Since 2005, the Beneteau Foundation has been committed to the future of the seas. Launched and supported by the Groupe Beneteau, its work focuses on three key areas: promoting nautical heritage, protecting the environment and technological innovation. Since 2018, it has been collaborating with Ensaama* to redefine the standards of the nautical sector. The objectives: to support a new generation of designers and make sailing attractive to them. In 2025, the challenge set for the students was a significant one: “To equip the boat to make life on board easier.”
*École nationale supérieure des arts appliqués et des métiers d’art
An in-depth look with Cyril Sancereau, Secretary General of the Beneteau Foundation.
Supporting the nautical sports of tomorrow among students
Architecture, engineering, design, and art: many projects have been proposed by students to promote and encourage innovation in the world of boating.
Our partner Decathlon’s perspective
Combining our expertise with Groupe Beneteau reflects a shared ambition: making the sea accessible to as many people as possible. Today, eco-design is no longer an option—it is a necessity, and the Ensaama students have fully embraced this. Our dream is to design regenerative products. While we are not there yet, we are working together to radically reduce our impact and preserve our playground.
François Pinteaux, Director of the Tribord Sailing Lab – Decathlon
Ensaama’s perspective
This collaboration with the Beneteau Foundation enabled our students to turn the constraints of boating—safety, limited space, and the marine environment—into creative drivers. Free from industrial biases, they redefined usage, transforming technical equipment into intuitive and desirable objects. Modular partitions or “second-skin” safety: their fresh perspective reconciled utility and pleasure, proving that design is fertile ground for sustainable innovation.
Julien Soubeyran and Richard Devinast, professors of product design and industrial creation at Ensaama
