Charlotte Martin and her micro-crèche project received the 2011 Do It Prize, for the best start up venture of the year.

"This enabled me to test the project, to see whether it was feasible and especially to realize that people believed in it", said Charlotte Martin, student in the ESC Master  Program, specializing in "small business" ventures. The Do It Prize jury is composed of  ten people from business and finance companies, local institutions and independent experts. So they provide a realistic and professional approach when considering the students' projects.
Charlotte presented the creation of a micro-crèche network, to be set up in small communes and rural communities,  "with a first day care center  in Seine-et-Marne, where there was a great need and where the commune was able to provide some financial support” , she said. The idea came to her when she observed the problems people around her had in arranging child care for their children  "I noted the lack in day- care services and  dependable day care professionals that parents of young children could use.

Encouraging entrepreneurs

The Do It Prize was created by Groupe Sup de Co Montpellier to reward projects for creation of companies by students in  "small business" specialization.  "What counted in the jury's selection was the very detailed work which Charlotte did", explained Joseph Lorang, a professor at Sup de Co Montpellier and in charge of the “small business” program.  The selection criteria for projects considered for the Do It Prize were: completion of the project, the planning process , the project's dynamism and its entrepreneurial aspect . "Charlotte put together a  very thorough financing plan  and she was very self assured", added Lorang.

Other Desires

Currently, in her last sandwich course year at ESC Montpellier, Charlotte has been working at Novotel for 3 years now. She chose "small business" specialization because:  "the idea of creating a  company has interested me for a long time". At the end of September, she  "will escape"  and join the VIE program (an international business volunteer organization), before perhaps implementing her project.  "But not in Paris area!", she pointed out.

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