Gaspard Lézin is a second-year engineering student inthe Grande Ecole Program(PGE). He is enrolled in the Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation track developed by the school and co-founded Taka, an innovative start-up specializing in waste management.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Gaspard Lézin, I am 23 years old, I am a second-year student in the Grande Ecole Program (PGE) at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Bordeaux-Talence, and I am following the Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation (PEIT) track. I am also co-founder of Taka, a company that develops smart sorting bins capable of compacting waste from selective sorting and collecting data on the volume of waste collected.
Can you introduce TAKA to us?
From September 2019 to January 2020, I worked on an innovative recyclable waste management project. I then met the founder of Taka, Baptiste Ivaldi-Brunel, through Bordeaux Technowest. I decided to join this project with one of my classmates, Benjamin Arné.
TAKA was born out of the belief that the way in which waste from selective sorting (glass, plastic, metal, cardboard) is collected, sorted, disposed of, managed, and recycled can be simplified. The startup therefore seeks to optimize the management of this waste in a responsible manner. To do so, it is developing a smart bin that sorts and reduces the volume of waste using a patented compactor. This innovative system meets the needs of professional users: cafes, hotels, restaurants, catering companies, and social landlords.
Connected trash cans measure waste volume using sensors, making it easier for users to obtain environmental certification.
What is the future of this project?
This summer, we will meet with an equipment supplier from the AccorHotel group who is interested in our solution. We will present our functional prototype with a view to producing POCs (Proof of Concept = prototypes).
Starting in September, we will install 10 Taka bins in 10 restaurants, bars, and hotels to begin a three-month test phase. Users will be able to share their observations and recommendations with us via questionnaires so that we can make adjustments and confirm that the solution works.
We hope to bring our solution to market in June 2021 and convince equipment manufacturers in the hotel and restaurant sector, who would be strong drivers of growth for our business.
How does your training at Arts et Métiers with the skills you need for your career plans?
After completing an MPSI-PSI* preparatory program in Tours, I wanted to enroll at Arts et Métiers its reputation in the industrial sector and its excellent preparation for a career in engineering. The school's large alumni network is one of its major strengths: it has proven to be an incredible career booster.
Thecourses allow me to understand the technical and managerial aspects of a project (3D design, mechanical design, embedded electronics, IT, manufacturing process studies, financial analysis, production, etc.), which can be immediately applied in the numerous group projects we carry out. In addition, student associations provide many skills that are useful for project management. I was responsible for external relations for the TEDx Arts et Métiers association and the Vie Étudiante Arts et Métiers association. This introduced me to team management (4 to 8 students), business development, event organization, and many other areas. These powerful experiences are useful to me almost daily in my project.
This year, I took part in the PEIT (Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation Program). This introduced me to entrepreneurship, and I was able to obtain National Student Entrepreneur Status (SNEE) while taking courses and receiving support from PEPITE Bordeaux (Student Hubs for Innovation, Transfer, and Entrepreneurship). This gave me a wealth of theoretical and practical skills: pitching, accounting, business models, marketing, etc.
I also took part in a three-day seminar at Station F in January, aimed at discovering the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Arts et Métiers receiving personalized advice and training for my project. It was during this seminar that I joined Taka.
Finally, during lockdown, the PEIT program offered three one-day training and coaching sessions via videoconference on various topics related to innovative entrepreneurial project management.
What did this entrepreneurial experience teach you?
It was my best school year in terms of learning (theory and practice, meetings, pitching, public speaking, etc.) and professional encounters. For now, my goal is to learn about entrepreneurship and the startup environment with the Taka project. I am convinced that entrepreneurship allows you to learn about many different areas more quickly, which is a real advantage in the job market. After the Taka adventure, I would like to work in business strategy and develop my career in companies that share my values.
