TEM 2026: The Grand Finale of a collective innovation project
On April 3rd, emlyon business school’s auditorium became the stage for innovation during the second edition of the TEM project (Transforming Early Makers project). Designed as a handson innovation challenge, TEM invites students to turn bold ideas into innovative and concrete business models. The project reached its conclusion with a grand finale celebrating 11 weeks of intensive teamwork, professional coaching, and entrepreneurial discovery, bringing together the 136 students of the MSc in International Marketing & Business Development and MSc in Global Sales Excellence programs.
Eleven weeks in the making: a real entrepreneurial experience
Long before the spotlights of the final ceremony, the real work had already begun. For 11 weeks, the 136 students in international marketing and sales excellence were immersed in a fully-fledged entrepreneurial journey. Students were grouped in mixed teams across the two programs, and each group took on a real challenge in one of five industries: sustainable luxury, urbanism, energy, health, or healthy food.
Each team approached their project as if they were pitching to real investors. That meant going far beyond a simple idea – students had to conduct in-depth competitor analysis, define their target customers and acquisition strategy, design a viable business model, plan their financing, craft a communication and promotional strategy, and assess the risks of their venture. In short, they built a complete business plan from the ground up, week after week, iteration after iteration.
Students renamed the event “Together Everything Matters” using the acronym of the event – TEM – and referring to working together. And that "together" part mattered a lot. With 136 students from different backgrounds, cultures and programs working side by side, the project was as much about learning to collaborate as it was about building a business.
Guided by industry professionals, grounded in reality
What truly set this experience apart was the support students received throughout the process. Each team was coached by professionals from the very sectors they were working on ; experts who brought real-world perspective, challenged assumptions, pushed students to sharpen their thinking and helped them see their project through the eyes of the real business world. “We learned a lot about how to open a startup, and it’s really difficult. We got amazing coaches that gave us some feedback at the end of each week, so we could improve the projects”, explains Théo, student from the MSc in Global Sales Excellence.
This mentoring dynamic transformed the project from an academic exercise into something much closer to a genuine startup experience, grounded in business reality. Students quickly discovered that entrepreneurship is no easy feat: balancing creativity with financial realism, managing team dynamics, and refining a pitch under time pressure are skills that no classroom alone can teach.
“What I mainly learned from this project, is how to make a real business model”, states Eunjoo, student from the MSc in International Marketing & Business Development.
The Final Ceremony: pitching in front of a real jury
All of that work led to one moment: the final presentation. On April 3rd, teams took the stage in emlyon's auditorium to pitch their projects in front of their program directors, coaches, and a jury of company representatives tasked with evaluating each solution.
Ten projects were presented on the day, including a solution for diabetes management, an intergenerational housing concept, a platform for home caregivers, a healthy and affordable campus food service, and a sports nutrition brand targeting the global wellness market.
Four prizes were awarded to the most outstanding projects:
- Public Favorite Prize, was awarded to project "Vera", described as the "Waze" of reduced mobility. Its objective is to connect a community of people with reduced mobility, providing them with real-time updates on infrastructure breakdowns and malfunctions, along with alternative solutions to help them get around.
- Best Video & Pitch, was also awarded to “Vera”
- Grand Prix du Jury, awarded to "Artisanal Cloud", a project aimed at bringing together players from the luxury industry through an application that references exceptional craftspeople. The goal is to balance and reconcile the margin generated by outstanding craftsmanship for the artisan, versus the margin generated by the brand.
- Best Written Report, was given to team “Pressflow”
And because the TEM experience is also a celebration of who these students are, the ceremony included a cultural interlude between pitches: Indian dance and K-pop performances that brought energy and a beautiful reminder of just how international this community is.
The TEM 2026 project has come to an end, yet the experience and entrepreneurial mindset students developed will endure well beyond the final applause. In just 11 weeks, students gained hands-on experience that no lecture alone can provide: building a real business plan, working with industry professionals, and learning to pitch their ideas with confidence
Discover the programs
MSc in International Marketing & Business Development
An 18-month program offering specialized training designed to develop and implement international marketing strategies tailored to diverse cultural and economic settings, incorporating AI and new technologies to foster controlled and responsible growth.
MSc in Global Sales Excellence
This program prepares future sales leaders to succeed in an international, digital, and fast changing environment in 18 months. It combines strategic insights, practical skills, and leadership training in sales management, integrating the latest sales technologies, processes, methods and tools.