Pigier Entrepreneurship Challenge 2025: Five students awarded for innovative projects

The PIGIER ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGE (PECH) 2025 is an initiative of the Pigier Benin Incubator. Its goal is to encourage students to embrace entrepreneurship and offer them concrete support in carrying out their projects.

The first edition drew more than 200 candidates, including 12 finalists who competed in this final before a jury made up of bankers, start-up specialists, and seasoned entrepreneurs.

In his opening address, the Franchise Director of Pigier Benin, Vihotogbé Victor Assogba, shared the origin of the project. “It was during a trip abroad, in December 2024, that I gathered my teams to bring this idea to life,” he said.

“The goal was to lead our students to create their own solutions and enter the market in a different way.”

He praised the commitment of the coaches and parents: “Without you, we could not have gotten here,” he acknowledged. “Parents must not only support their children in their studies, but also in their dreams and entrepreneurial ambitions,” he stressed.

The Franchise Director of Pigier Benin also noted that entrepreneurship is not an easy adventure. “An entrepreneur doesn’t sleep before 3 a.m., but with the support of those around them, young people will go further,” he affirmed.

In his opening remarks, the Director of Studies at Pigier Benin highlighted the shift in mindset among Beninese youth.

“About 15 years ago, most students dreamed of becoming salaried employees, in the private sector or in government, or even bankers, because people believed there was a lot of money in that sector,” he said. Before adding: “Today, the trend has reversed. The majority want to become entrepreneurs. This reflects a profound change in mindset.”

The Director of Studies explained that this shift requires serious guidance. “Wanting to start a business is one thing; embarking on the entrepreneurial adventure is another,” he stressed.

To bridge this gap, Pigier Benin has set up initiatives such as incubation programs, Zaltop weekends, and conferences. PECH is one of its main showcases. “This competition aims to reveal our students’ creativity and provide them with technical and financial support,” he noted.

A rigorous selection process

The competition, launched in January 2025, generated strong interest. Of more than 220 projects submitted, 12 projects were selected after several elimination rounds. “The finalists here today went through several difficult stages, tested their ideas against their peers, and defended their projects before the judges,” he said. All finalists now receive a year of support from the Pigier Benin incubator. The winners also received financial support ranging from 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA.

On behalf of the coaches, Auguste Kora praised the finalists’ determination. “The twelve projects you will discover tonight are the fruit of hard work,” he said. He acknowledged that some candidates dropped out along the way.

“Those who are here today are the ones who held on despite the difficulties.”

He encouraged the young people to persevere and recalled that Pigier Benin is a school of innovation. “An organization that does not evolve is destined to disappear,” he stressed. Before concluding: “We need partners to help grow this initiative and offer even more opportunities to future entrepreneurs.”

The Ministry of Higher Education supports PECH

Sylvie de Chacus, Technical Advisor for Entrepreneurship at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, conveyed the congratulations of Minister Eléonore Yayi Ladékan. “The Minister asked me to extend her warm greetings and to commend this wonderful initiative,” she said.

The ministry’s representative praised PECH as “a fantastic showcase for talent and bold ideas,” and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting student entrepreneurship. “The student entrepreneur status, introduced in June 2024, is a major step forward,” she noted.

Sylvie de Chacus encouraged Pigier Benin to keep up this momentum. “The entrepreneurial spirit must be nurtured in every university, public and private alike,” she insisted.

An attentive and demanding jury

Eric Emmanuel Adjovi, Chairman of the jury and Managing Director of MAG H Conseil, congratulated all the finalists on the quality of the projects presented. “None of the projects we saw is unsellable,” he said. “What makes a business is the customer. Your priority must be to find your first customer and adapt to the market,” he advised.

He also stressed the importance of complying with standards and regulations. “The economy will become increasingly regulated, especially for consumer products,” he noted. He encouraged young people not to wait for perfection before launching: “Launch your products, test the market, improve.”

The other jury members echoed these points, urging candidates to apply for other competitions and continue their projects. “You are already accomplished entrepreneurs. This is only a first step,” one jury member stressed.

Award-winning laureates

At the end of the presentations, five laureates of PECH 2025 were announced. They are:

1. Find Mechanic – 1st Prize (1,500,000 FCFA)
2. Noukpikplon – 2nd Prize (1,200,000 FCFA)
3. Youssi Juice – 3rd Prize (1,000,000 FCFA)
4. HxS Agro – 4th Prize (700,000 FCFA)
5. Terre Nourricière – 5th Prize (500,000 FCFA)

On behalf of the laureates, their spokesperson expressed gratitude. “We thank our parents, our coaches, our directors, and everyone who supported us in bringing our projects to life,” said the winner and founder of the Find Mechanic project. Before concluding on a note of humor and determination: “We promise you that no breakdown will be a source of stress from now on.”.

PECH 2025 not only revealed new talent but also helped strengthen the entrepreneurial culture among young learners. Pigier Benin’s management has already announced its ambition to strengthen financial support and expand the competition’s reach in future editions.