START Paris was the community I founded in 2023 to bring student entrepreneurs in Paris closer to international startup ecosystems. As the local chapter of the European START network, it connected dozens of founders to flagship events — VivaTech, Slush, Asian conferences — and built its own series of meetups in Paris until early 2025.
Bring in founders, investors and operators — and create a space where you can ask them the real questions, not the ones polished for LinkedIn.
Send students to the events that matter — VivaTech, Slush, Asian conferences — and open doors that university won't open for them.
Run tight programs — pitch nights, 1:1 mentor sessions, group trips — to turn a meeting into a project, then a project into a team.
Student delegation with access to the main stage, startup side-events and investor meetings. Pre-event prep, briefings, post-event follow-up.
Paris · Porte de VersaillesSelecting students for Asian conferences and trade missions. The first serious bridge from the Paris chapter to the Asian ecosystem.
Slush · S-tronQuarterly Paris meetups — short pitches, one operator talk, structured networking.
Paris · ≠ LieuDirect matching between student founders and senior operators / experienced founders in the network.
OngoingCoordination with other START chapters across Europe to pool speakers, resources and trips.
Europe · 20+ citiesOne European student community, twenty-odd cities, one shared standard.
Founding the org, recruiting the first core team, first partnerships with Paris schools. Public opening night to announce the mission.
Selecting and supporting a first cohort of students for VivaTech. Pre-event prep, investor briefings, collective debrief.
First Asian trips through the START network and personal contacts. This is when the project becomes seriously international — and when I start spending more time with operators outside Europe.
START Paris's mission becomes the foundation of Horyond Non Profit, founded in September 2025 — same spirit, real structured program, dedicated team. START Paris remains my starting point, Horyond is its continuation.