Eléonore Crespo, founder of Pigment: the art of giving meaning to data

Éléonore Crespo (Physics, 2008) is the co-founder and co-CEO of Pigment, a startup that develops an innovative software solution for business data management. In 2024, she became the third female CEO of a French unicorn, after being the first woman to join the Next40 in 2023[1]. Portrait of an alumna whose exceptional success has not altered her entrepreneurial drive, thirst for knowledge, or deep-rooted authentic values.

For this naturally curious woman, raised in a family of teachers and doctors, joining ENS Paris-Saclay after preparatory classes was an “obvious choice, to keep all possibilities open.” “What a privilege it was to meet, at 18, emblematic scientific figures, including Nobel Prize winners,” recalls Éléonore Crespo enthusiastically.

A Foundational Experience

“At ENS Paris-Saclay, I quickly realized that knowledge is constantly evolving,” says the alumna, who still applies the scientific method she acquired there: “collecting and analyzing data is part of my daily life. It helps me understand the revolutionary perspectives of artificial intelligence.” Beyond a stimulating intellectual education, the School also offered fertile ground for lasting friendships. “I formed an incredible group of friends, who have now followed very diverse paths.”

In 2010, she chose to pursue a Master’s degree at École des Mines. “ENS gave me a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge and a rigorous mindset aimed at excellence, while Mines provided a pragmatic education focused on business and management.” She emphasizes the complementary nature of both institutions. “The ability to identify and exploit relevant data — a fundamental skill cultivated at ENS — is key in decision-making. At Mines, I learned how to concretely approach the challenges of the private sector,” she explains.

Toward Entrepreneurial Freedom

“I always wanted to follow my own path,” confides Éléonore. Her desire for freedom led her to contact Romain Niccoli, co-founder of Criteo, whose successful IPO acted as “a real accelerator for the project.” “Together, we brainstormed for nearly a year, with no constraints other than to define the idea,” she recalls.

Several ideas gradually took shape, inspired by her professional experiences in companies — large and small, national and international — including Google and JCDecaux. She built a solid case for each one, following an exploratory process learned at ENS, similar to scientific research — “except that its application is faster, which suits my personality much better!”

A Rapid Rise

After validating their concept, Éléonore Crespo and Romain Niccoli co-founded Pigment in 2021, a name inspired by the pictorial art Éléonore loves. “Just like a painting composed of many pigments that makes sense when seen from afar, Pigment brings together raw business data to reveal a clear picture.” This strategic planning tool quickly found success with a wide range of clients — from major French banks to renowned US tech companies, including Fortune 500 firms.

In April 2024, Pigment raised €145 million and joined the exclusive circle of French unicorns, now employing 500 people.

More recently, Pigment expanded into the French public sector, working with SNCF and the cities of Lyon and Marseille. “We’re launching collaborations with major societal impact,” says Éléonore proudly. She is personally committed to reducing environmental impact. “For a company like ours, air travel is one area where real progress is possible,” she notes. “We’ve implemented a strict internal policy to minimize travel and prioritize video meetings, whether for executive discussions or client meetings.”

She also raises awareness among clients about environmental issues — a responsibility she sees as essential for businesses. “Today, thanks to AI, Pigment not only continues to revolutionize how people work, but is also expanding across all professional sectors: services, finance, supply chain, environment.”

A Surge of Innovation in Europe

Despite geopolitical tensions, the company continues to grow in the US and Europe. “It’s vital that Europe maintains a strong position in the AI race, while ensuring its sovereignty,” argues Éléonore. “For that, we need students to dive into innovation.” Is that the role of ENS alumni? “Yes, among others. ENS Paris-Saclay offers one of the best educations in the world. Its students have all the talent needed to launch themselves, no doubt about it,” she insists. “If you want to start a company, you have to be curious about every field you don’t know — even if it means learning during or after your studies. Just go for it! Nothing is insurmountable!”

The entrepreneur also relies on her immense work capacity. “At Pigment, beyond innovation, I work on a multitude of subjects. Learning while building is no easy feat,” she admits.

Since 2024, Éléonore has been featured in the Choiseul ranking, which identifies the most promising French business leaders under forty. While she acknowledges how far she’s come in such a short time, she prefers that future ENS students remember her “journey” rather than her “success.” “There are countless possible paths — mine is just one of many,” she concludes.

[1] A label created in 2019 by the French government to support 40 young French companies likely to become tech leaders.