Entrepreneurship: SKEMA Alumnus Leaves His Job in Switzerland to Teach AI to Students

Artificial intelligence is everywhere. Yet, according to Damien Yvert, most people still use it without truly understanding how it works.

“Many people already use AI tools, but they do not necessarily understand what they actually do, where their limitations lie, or what risks come with them.”

That observation led to the creation of Muscade AI, an educational platform that aims to improve AI literacy, helping students move beyond simple usage toward a deeper understanding of the technology shaping their future careers.

From Lille to Berkeley: The Making of an Entrepreneur

After completing preparatory studies in Annecy, Damien Yvert joined SKEMA’s Lille campus in 2019. His academic journey later took him to Belo Horizonte, Brazil, before a final year at the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed the Academic Diploma in Start-up Management & Technology.

“The more startups I encountered, the more I wanted to build one of my own.”

Immersed in one of the world’s most dynamic startup ecosystems, Yvert found confirmation of a long-standing ambition.

“I always knew I wanted to start my own company.”

His first entrepreneurial venture was launched as part of a Berkeley course project. The initiative ended when the semester concluded, but it strengthened his conviction that entrepreneurship would eventually become his path.

After graduating from SKEMA’s Master in Management (MiM) in 2023, he chose to gain professional experience first. He joined Venturelab, Switzerland’s leading startup support organization, where he spent nearly three years designing and delivering programs, training sessions, and events for entrepreneurs.

The role gave him a front-row seat to hundreds of startup journeys.

“The more startups I saw, the more I wanted to create my own.”

In March 2026, he left Venturelab to focus full-time on Muscade AI.

Building an AI Education Platform for the Next Generation

The idea behind Muscade AI is straightforward: apply the educational principles that made platforms such as Duolingo successful to the field of artificial intelligence.

The goal, however, is not simply to teach students how to write prompts or keep up with the latest AI trends. Instead, Muscade AI focuses on helping learners understand the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, including its limitations, biases, regulatory challenges, ethical implications, and the situations where it can genuinely create value.

“The objective is to promote thoughtful and responsible AI use,” Yvert explains.

The platform’s first learning pathway focuses on entrepreneurship and AI. Structured around eight modules and approximately twenty hours of content, the program covers topics such as:

• Market research
• Idea generation
• Opportunity assessment
• AI-assisted business creation
• Startup development and innovation

Over time, Muscade AI plans to expand its practical learning experiences and extend its content to additional disciplines.

SKEMA Among the First Institutions to Adopt the Platform

The initiative quickly caught the attention of Nicolas Servel, Director of Entrepreneurship Master’s Programs at SKEMA.

For the 2026–2027 academic year, Muscade AI content is being integrated into the School’s three entrepreneurship programs, making SKEMA one of the platform’s earliest adopters.

For Damien Yvert, this partnership provides an ideal testing ground. Feedback from faculty and students will help refine the platform and ensure that future developments remain closely aligned with real educational needs.

AI at the Core of the Project

Appropriately, artificial intelligence also plays a central role in the development of Muscade AI itself. When used effectively, AI can significantly increase productivity and accelerate business development.

To design the educational content, Yvert continues to rely on the network he built during his time at Berkeley. Learning objectives, course methodology, and selected content samples have notably been reviewed by Jeff Eyet, a UC Berkeley lecturer specializing in artificial intelligence, innovation, and design thinking.

Looking Beyond Higher Education

Today, Muscade AI’s primary focus is higher education institutions. Looking ahead, Yvert is also considering expanding the platform’s training programs to businesses.

His ambition remains unchanged: to help people understand artificial intelligence, not simply use it.

As AI becomes a core competency across industries, initiatives such as Muscade AI aim to equip future professionals with the knowledge, critical thinking, and digital skills needed to navigate an increasingly AI-driven world.