HEC's global showcase for entrepreneurship

Organised every year since 1999, the Mercure HEC awards recognise the best entrepreneurs in the HEC community around the world.

This initiative, organised by the Hub Entreprendre and HEC Alumni, is designed to promote and encourage the entrepreneurial spirit within the HEC community, and to help develop the entrepreneurial values of the HEC brand.

It should also help to identify all the community's entrepreneurs around the world, and each year highlight those who have been the most remarkable.

The Mercure HEC awards are intended to be the global showcase for HEC entrepreneurs.

8 geographical areas for 8 Mercure HEC

Since 2023, in order to better promote the international dimension of the community, the Mercure HEC awards have been segmented into 8 geographical areas.

Henceforth, a specific Mercure HEC will be awarded each year in each zone.

The 8 zones* are :

France

Europe

Africa

Middle East

North Africa

Latin America

Central and South Asia

East Asia and the Pacific

*list of HEC chapters concerned by a zone available in the Areas tab.

Rewarding entrepreneurs, all entrepreneurs, for their excellence

At the Mercure HEC, it's the entrepreneur who wins, not the company.

Awards are given without distinction or priority to start-ups, takeovers, multi-entrepreneurs, heirs and developers of family businesses, or simply entrepreneurs of traditional companies of all sizes and in all sectors of activity.

The excellence sought is assessed on the basis of a very specific set of criteria: the personality of the entrepreneur, their ambition, what they have achieved and demonstrated, but also their reputation and their alignment with HEC's strategic challenges (inclusion, sustainability, prosperity).

Jury of experts and vote by the HEC community

To select the winners of the year, each zone has set up a regional Selection Committee responsible for identifying the entrepreneurs in the zone likely to be rewarded each year, and for drawing up the shortlist of nominees for the zone, which will then be put to the HEC community for a vote. The entrepreneur who receives the most votes is then named Mercure HEC of the Year for the zone concerned.

Each Selection Committee is made up of active members of the chapters concerned by the zone*, and regional entrepreneurship experts (members of investment funds, entrepreneurs, consultants, etc.).

All members of the HEC community can take part in the final vote in each zone of interest to them.

We need your help

The identification of entrepreneurs likely to receive an award takes place every year, from November to February of the following year.

If you would like to nominate an entrepreneur who deserves to be rewarded, please do not hesitate to submit it to the Selection Committee for the zone concerned.

The Selection Committees are also always in need of reinforcements. If you would like to join the Selection Committee in your zone, please submit your application.

Finally, if you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact any member of the worldwide Organising Committee.

And above all, at the beginning of April, don't forget to take part in the vote to choose one or more of the 8 HEC Mercures of the year.