emlyon launches a research Chair with Terres Inovia to support transitions in agricultural markets
As part of the “France 2030” industrial and technological sovereignty plan, emlyon business school is launching a new Research Chair in partnership with Terres Inovia, the French technical agricultural institute. This Chair is part of a broader project focused on strengthening France’s sovereignty in the domestic production of plant-based proteins (lentils, chickpeas, etc.) for both human and animal consumption, thereby reducing dependence on imports.
Protein sovereignty at the core of France 2030 priorities
The Chair is integrated into a large-scale project led by a consortium of partners and coordinated by Terres Inovia, a technical agricultural institute tasked with research and development in the oilseed and protein crop sector. The project aims to enhance French sovereignty in plant-protein production, notably through a profound transformation of production processes and related professions. It seeks to support the evolution of the entire agricultural value chain by developing training programs for individuals (from high school students to industry experts, including farmers and technical advisors) as well as for companies.
Research to assess the economic sustainability of training programs for agricultural entrepreneurs
Among the twenty or so partners involved, emlyon is the only business school associated with the project. The specific role of the School’s Chair, titled “Transitions and Evolutions in Agricultural Markets”, is to assess the economic sustainability of the training programs developed as part of the project.
More specifically, the Chair is structured around four main pillars:
Market studies: Analyze the potential volume of learners and segment audiences for training programs (initial training, executive education, etc.)
Revenue and cost analysis: Identify revenue sources (training sales, public funding) and evaluate costs (facilities, trainers).
Economic modelling: Create profitability models (cash flow, break-even point) to ensure the long-term viability of programs once public subsidies end after the first five years.
Intellectual property: Define value-sharing mechanisms and usage rights for shared pedagogical resources among partners.
The goal is to tailor the training programs to market needs through research led by two of the School’s faculty members: Verena Gruber (Professor of Marketing) and Benoît Chevalier-Roignant (Professor of Finance).
Terres Inovia, a trusted partner of the School
The School’s involvement in agricultural issues builds on the expertise of its Faculty researchers and is part of an ongoing collaboration with Terres Inovia across various pedagogical initiatives since 2022. The agricultural technical institute has participated in the “Transforming Early Makers” innovation competition as an agri-food expert, mentor, and jury member. Since 2024, it has also been a sponsor of the PCE Grand Competition (Business Creation Project) for students in the Grande École Program, enabling them to work on an innovation project related to plant-based proteins.
The launch of this Chair with our partner Terres Inovia perfectly illustrates the School’s primary mission: placing the excellence of our training at the service of organizational transformation, and putting the production of scientific knowledge at the service of society and the economic world.
By bringing emlyon business school and Terres Inovia into the Formidable Protéine 2 initiative, we are taking a decisive step: linking technical innovation, the training of people, and the economic viability of the sector. Strengthening French protein sovereignty is not only about producing more: it is about sustainably supporting the transitions in skills, professions, and economic models. This Chair reflects our deep conviction: by combining field understanding and agricultural value chains on one hand, and financial and economic strategies on the other, we will work with all stakeholders to build more resilient and sovereign agricultural sectors.