21 June 2023
Training
Presentation of Chrisy Raharison
Let's introduce yourself
After completing my preparatory classes for the Grandes Écoles at the INP Bordeaux preparatory school, I continued my training as a chemical and materials engineer at ENSMAC (Ecole Nationale Supérieure en Matériaux, Agroalimentaire et Chimie). There, I acquired a multidisciplinary scientific and technical foundation as well as the critical thinking skills necessary for the profession. Having wanted to work in the space industry since high school, I became involved in student associations promoting science, notably the Association d’Aéronautique et Astronautique de France (3AF), the Association Universitaire d’Astronomie and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC). I now work at the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the Young Graduate Trainee programme in Business Development. From a very scientific background, I have moved on to a profile combining technology, business and innovation strategy. This is an experience that I am able to enjoy thanks in part to the Advanced Master’s® MGPIE at ISAE-SUPAERO.
What motivated you to pursue your studies in a Advanced Master's® programme, and more specifically in MGPIE?
During my engineering studies, I often had the opportunity to work in research, development, and innovation environments on academic and community projects, hackathons, and internships. These experiences allowed me to take a step back from the very centred Cartesian engineering mindset of ‘technology as a solution’ and ‘technology-push’, as Eric Ries points out in his book Lean Start-up: “It doesn’t matter if we build something on time and on budget if we build something that no one is going to use.” To solve the urgent socio-economic and environmental problems we face, we definitely need solutions that are resolutely useful, resilient and sober, in line with our social and environmental convictions throughout their entire life cycle – from design to recycling. Having worked in start-ups, SMEs, laboratories and large companies, I have seen the influence of corporate strategy and organisation on technical decisions. The role of an engineer in a company therefore seemed too narrow to me to have a direct impact on the innovations that will shape the future. The Advanced Master’s® in MGPIE at ISAE-SUPAERO helps students understand the economic, organisational and financial challenges of a company and how to promote innovation in an environment with multiple constraints. The programme has a practical and comprehensive approach: the theory learned can be directly and concretely applied through the Innovative Exploratory Project (PIE). Beyond training, it offers a real entrepreneurial experience, and this principle appealed to me.
What has the MGPIE programme brought you?
The MGPIE Advanced Master’s® allowed me to complement my technical engineering training with a business and strategy dimension, resolutely focused on creating value through innovation. I was then able to take on positions close to the decision-making spheres of companies. For me, the main advantage of the programme was understanding the competitive, political and financial environment in which companies operate. The strategies explored during the programme (Design Thinking, Blue Ocean Strategy, Lean Start-up, Agile Method, for example), training in market research and negotiation courses were key drivers for the start of my career. Beyond the knowledge gained from the master’s programme, I was able to open up to other fields beyond space, such as maritime, energy, sports, health and agronomy, thanks to the diversity of the profiles of the students enrolled in the master’s programme and the diversity of the lecturers.
What are you doing today? What are your plans?
Today, I work in Business Development at the European Space Agency (ESA) on telecommunications projects, particularly in the civil security sector. My role is to support the launch of a new commercial programme for the Agency: strategic definition, ecosystem analysis, review of funding applications, communication, legal aspects. I am in constant contact with partner companies and signatory delegations. I use the skills I acquired during my master’s degree on a daily basis, such as defining business models and negotiation. At the same time, I am in the process of setting up an entrepreneurial project to combat urban heat islands, currently supported by ESA BIC Netherlands.
Any advice for young graduates interested in the MGPIE programme?
In our rapidly changing environment, if you want to make an impact by enabling the emergence of more virtuous innovations or new practices that are more in tune with the speed of current changes, the MGPIE Advanced Master will provide you with the theoretical and practical foundations you need to understand the levers for action in a company – whether it is your own or the one you work for. The quality of the teaching, the ability of the lecturers to challenge you, and the study environment (fablab, start-up incubator, entrepreneurial coaching, atmosphere conducive to creativity) will give you the opportunity to express your personality and convictions during the course, particularly in your Innovative Exploratory Project.