Awards
The UTOPIAS Awards celebrate pioneering initiatives that prove the transition is already underway. This year’s edition shines a spotlight on soil regeneration. True to UTOPIAS’ collective spirit, we entrusted the selection process to passionate changemakers and experts in their fields.
Carte Blanche Award to ADEME
The ADEME, France’s Agency for Ecological Transition, supports public and private stakeholders in designing and implementing policies and projects that advance sustainable development.
The agency has built recognized expertise in the field of bioeconomy, helping to foster the emergence of more sustainable agricultural and food systems.
For this “carte blanche”, ADEME chose to spotlight an initiative that deeply reflects its mission and values. An internal jury came together to select the project that best embodies its vision for ecological transition.
Terres de Liens
The Terre de Liens movement stands out through its unique structure, combining a nationwide grassroots network, a socially responsible investment company, and a public-interest foundation.
Terre de Liens was recognized by ADEME for the work of its Foncière—a solidarity-based property company that purchases farmland to counter the loss of agricultural land and support the establishment of farmers committed to local, organic agriculture. To acquire these farms, the Foncière relies on its capital, made up of savings from citizens and private organizations who choose to invest in a project with strong social and environmental impact. By becoming the owner of these farms, the Foncière commits to preserving the land over the long term, maintaining its agricultural purpose, and promoting sustainable farming practices.
The jury members
Jérôme Mousset
Directeur – Bioéconomie et énergies renouvelables, ADEME
Antoine Pierart
Coordinateur Qualité des Sols et Prospective, ADEME
Baptiste Perrissin-Fabert
Directeur exécutif de l’expertise et des programmes, ADEME
Carte Blanche Award to Icare by BearingPoint
I Care by BearingPoint is a leading consulting firm specializing in environmental transition. It supports companies and institutions in transforming their business models and embedding respect for living systems at the heart of their strategy.
For this “carte blanche”, Guillaume Neveux, co-founder and Partner at I Care by BearingPoint, brought together a panel of individuals deeply committed to nature-related issues. Their mission: to identify financial-sector initiatives proving that finance can be a genuine driver of regeneration.
After thoughtful deliberation, the jury decided to honor two winners, recognizing that each, in their own way, powerfully embodies the spirit of the UTOPIAS Awards.
MiiMOSA & Citizen Capital
MiiMOSA was honored for its pioneering role in crowdfunding the agricultural and food transition. As the first platform dedicated to this sector, it enables thousands of project leaders to turn their ambitions into reality, supported by a large and engaged citizen community. Over the past ten years, MiiMOSA has raised €180 million to support 7,500 regenerative projects, helping sustain more than 200,000 jobs dedicated to a vibrant and sustainable agriculture.
Alongside the Avril Foundation, Citizen Capital launched the Agri Impact fund, which supports farmers in diversifying their activities—through processing, short supply chains, or renewable energy production.This fund helps them create more value on their farms and strengthen the resilience of rural regions. In partnership with FNSafer, Citizen Capital also created the ÉLAN fund, dedicated to agricultural land stewardship. It facilitates the establishment of new farmers, secures their access to land, and encourages the shift toward more sustainable farming practices.
The jury members
Guillaume Neveux
Co-founder and Partner at I Care by BearingPoint
Guillaume Wahl
Sustainable Finance Expert, WWF France
Matthieu Delabie
Thematic Coordinator “Finance and Economic Instruments,” French Biodiversity Office
Wijnand Broer
Partner, CREM (consultancy based in the Netherlands)
Carte Blanche Award to Ecole des Arts Décoratifs
The École des Arts Décoratifs trains and supports a new generation of designers capable of reimagining how we live, produce, and create — by thinking with and for living territories.
For this “out-of-the-box” award, we chose to collaborate with the École des Arts Décoratifs – PSL and its “Design des Territoires” program, a multi-site initiative that places design at the service of local dynamics. Over ten months, five to eight young practitioners from diverse backgrounds — designers, architects, landscape designers, artists, urban planners, sociologists, or engineers — immerse themselves in a region and work hand in hand with its entire ecosystem. This year, five projects competed for the UTOPIAS Award.
Tout Schuss: Accelerating the Re-vegetation of Ecosystems Degraded by Human Impact
The jury chose to honor the project “Tout Schuss: Accelerating the Re-vegetation of Ecosystems Degraded by Human Impact” by Alice Bertrand.
This project aims to regenerate fragile ski-slope soils using woven geotextiles that act like “bandages,” beneath which local seeds and mycorrhizae are placed to encourage plant recovery. Combining textile design and ecology, it highlights the vulnerability of mountain landscapes to human practices and climate pressures.
These ephemeral textiles—designed to disappear and give way to living systems—serve as poetic and educational tools, reminding us of the need to heal our landscapes rather than exploit them.
The jury members
Lydia Bourguignon
Soil Microbiologist
Claude Bourguignon
Soil Microbiologist
Claudia Ferrazzi
Founder of Viarte
Stéphane Corréard
Art Critic and Exhibition Curator