Between corrective accessories for diving masks and vegetable sponges, the winners of the “Pépite” prize rewarded for their inventiveness

They were rewarded at Station N de Nouville, in Nouméa, at the end of last week. The winners of the “Pépite” de Nouvelle-Calédonie 2024 promotion are four, who have received financial assistance. They had to submit their business plan in October, before taking the oral exam for the Pépite prize, in front of a jury.

Clément Gillardo and his Scubaccess project, a corrective accessory for diving masks, won first prize. “The idea is to collect our old spectacle lenses and attach them to any diving mask, in a universal way”, explains the young man.

“Originally, it was a personal need. I scuba dive and wear goggles. It totally jeopardized my passion. I tried to answer my problem and the proposed solutions were too expensive. So I tried to answer it for myself.”, says the winner. To do this, he created a prototype with the help of the Fablab at the University of New Caledonia. “It is not a mask, but rather an accessory like a pair of glasses, which will be attached over the diving mask. I can't say too much, because it's still a prototype”, reveals Clément.

He won a sum of 1 million 240,000 francs. With this financial boost, the Caledonian will be able to order a mold, with a view to producing the inclusive accessory in series. Note that a mask adapted to your eyesight costs on average 15,000 CFP francs. He wants to sell his accessory for around 2,000 francs.

Océane Le Goff, for her part, obtained second place. The Caledonian is launching into the creation of a line of anti-UV clothing called Ginette, for everyday wear. The winner presented sketches and prototypes.

She, too, was inspired by her personal experience. “When I was younger, I couldn't find UV protection clothing that protected me and was stylish.”, says the young woman. Océane wins 240,000 francs to carry out the rest of her project. “This will allow me to make prototypes, to be able to test them and if it works I could launch the first collection. The main point of the project is to find the right supplier, with the right material”. A search, which she always carries out.

Qatrenë Juni won third prize with her production of plant sponges. She grows a cucurbit: loofah, in a shared garden in Dumbéa. “It is a fruit from the zucchini and cucumber family. The fruit, having reached a certain stage of maturity, has the particularity of producing a fiber which can be used as a sponge for washing dishes.”, explains the winner.

With MeLuffa NC, the Caledonian wishes “offer an alternative to polluting synthetic sponges”. “I was looking to reduce my impact on nature, starting with waste and I came across this plant. It is a tropical plant, which adapts perfectly to the climate of the country and which is easily cultivated. So I said to myself that it was great, that it replaces synthetic sponges”, continues Qatrenë.

Other uses of this fiber are possible: in cosmetics, as an exfoliating accessory for the skin, but also in construction. “Loofah fiber is used in Paraguay to make construction panels. This can also be used in textiles. I aspire to develop this sector”, reveals the winner. For this, she won 240,000 CFP francs and hopes to increase her production area.

Finally, the fourth and final prize was awarded to Bastian Cazaux, creator of personalized and tailor-made carpets with Tufting NC. He also won 240,000 francs. “This is a long process, which can last several hours. With a machine, a Tufting gun, which looks like a sewing machine in the shape of a gun, we create patterns on the wool of the carpet”, indicates the young man.

The amount he won will allow him “to invest in equipment, to make a large order and make several rugs”.