We sat down with the Head of the Blue Factory, Maëva Tordo. From her start as an ESCP student to her role leading ESCP’s European incubator, Maëva has dedicated her career to envisioning and promoting a new kind of entrepreneurship. Her journey reflects her desire for an inclusive, impact-driven approach to business, as her leading role at ESCP’s Blue Factory and dedication to questions related to innovative thinking and resilience reshape the overall definition of entrepreneurial success.
From student to changemaker: Maëva Tordo’s path towards entrepreneurship
Maëva Tordo began her journey in the world of entrepreneurship as a student at ESCP Business School in 2007. Following her studies, Maëva’s passion for social innovation sparked the creation of NOISE, a student association dedicated to making a difference - New Observatory for Social and Environmental Innovation. At the time, the initiative not only helped her connect with like-minded peers but also served as a crucial bridge to the external world, laying the foundation for her future endeavours in entrepreneurship. "Connecting with others who shared a vision for social change was transformative," Maëva recalls. "It inspired me to see business differently and think about how I could make a real impact."
While studying at ESCP, she worked with Prof. Jacqueline Fendt as her assistant to help develop the Entrepreneurship Chair and contributed to the establishment of ESCP's incubator in 2009. Maëva later took the helm as the incubator’s director in 2011. Years later, the results are clear: under her leadership, the Blue Factory has grown into a thriving ecosystem supporting entrepreneurs all across Europe: “Entrepreneurship is about more than just funding; it’s about nurturing ideas that can grow sustainably,” Maëva asserts. Following this vision, the Blue Factory has evolved into a robust programme encompassing three distinct tracks—Start, Launch, and Seed—operating across ESCP’s five campuses.
Creating spaces for entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and thrive together
Over the years, the Blue Factory has adapted to the changing needs of entrepreneurs. One good example of this was the launch of the Start programme in 2018 to cater to the increasing demand for early-stage support. “There was an evident surge of interest in entrepreneurship, and we needed a way to accommodate those eager to explore their ideas,” Maëva explains.
Each Blue Factory programme caters to different stages of entrepreneurial development, providing tailored support to students and alumni. The Start programme, aimed at those who are still conceptualising their projects or have just begun their entrepreneurial journey, encourages participants to engage deeply with the entrepreneurial creative process. The Launch programme assists those ready to test prototypes, while the Seed programme supports entrepreneurs as they bring their projects to market. “A decade later, we can say the programme has successfully supported individuals at various stages of their entrepreneurial journey, has helped them break down barriers and fostered a sense of belonging within the entrepreneurial community,” shares Maëva.
Recognising that collaboration can amplify impact, Maëva expanded her reach beyond ESCP in 2019 by co-founding La Boussole des Entrepreneurs, a collective initiative with other prominent organisations, including 50 Partners, Google, INCO, Le Village by CA, RaiseSherpas, Réseau Entreprendre Paris, Schoolab, NUMA, and URW Link. More than 85 incubators and accelerators across France have also joined the initiative. “La Boussole des Entrepreneurs represents a collective commitment to supporting entrepreneurship at every level and to strengthen the new professions connected to it: startup manager, incubator director, investor… ,” Maëva notes. “It’s about creating a network of professionals that can empower diverse projects and drive meaningful change across our communities. This collaborative approach strengthens the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and provides invaluable resources and mentorship to aspiring entrepreneurs.”
The role of diversity and mental well-being in reaching entrepreneurial success
But Maëva’s vision for the Blue Factory goes far beyond providing support to aspiring entrepreneurs, as she emphasises the importance of diversity—not only in the types of projects supported but also in the backgrounds of the entrepreneurs themselves. “To innovate, you need to free people from preconceived notions,” she explains. “Diversity of thought and experience is essential to creating impactful solutions. When we support diverse projects and innovative thinkers, we empower a generation of entrepreneurs who can tackle today’s most pressing challenges.”
By fostering an environment where varied perspectives can flourish, Maëva wants to highlight that success isn’t solely measured by financial backing. “When I first started, the conversation around entrepreneurship was heavily focused on Silicon Valley and fundraising,” she reflects. “Today, we recognise that there are countless ways to define success, including social impact, sustainability, and community engagement”—a shift in mindset that she says has been pivotal in her efforts to support a wider array of entrepreneurial ventures that may not fit the traditional mould. In today's data-driven business world, it's easy to focus solely on measurable outcomes—profit margins, market share, KPIs. But true success goes beyond numbers. Business ethics, the responsibility to care for all stakeholders—employees, customers, communities, and even the environment—cannot always be quantified, yet it remains fundamental.
Finally, as the Head of ESCP's incubator, Maëva advocates for mental health and well-being in the burnout-prone landscape of entrepreneurship: “Entrepreneurship can be incredibly demanding, and we must prioritise mental health to sustain our creative processes,” she states. Entrepreneurship is a creative process—an exploration that requires deep listening and a certain level of introspection. It’s about following your project’s evolution rather than clinging to an illusion of control, which, ironically, is often the root cause of stress and mental health struggles. The most successful entrepreneurs understand that uncertainty is not the enemy but an inherent part of the journey. Rather than resisting it, they embrace adaptability, learning to navigate challenges with resilience and openness.
“The coaching provided through the Blue Factory focuses on truly listening to entrepreneurs and supporting entrepreneurs in changing their relationship with the notion of time, allowing them to cultivate ideas that are sustainable and impactful.”
Maëva’s leadership at the Blue Factory shows a shift in how entrepreneurship can be approached and supported. By prioritising diversity, introspection, and social impact, she has built an ecosystem where new ideas can thrive on their own terms. Maëva reminds aspiring entrepreneurs that, today, success goes beyond growth; it's about creating meaningful value that resonates with communities and addresses real challenges.
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