Student innovation competitions continue to uncover the talents of tomorrow, and the 2026 edition of the U’Cosmetics and U’Cook-Innovation events in Guingamp was no exception. Combining creativity, scientific expertise, and entrepreneurial spirit, EBI students particularly distinguished themselves this year.

U’Cosmetics 2026: a jury prize for the Maison Neaura project

EBI distinguished itself at the 17th edition of U’Cosmetics 2026, a key event in the field of cosmetic innovation, thanks to a student competition and a professional symposium. This year, the theme “Well-aging cosmetics” invited participants to rethink beauty products around positive aging and well-being.

The Maison Neaura project, a range of customizable hair care products designed to enhance white and silver hair, was convincing, winning the jury prize thanks to an innovative approach and a modern vision of cosmetics.

This great success is thanks to four students:

• Eve Criaud
• Elise Clech
• Romane Chaubadindeguy
• Cassandra Charlier

This project is part of a strong trend towards personalized care and celebrating the diversity of hair types. By offering an approach centered on self-esteem and acceptance of aging, the team provides an innovative response to the expectations of a rapidly evolving market with significant societal implications.

U’Cook-Innovation: Mushrooms at the heart of innovations

For its 9th edition, U’Cook-Innovation proposed an original and promising theme: “Mushrooms: between science, cuisine and medicine”. Like U’Cosmetics, this event combines a student competition and a professional symposium, fostering exchanges between young talents and experts in the agri-food sector.

Among the teams in contention, the Champ’ion group represented EBI with a project for a protein powder based on mushrooms.

This wonderful project is led by three students:

• Charles Beziat
• Pires Jacinto
• Romane Bellanger

Fully aligned with current food transition challenges, their solution offers a sustainable and innovative alternative to traditional protein sources. By leveraging the nutritional and functional properties of mushrooms, this project illustrates the students’ ability to combine scientific research, product innovation, and responses to environmental challenges.

Educational support at the heart of project success

The success of these projects also depends on the support of the EBI teaching staff, who support students throughout the innovation process.

The teams notably benefited from the support of Sylvia Imbart, Head of the Biology Chemistry Competence Axis and Professor of Biology and Rheology at EBI, who provided her scientific and technical expertise in product development.

In parallel, Charles Dusart, Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship and Business Development Advisor at EBI, supported the students on marketing aspects, valuation strategy and market positioning.

This collaboration perfectly illustrates the multidisciplinary and complementary skills at EBI, where science, innovation and entrepreneurship meet to enable students to transform their ideas into concrete projects.

Well-deserved recognition for EBI

These two projects confirm the ability of EBI students to distinguish themselves in national competitions. Their creativity, scientific rigor, and capacity to address current issues are major assets in the bio-industries sector.

Congratulations to all participants for their commitment and excellence. These achievements reinforce EBI’s position as a key player in student entrepreneurship, both in cosmetics and agri-food.