8-HOUR CHALLENGE

Entrepreneurship escape game: 8 hours to stand out!

Are you ready to discover the steps involved in creating a company by taking part in an escape game for 8 hours?

Have you always wondered what it would be like to step into the shoes of a young entrepreneur starting a business?
Stop wondering and experience it!

In a mixed, multidisciplinary team, you will be immersed for 8 hours in an escape game set in the world of retro gaming.

On the programme: teamwork, emotional rollercoasters, twists and turns, lucky breaks, dirty tricks—anything goes to reach the podium! Each hour will be punctuated by challenges to overcome, so you will need to keep a cool head and organise yourselves well as a team to achieve your ambitions and deliver your outputs on time.
You will arrive alone and leave with a team, a project, and perhaps 1^st place!

What to expect

Step into the shoes of an entrepreneur.
Brainstorm and innovate within a limited timeframe.
Prototype your product (an introduction to programming in a fun and accessible way).
Pitch and sell your project.
Deliver a professional presentation to a four-star jury.
… and many other surprise stages that a business leader goes through!

Who can take part?

This challenge is open to students enrolled at Mines Saint-Étienne in the ISMIN programme or at one of the higher education institutions that are members of PÉPITE (Student Hub for Innovation, Transfer and Entrepreneurship) PROVENCE, or members of the Regional Conference of Grandes Écoles (CRGE).

Sciences Po Aix
École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Métiers
École Centrale Marseille
Aix-Marseille Université
University of Avignon
BTS and Preparatory Classes (Aix-Marseille Rectorate)
CRGE member schools (École nationale supérieure d’architecture Marseille Luminy / École d’officiers de l’Armée de l’Air de Salon de Provence / École nationale supérieure maritime de Marseille / Kedge Business School / École nationale supérieure des officiers des sapeurs-pompiers d’Aix-en-Provence)
ESSCA

Please note: places are limited to 70 participants; a waiting list will be set up.

Save the date

2nd edition in 2026:

22 January and 26 March 2026
from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM
at Mines Saint-Étienne, Aix-Marseille-Provence campus

Meet at 8:15 AM at Mines Saint-Étienne, Aix-Marseille-Provence campus (880, route de Mimet, 13120 Gardanne).
Accessible by bus or train (+ shuttle) from Aix and Marseille
Please note: no on-site parking!

I am taking part!