In 2012, after his Baccalaureate, Raphaël Ibarboure enrolled at UPPA’s IUT of Statistics and Business Intelligence.* Two years later, he went to the Graduate School of Cognitics in Bordeaux, where he met his future associate, Clément Driollet.
You set up Pigwii in 2017, aged just 23. How did this project come about?
Nothing predestined me for setting up my own business! The idea was born over the course of my studies, through work placements and people I met. The first stage was UPPA’s IUT of Statistics and Business Intelligence. I was interested in maths, statistics and computer development but I didn’t want to go to a preparatory school. The IUT was an excellent springboard. The training was very job-focused and I did a three month placement in the transport sector (Basque Bondissant), with the task of automating the company's dashboards.
At the end of the two years, I knew I wanted to continue studying. I applied to several engineering schools and was accepted at the Graduate School of Cognitics. That was the second stage. At that point, I envisaged being a developer in a big company… Then, after several work placements and chatting to other students, including my future associate, Clément Driollet, I refined my career plans. I eventually abandoned development and specialised in UX Design, the human-machine interface. The idea of setting up a UX Design agency, Pigwii, in Biarritz, came at the end of our course.
How did Pigwii come about?
Pigwii was born at a bar table! It was a student dream that we have managed to make a reality. Clément Driollet (30) came from Lycée Cassin in Bayonne, like me. But we didn’t know each other back then. He did a preparatory course before enrolling at the Graduate School of Cognitics, where we met. We shared the same human values and professional aspirations. Pigwii works on the user interface, ease of browsing and intuitiveness... An aspect that is often overlooked by designers. Today, our customers include Tick&Live (Fnac Darty group), Mapotempo, Otami, njuko and Maison Laborie.
What words do you spontaneously associate with UPPA?
A professional foundation, operational courses, openness
What advice would you give to a young person starting a course at UPPA?
I'd tell them about the possibility of studying in two phases, first at an IUT and then an engineering school. It’s a good compromise for those wishing to take a two-year course leading to a professional qualification, which opens the door to the job market but also to further study. In two years, you mature, and this pathway is great for that. It’s a safe option that also opens lots of doors. It's a good choice for those who don't want to go to a preparatory school. On the other hand, you have to work hard to get the grades and do work placements that stand you in good stead among graduate schools.
*Now the DUT of Data Sciences
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