On March 6, 2024 took place the final of the Social Cup, the French Cup for Young Social Entrepreneurs. From the initial 251 candidates and the four selected for the final, one winner emerged: Simon Sabathier, a student from TSM, with his project Aqui Ba Pla.
Simon Sabathier, a TSM student, and his social entrepreneurship project
Simon Sabathier is a student entrepreneur, currently on a gap year from the Master 2 Strategy and International Management. He set himself the challenge nearly a year ago to embark into social entrepreneurship with his project: Aqui Ba Pla!
Aqui Ba Pla is a project born from his deep connection with his family and his profound love for agriculture in his region of origin. The young man from Aveyron started with the observation that no farms were open to visitors, due to a lack of time. The goal was then to give farmers a voice, and thus create a bridge between consumers and producers.
The project has multiple objectives:
- Shine a light on farmers and allow them to be better understood
- Participate in the revitalisation and enhancement of rural and agricultural territories
- Enable as many people as possible to discover, or rediscover the agricultural sector and create connections with farmers
The core idea of Aqui Ba Pla is based on organising farm visits on a voluntary basis. It aims at strengthening ties as well as our roots with the agricultural sector. Aqui Ba Pla takes care of all the steps to ensure the success of these visits.
This objective is encapsulated in their slogan "The farm? It's time to open it up!"
Aqui Ba Pla : a rising project
Even before triumphing at the Social Cup, Aqui Ba Pla had already won over the jury in four other competitions, including the national Pépite prize.
Selected in February 2024 to represent Toulouse at this 10th edition of the Social Cup, Simon demonstrated the growing appeal of his project.
He gathered no fewer than 1600 votes in the semi-final. However, it was during the final that the project pulled off a feat: gathering 700 votes from the public in just 8 minutes, a first for the Social Cup. This national-scale victory not only highlights the impact of Aqui Ba Pla but also Simon's exceptional ability to gather a community around his project.
TSM, a school that supports student entrepreneurial initiatives
If Simon Sabathier chose entrepreneurship, it is largely because TSM, the University of Toulouse Capitole, and more broadly the University of Toulouse, offer programmes as well as support programmes that foster such initiatives, including:
- The University of Toulouse Capitole's entrepreneurial service,
- The Pépite écrin programme supported by the University of Toulouse, which accompanies student entrepreneurs,
- Engaged support from academic tutors as part of the Pépite écrin programme,
- The option to replace the M1 internship with the possibility to work on launching his entrepreneurial project as part of the Strategic Management Master’s programme.
These elements played an important role in Simon's choice of school and programmes and have greatly contributed to the emergence of his project.
As many students are still hesitant to launch their project in 2024, Simon gives an essential piece of advice : seeking advisory support.
The support from TSM, the University of Toulouse Capitole, and the available programmes is not just a springboard for entrepreneurship. It is also a source of inspiration, proving the importance of support in the success of entrepreneurial projects.
A victory that resonates all the way to Aveyron
Ultimately, this well-deserved prize echoed all the way down to the south of Aveyron, where farmers, friends, family, and supporters gathered to watch the competition live. The image of a community gathering to support Simon perfectly sums up the spirit of Aqui Ba Pla: reconnecting people to their roots.
As the young student mentioned :
This victory is not mine, it is ours, that of a school, a department, and more broadly of agriculture."
TSM once again congratulates Simon for his achievement and his meaningful project!
