Did you know that the small village of Raon-aux-Bois in the Vosges had two cycling legends among its 1,300 residents?
And that UTBM was hosting one of them on its campus?
Jean Mougenot heads up Parco Cycles, a brand-new startup based in Franche-Comté. As a mechanical engineering student and avid cyclist, UTBM supported him in developing the ultimate two-wheeler: a lightweight, practical electric bike—and, above all, one that’s “made in” Franche-Comté.
This is no small task: reviving bicycle frame production in France and following in the footsteps of industry giants like Peugeot and Vitus. From the production of the first prototype in its workshops to the founding of the company, which is based at the famous CrunchTime, UTBM is proud to share this good news with you:
JeanMougenot is the national winner of the 2022 Pépite Award. Presented by the Ministry of Higher Education, this award recognizes an innovative project led by a student entrepreneur.
And if you’re wondering who Raon-aux-Bois’s other cycling champion is, it’s mountain biking star Julien Absalon. History will tell whether the Olympic champion tried out the famous “Parco.” As for Jean, you’ll surely find him in the workshops of the Fonderie Rapide Belfortaine at CITELLE, the company supporting this wonderful project and set to mass-produce the frames.
