1.7.2025
At ESSEC Business School, artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t confined to lecture halls — it’s also an active part of student life. Far from the stereotype of 'geek clubs',, Utopia and Kryptosphère are two dynamic student associations that have become key players in the student tech ecosystem. Through events, training sessions, and partnerships, they actively contribute to raising student awareness about AI and help shape a community engaged in addressing major technological issues.
On April 4-5, 2025, ESSEC hosted a major hackathon, co-organized by the student associations Utopia and Kryptosphère, with the support of Metalab (as part of the France 2030 initiative) and numerous partners such as Ledger, Mistral AI, Bpifrance, Kima Ventures, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and more.
The theme: AI agents, with use cases applied to finance, cryptography, and industry (focusing on B2C).
One hundred students—selected from over 200 applicants and representing 40 prestigious French and European institutions such as Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec, HEC, Télécom Paris, ENS, TUM, and EPFL—spent 36 hours working on innovative AI solutions. Supported by industry experts and equipped with cutting-edge tools like NVIDIA NeMo, they tackled real-world challenges in artificial intelligence. The event kicked off with an opening evening hosted by one of its major partners, Ledger, at their Paris headquarters. High-level speakers from NVIDIA, Google, Ledger, Microsoft, and Mistral AI participated in panel discussions exploring current applications and future challenges of AI.
For Clément Sporrer, a fourth-year BBA student and co-founder of Utopia, this hackathon represents the culmination of a collective effort that began in September 2024. “A few of us asked, why isn’t there an association dedicated to artificial intelligence at ESSEC? So, we created Utopia. Regarding the hackathon, I want to emphasize that this project would not have been possible without the collaborative work of the entire Utopia board, active members, and the Kryptosphère network, with dozens of engaged students from beyond ESSEC playing a key role in the organization."
In just seven months, Utopia has organized over 20 events, including conferences, training sessions, and hackathons. The association targets both AI enthusiasts and beginners. “Training students from the first year on the basics of AI is a priority. The important thing is to create a space to learn, debate, and meet others.”
Utopia is also the founder of Unaite, the first French federation of AI associations in business schools, bringing together institutions such as Polytechnique, Centrale, Télécom Paris, Dauphine, ESSEC, and the École des Ponts. Its goal? To unite AI initiatives nationwide… and then extend them across Europe. “We’re now aiming for international expansion. A development project in Munich is already underway,” says Clément.
The aim is to rapidly bring together the student forces from the top technological universities and business schools worldwide, with a goal to create a leading European ecosystem centered on tech, innovation, and AI.
The Metalab Institute for AI, Data and Society, ESSEC’s innovation hub, plays a key role in supporting these initiatives. Its director, Abdelmounaim Derraz, emphasizes the importance of the partnership with student associations: “My role is to stay attentive to their needs, facilitate their efforts, and respect their independence. It’s a dynamic of trust and collaboration.”
With more than 35 people involved in organizing the hackathon and €10,000 in prizes, including cash awards, access to major tech conferences, specialized training, and Mistral tokens, ESSEC students are proving that AI is not an abstract topic, but a real, concrete, and stimulating area of experimentation that is open to all disciplines.
The commitment of Utopia and Kryptosphère illustrates the curiosity and drive of a generation of students who see AI not just as a technology, but as a transformative tool for society. Aware of the challenges, they are eager to better understand and master the tools that are already shaping their world.
By staying informed, debating, and experimenting, students are not just following the transformations of the world, they are actively engaging in them. This reflects the spirit of ESSEC: initiative, responsibility, and openness. “At ESSEC, we benefit from the freedom to explore and undertake bold initiatives. For our generation, AI is not an option; it’s a direction we choose to go in together.”
AI is not only taught at ESSEC; it is experienced, built, and democratized, driven by the energy of a generation determined to make it a lever for progress.
