Passionate experts to guide your journey

Philippe GATE, a member of the French Academy of Agriculture, served as the Scientific Director of ARVALIS, an agricultural technical institute dedicated to field crops and funded by producers, from 2009 to 2021.
He has developed or contributed to operational tools widely used by farmers and advisors, such as decision-support systems that help adjust farming practices by combining agronomic knowledge with digital technologies (modelling, remote sensing).
He has long been involved in diagnosing stagnating crop yields and proposing ways to adapt to climate change. He promotes a “borderless agronomy,” grounded in an integrated and systemic approach, from genetics to digital technologies, aimed at advancing a multi-performance agroecological model that benefits the greatest number of farmers, as well as consumers and citizens.
As a jury member and Director of the Make IT Agri competition, Philippe GATE brings his expertise to evaluate innovative projects, advise candidates on the practical application of their solutions, and help them design impactful and realistic innovations for the agricultural sector.

Sophie VILLERS, honorary general engineer of the Corps of Bridges, Waters and Forests, is a member of the French Academy of Agriculture, where she serves as Secretary of the “Human Nutrition” section (2020–2026).
A graduate of AgroParisTech (formerly INA-PG) and the National School of Rural Engineering, Water and Forestry (ENGREF), she has built a distinguished career serving the French government, holding senior positions within the Ministries of Agriculture, Budget, and Culture.
She served as Director-General for Food, Director of the National Institute of Appellations of Origin, Technical Advisor to the Minister, and later chaired a section of the CGAAER. She also served as Secretary-General of the Musée d’Orsay.
Since 2022, as a member of the Make IT Agri jury, she contributes her expertise in human nutrition and agri-food value chains, guiding project teams on sustainability, technological innovation, and consumer benefits.

With a background in agricultural engineering, Jean-Bernard Davière is Director of Research, Development and Innovation at Seenovia, part of the Seenergi group, which supports dairy, beef, and goat farmers across France.
A leading figure in livestock innovation, he oversees major projects such as Optimir (mid-infrared milk spectrometry), Mozaë (monitoring solution), and GenoCellules® (tank-milk genotyping), all of which are transforming herd-management capabilities.
As a member of the Make IT Agri jury, Jean-Bernard Davière brings extensive expertise in innovation and animal production.

A graduate of ESPCI Paris and École Polytechnique, Vincent Rachet began his career in R&D at the Saint-Gobain group, where he developed strong expertise in industrial innovation and advanced technologies.
Driven by robotics and digital technologies applied to agriculture, he later joined Exxact Robotics, a subsidiary of EXEL Industries, where he now serves as Managing Director. The company designs precision solutions for crop protection to optimize inputs, reduce environmental impact, and improve farm performance.
As a Make IT Agri jury member, Vincent Rachet contributes his expertise in agricultural robotics and technological innovation, assessing student projects, encouraging bold ideas, and guiding young talent toward practical, sustainable, high-impact solutions for the agriculture of tomorrow.

Having joined the family farm in 2021, Marion works alongside her parents on an operation combining free-range laying hens, vineyards, and arable crops. Holding a vocational baccalaureate in agriculture and a BTS ACSE (HND in Agricultural Enterprise Management), she is dedicated every day to driving innovative, high-performing, and forward-looking agriculture.

As a member of the Make IT Agri jury, Marion brings the practical perspective of a young farmer directly connected to on-the-ground realities. Sensitive to projects that address farmers’ real-world challenges, she pays special attention to innovations capable of boosting performance, improving working conditions, and enhancing farm sustainability. Deeply committed within Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers Association), she is also passionate about generational renewal and eager to encourage practical, high-impact solutions for the future of agriculture.

A mixed-crop organic farmer in the Cambrésis region, Emmanuel Leveugle has built a career combining field experience and technical expertise. After working in agricultural advisory services and the agri-food sector, he now applies this dual perspective to his public service roles.
He is an elected member of the Chamber of Agriculture of Hauts-de-France, in charge of environmental and innovation issues, where he actively supports agricultural transition. His involvement with the Avril Foundation, as a board member, further reflects his commitment to promoting sustainability and future-focused initiatives.
As part of the Make IT Agri jury, he assesses projects with the combined insight of a dedicated farmer and elected representative, attentive both to practical realities in the field and to innovations capable of transforming agricultural practices.

Holding a PhD in plant biology specializing in plant–environment interactions, Sandy Bergès operates at the intersection of scientific research, innovation, and agricultural practices.

She has led applied research projects on biostimulants, virus–aphid interactions, and plant nutrition. She also established and managed an organic market garden farm, gaining a practical understanding of on-the-ground realities, including both field constraints and key growth drivers.

Now an agricultural innovation project manager at AGRONOV—an agroecology innovation hub in Burgundy-Franche-Comté—she supports the development and deployment of innovative solutions. She animates a network of industry stakeholders and facilitates the transfer of innovations to the field, serving the agricultural and food transition.

As a member of the Make IT Agri jury, she brings a combined scientific and operational perspective. Her evaluation focuses on project robustness, feasibility, concrete impact, and potential for adoption by the agricultural sector.

Jean-Louis Ruatti is an agricultural engineer graduated from AgroParisTech and holds an MBA from HEC Paris. Now retired, he is also the President of MRJ Développement, a corporate strategy consulting firm.

Throughout his career, he held several executive positions. He served as an advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, overseeing agro-industry and research, before becoming Strategy and Development Director for Unilever France. He also founded and chaired several investment funds specialized in the agro-industry, including CREAGRO (focused on innovative startups), as well as AGRO PLUS and AGRO INVEST (dedicated to growth capital and buyout capital). In addition, he was a scientific advisor to the Avril Foundation.

As a jury member, Jean-Louis Ruatti leverages his expertise to evaluate the feasibility of proposed solutions. He guides candidates in the practical application of their innovations, helping them design realistic, high-impact projects.

Antoine Vieilledent joined TotalEnergies in 2001. He has held various commercial and logistics positions within the Marketing & Refining divisions.

Since 2024, he has served as Agricultural Market Manager within the General Trade Division of TotalEnergies Marketing France, where he is responsible for managing relationships with agricultural stakeholders.

In this context, Antoine Vieilledent joins the Make IT Agri competition as a jury member. He contributes to project evaluations while also helping enhance the competition experience for students, aiming to enrich their overall journey and engagement.