Quentin Gouty, founder of n-Homade, a doctoral student in chemistry, and winner of the 2025 Starthèse Award
PhD student in Polymer Chemistry, Quentin Gouty founded the start-up n-Homade, an innovative marketplace for second-hand chemicals. As a recipient of the National Student-Entrepreneur Status (SNEE), he is supported by the Pépite Entrepreneuriat Campus Aquitaine (ECA) network, which is run by three universities, including UPPA.
What are the main stages of your academic journey?
I have always been interested in chemistry. I started with a technical high school diploma specializing in laboratory sciences, followed by a BTS in Chemistry at Lycée Albert Camus in Mourenx. I then enrolled in a third-year Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology and Health, majoring in Chemistry, at the University of Bordeaux. I went on to complete a first-year Master’s degree in Chemistry, specializing in Advanced Materials. As part of this programme, I completed an internship in a laboratory. One day, while opening a cupboard, I found a bottle of chemical product. It had barely been used and was 50 years old, dating back to 1976. I thought it was an isolated case. But it wasn’t. I realized that this was actually symptomatic of a structural problem affecting the entire chemical sector. Products are purchased for a specific project, partially used, and then stored indefinitely, while other laboratories purchase the same products again at full price. It was this observation that sparked the idea of creating a platform for reselling second-hand chemicals.
When did you create n-Homade?
After completing my first-year Master’s degree in Chemistry, specializing in Advanced Materials, I returned to Pau. In 2022, I began my PhD in Polymer Chemistry at UPPA. As part of my PhD, I had the opportunity to attend an entrepreneurship awareness seminar. It was the perfect opportunity to test the idea of creating a platform for reselling second-hand chemicals. Some of the trainers were part of the Pépite incubator network, and they confirmed that the idea was feasible. I joined the Pépite ECA programme and received support from UPPA as a student-entrepreneur. n-Homade was founded in November 2024. In June 2025, while pursuing my PhD at IPREM (Institute of Analytical Sciences and Physico-Chemistry for the Environment and Materials), I won the “Audace” prize at the local final of the Starthèse Challenge, a regional competition designed to encourage entrepreneurship among young researchers and showcase their projects.
How does the development of n-Homade fit in with your current student-entrepreneur journey?
n-Homade offers a sustainable and innovative solution that enables laboratories to sell products they no longer need to other laboratories that do. The innovation behind n-Homade goes beyond an online B2B marketplace. It is an integrated digital solution designed to streamline the entire life cycle of research chemicals, from their initial purchase through to their reuse, including optimized inventory management using AI. n-Homade is based at the Hélioparc science and technology park. Student-entrepreneur status allows me to continue developing the company while completing the “Tools for Entrepreneurship” University Diploma (DU), delivered by IAE Pau-Bayonne at UPPA. This enables me to combine theoretical and practical knowledge with the development of n-Homade.
What key people or encounters have made a difference during your time on campus?
The support provided by the Pépite ECA network has been a springboard for the development of n-Homade and has helped integrate the company into the local ecosystem. This support enabled me to strengthen the credibility of my approach with the Banque de France and to benefit from the support of the French Tech Pau Pyrénées network.
What advice would you give to an UPPA student at the beginning of their journey?
You shouldn’t keep your idea to yourself or be afraid to share it. There is real value in testing it and discussing it with people who are not specialists in the field. It gives you the opportunity to challenge your assumptions and make progress.
Interview by Séverine Cuesta
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