Corine Waroquiers: Entrepreneurship for the General Interest

Corine Waroquiers (September 2000 cohort - Applied Foreign Languages) has been serving as Digital Advisor at the General Secretariat for Investment within the Office of the Prime Minister since May 2023. In this role, she draws on her diverse past experiences as a teacher, entrepreneur specialized in fundraising, and digital innovation expert.

After completing her literary preparatory classes, Corine Waroquiers joined ENS Paris-Saclay in 2000, where she earned a Master's degree in Applied Foreign Languages and an aggregation in English. Over four years, she taught in preparatory classes for top French schools, in high schools and engineering schools (as a PRAG), while simultaneously pursuing a second Research Master's degree in Sociology at Sciences Po Paris. At one point, she took leave to seek new experiences, working as a consultant on digital and education issues at UNESCO and then on a mission in Rwanda for an American donor. After a year of consulting at Mazars, she ventured into entrepreneurship, establishing two companies a few years apart. First, United Donations, a crowdfunding platform, and later Storymakers.eu, which developed a collaborative application to support fundraising. She even offered training on "pitching" and authored a book on the subject.

Entrepreneurship and Public Service

The Covid crisis marks Corine's return to the public service in 2020. 'I handed over the management of Storymakers to join the Interministerial Digital Directorate (DINUM) in a program coordination position for innovation¹.' Two and a half years later, she joins the General Secretariat for Investment. As part of France 2030, the intergovernmental program is endowed with an overall budget of 54 billion euros to support innovation and research projects. 'I see myself somewhat as an investor in public service. This position, aligned with my preference for the general interest, also converges all my experiences—entrepreneurship, innovation, and funding,' says Corine, who specifically focuses on digital projects. 'They are either strategic for France's sovereignty or address specific needs in a particular region.'

Mobilizing Ecosystems 

The alumna is leaving no stone unturned to mobilize all stakeholders. 'We must activate the three fundamental levers of innovation: financing, training, and research in very diverse ecosystems such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, 5G, immersive universes...' . It is also necessary to involve people from all backgrounds motivated by public action, starting with experts to participate in project selection. 'It's also about creating dialogue between different actors, whether public or private. Public funding, she emphasizes, serves as a lever and a sign of trust for potential future private investors.' Over 500 projects in digital domains have been funded in two years since the launch of the investment plan.

Exploratory Qualities Acquired at ENS Paris-Saclay

‘’I take pride in having been able to create opportunities regardless of the professional environment in which I worked, says Corine Waroquiers. There is always room for maneuver, even in administration!" Having spent 12 years in the private sector or on entrepreneurial projects, the Advisor was pleasantly surprised to find 'so much entrepreneurial capacity and resources for innovation' in the public sector. She also relied on the aggregation of her experiences, which made her feel more 'equipped' for each new position. Additionally, she values the education received at ENS Paris-Saclay, which, according to her, instills confidence in the exploratory capacity of alumni, encouraging them to find resources beyond their disciplinary framework. 'I have been able to draw on this interdisciplinary approach, which still serves me today,' she notes.

Corine Waroquiers expresses a strong attachment to ENS Paris-Saclay, which has always supported her choices. 'I believe that the School plays a fundamental role in opening up to new audiences. While the diploma initially serves as a real key, I also think we should actively seek opportunities. Doors open much faster than we imagine,' she concludes.

¹ Etalab: Entrepreneurs of general interest and the Accelerator of citizen initiatives are two programs supporting the development of innovative projects through central administration and citizen initiatives in partnership with local authorities.