HEC Paris has announced the launch of the ION Management Science Lab, a pioneering academic research center focused on the role of mentorship in startups and larger organizations, including non-profits. The lab is funded by a €10 million gift from Italian entrepreneur Andrea Pignataro’s ION Foundation.
The lab, established in partnership with the HEC Foundation and the Deep Tech Center at the HEC Paris Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute, will analyze how mentorship influences innovation and company performance. Drawing on both academic and industry expertise, the lab aims to produce insights to inspire and inform innovation across sectors.
Andrea Pignataro, founder and CEO of financial technology firm ION Group and one of Forbes’ top 100 billionaires, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating: “Mentorship is everywhere—driving learning and growth in startups, universities, and businesses of all sizes—and its relevance only intensifies in an age of rapid AI-driven transformation.” Pignataro’s ION Foundation has established similar labs at Milan’s Bocconi University and Utah University, both of which will collaborate with the new HEC facility.
HEC Paris Dean Eloïc Peyrache underscored mentorship’s transformative potential, calling the initiative a critical step in fostering growth. Professor Carlos Serrano, who will serve as the lab’s scientific director, added, “In an era of rapid AI-driven transformation, we will bridge practice with academic insights to unlock mentorship’s potential in fostering learning and driving growth.” The ION Management Science Lab represents a significant step in leveraging mentorship as a driver of innovation and organizational success.
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