinguished by a fundamental question: "What truly makes the difference?" For him, the success of a startup depends not only on financial management but on the entrepreneur’s ability to concentrate on their strengths and cultivate them. This can be challenging for the French: “In France, we try to be good at everything and we are constantly asked to improve our weaknesses. In the United States, it is a different approach:
Thus, his goal is to help entrepreneurs contextualize their purpose—the “Why” of each project—to differentiate themselves, elevate their ambition, and find their market to craft powerful pitches that facilitate their success. This proven approach accelerates progress, bypasses false opportunities, and connects with the right people and solutions. “They need to find the solutions because ultimately, we are just mentors,” he clarifies.
For HEC Paris: A Collaborative and Human Approach
Beyond his involvement with the HEC Paris Incubator, Laurent Didier organizes bootcamps and innovative pitch contests, involving individuals like Céline Lazorthes (Leetchi, Mangopay, and Resilience) and Stanislas Niox-Chateau (Doctolib). Among these initiatives is the "Blazer Pitch," where participants must convince in one minute, dressed only in a blazer and underwear. This playful and impactful approach, devised with his long-time associate Jacques Birol, encourages entrepreneurs to push their boundaries, take risks, and express their ideas passionately. The Urban Canopée initiative is a striking example. This startup, which offers greening structures to cool cities and urban heat islands, broke the barrier of indifference with an urgent message delivered uniquely. The co-founders pitched at the C40 Cities Summit with a quarter of their faces painted green: “If we can green an additional quarter of cities, we can reduce urban temperatures by 2 to 4 degrees!” This bold differentiation helped them win the pitch competition.
In sum, Laurent Didier's philosophy revolves around collaboration, boldness, and a commitment to positively transforming society. He views the HEC Paris ecosystem as a goldmine where he can foster collaboration across generations and disciplines to create value. As he states, “the entrepreneur must contribute to eradicating societal problems by seeking a lasting impact, not just making a profit.”
His commitment to HEC Paris aligns with the mission defined by Eloïc Peyrache for the school: “contributing to an entrepreneurial transformation of society with impact and respect for diversity.” This allows him to realize his conviction of entrepreneurial transformation.