Strathena News
July 4, 2026
Launch of the new Summer 2026 challenge on the BFM Stratégie show.
Click here for more info on the summer game
February 15, 2026
Results of the Strathena – BFM Stratégie 2025 Challenge
The two best players of the Strathena – BFM Stratégie 2025 challenge, Pierre Dabin and Jules Gastaud, were invited onto the set of the show on 02/15/2026 and presented their winning strategies.
Click above to watch the show!
November 11, 2025
New session for subscribers!
We are pleased to announce that a new game session is now online for all subscribers.
This new session, titled “AI market“, will let you experience the thrill of the generative artificial intelligence revolution.
You are in command of a young, highly ambitious unicorn company, but with limited financial resources. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to carve out a place for yourself in this bustling new world, among the global internet giants who dream of absorbing you.
The great novelty of this session lies in the ability to use the lever of inorganic growth :
- by auctioning off your least profitable or least strategic divisions,
- or by buying divisions put up for sale by your competitors.
More info on the AI market session.
October 2025
In preparation…
The Strathena team is cooking up some new features to keep you busy during long winter evenings:
- A session dedicated to artificial intelligence, including the possibility of pursuing an inorganic growth strategy by buying or selling divisions to competitors. Previously restricted to multiplayer mode, these inorganic growth strategies are now also available in solo mode (player against artificial intelligences) in certain advanced sessions.
- The addition of new score types in sessions dedicated to our corporate clients, supplementing the current financial score, to include other criteria (environmental, social…). These multiple scores can be customized based on the economic sectors represented and specific educational objectives.
September 30, 2025
End of the Strathena – BFM Stratégie Summer Challenge!
Following the success of the BFM/Strathena challenges in recent years, the Strathena team partnered once again with the BFM Stratégie show to bring you a new challenge throughout the summer of 2025.
The challenge is now over. Congratulations to all participants! The top players will soon be invited to the set of the BFM Stratégie show , just like in previous editions.
This BFM / Strathena 2025 challenge was featured on BFM Business during the BFM Stratégie show on Saturday, June 28, 2025:
June 27, 2025
Viva v2.4.79!
Summer is off to a great start! We are pleased to announce the release of a game update. This version 2.4.79 is now available:
- for computers: on this website
- for Android smartphones and tablets: on Google Play
- for iPhones and iPads: on the App Store.
This new version notably includes the following improvements:
. a “next year” button to move directly to the following year without waiting for the timer to reach zero.
. a faster game experience: when logging in, starting a game, and after making an investment.
. the possibility to have (coming soon!) the inorganic growth mode (buying and selling divisions) available in solo mode as well, whereas this mode was previously restricted to multiplayer. In practice, this means you will be able to auction off your least profitable divisions to your virtual competitors—who can participate in the bidding if your offer interests them—and they can also put up for sale the divisions they no longer want. We are currently working on new matrices incorporating this feature. Just a little more patience! 🙂
Please note, we are continuing to work on improving the game’s responsiveness, particularly regarding the year-transition times. These take longer in games with a large number of competitors and divisions due to the time your competitors need to analyze the competitive landscape and make their decisions. We will keep you updated as soon as a new update is available!
June 2025
Work in Progress…
Following your feedback, a new version of the game is under preparation, including highly anticipated improvements:
. a “next year” button to skip directly to the following year
. inorganic growth feature (buying and selling divisions) also available in solo mode
. faster game loading at startup and quicker year transitions
We will keep you updated as soon as this new version goes live… Thank you for your patience!
April 2025
The Math Corner
For the more mathematically minded among you, we have added a new section to the course titled “The Math Corner”.
This new section consists of short videos summarizing some of the formulas described in the course:
- Calculating the experience curve slope
- Calculating the cost of a product or service based on experience
- Forecasting prices
- What growth follows a share issuance? Calculation formula
- What growth follows a share issuance? Practical case study
February 12, 2025
Strathena at the Maison des Polytechniciens
As in 2024, a new training session on corporate strategy presented by Xavier Fontanet was organized for members of three engineering school alumni associations:
- Ecole Polytechnique (X-Sursaut association)
- Ecoles des Mines de Paris, Nancy, and Saint Etienne (Intermines association)
- ENPC (Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées).
This training, in a “Strategist in a Day” format, took place at the Maison des Polytechniciens in Paris.
On this occasion, participants received a subscription to the Strathena platform, presented by Alexis Lacapelle, director of Interactive 4D.
January 14, 2025
Strathena on The Land campus in Rennes
To mark the launch of the corporate strategy training platform for The Land group, developed by Interactive 4D, Xavier Fontanet was invited to Rennes to deliver an inaugural lecture to the students of this business and management school group.
Students received access to the platform, which was presented to them by Alexis Lacapelle, director of Interactive 4D.
Interviewed during this event, Xavier Fontanet shared details about the genesis of the Strathena game and its positioning:
November 23, 2024
Results of the Summer BFM-Strathena Challenge
The top three players of the summer BFM-Strathena challenge were invited by BFM Business to present their strategy on the BFM Stratégie show broadcast on November 23, 2024. Congratulations to the three winners!
1st: Benjamin Sapin
2nd: Mathieu Ostertag
3rd: Eric Tadbir
Click on the image to watch the show!
November 12, 2024
Xavier Fontanet’s Masterclass at the Quimper – Cornouaille Technopole
A morning training session on corporate strategy was organized by the Quimper – Cornouaille Technopole on November 12, 2024, in front of over 100 participants.
During this session led by Xavier Fontanet, participants received a subscription to the Strathena platform to extend their training and practice applying key strategy concepts (experience curve, asset turnover consistency, life cycle, strategic portfolio).
September 6, 2024
Publication of the book “De La Stratégie En Entreprise, Conversation avec Pierre Pupier” by Editions Belles Lettres / Manitoba
The key to making a business succeed in an ultra-competitive world has a name: strategy. With the help of Pierre Pupier, Xavier Fontanet designed this book to make it engaging and understandable for everyone.
Pierre Pupier, an entrepreneur and investor from private equity specializing in SMEs, interviews Xavier Fontanet, former CEO of the Essilor Group, whose revenue grew from 500 million to 5 billion under his leadership, while simultaneously increasing its stock market value a hundredfold. This book is completely original: it reads like a novel and allows readers to become strategists as they progress through the pages.
The book features a QR code providing access to two exclusive Strathena game sessions that simulate (in a highly simplified way) Essilor’s competitive situations in the 1990s, as described by Xavier Fontanet in the book.
You can order the book on the Belles Lettres website.
July 1, 2024
Launch of the Summer BFM-Strathena Challenge
Following the success of the BFM/Strathena challenges in 2018, 2019, and 2020, Strathena is once again partnering with the BFM Stratégie show to offer a contest in July and August 2024. The top players will be invited to the set of the BFM Stratégie show in the autumn.
The game is divided into three sessions focusing on energy producers and the energy transition. The first 500 players will get free access to these three sessions, which will subsequently be reserved for subscribers.
The 2024 BFM / Strathena challenge was featured on BFM Business during the BFM Stratégie show on Saturday, June 29, 2024 :
More info on the 2024 BFM / Strathena challenge
March 4, 2024
New Game Session
Subscribers now have access to a new game session:
Level 7 – Energies. This new setup will allow you to reflect on the competitive and financial challenges of the energy transition from the perspective of a European player involved in the energy production and distribution industry. It particularly highlights the importance of strategic portfolio analysis and mastering funding methods.
Please feel free to share your feedback with us regarding this new session.
January 18, March 4 and 27, 2024
Strathena at the Maison des Polytechniciens
A training session on corporate strategy presented by Xavier Fontanet was organized for members of the X-Sursaut association, which brings together over 1,000 alumni from École Polytechnique, and the Intermines association, which brings together alumni from the Mines engineering schools of Paris, Nancy, and Saint-Étienne.
This training consists of three morning sessions running from January to March 2024 and takes place at the Maison des Polytechniciens in Paris.
On this occasion, participants received a subscription to the Strathena platform, which was presented by Alexis Lacapelle, director of Interactive 4D, during the session on March 4.
December 2023
New Game Sessions
Subscribers now have access to two new game sessions:
Level 3 – Food Retail. This session helps players familiarize themselves with the concept of life cycles.
Level 6 – Automobile. This session allows players to practice mastering the phenomenon of substitution as well as the principle of share buybacks.
Feel free to share your comments on these new sessions!
October 6, 2023
New Version of the Game
A new game update is available, running faster (especially during year transitions) and featuring a few visual improvements.
If you are using a computer, it loads automatically when you launch the game. For use on a smartphone or tablet, simply update the mobile app on Google Play or the App Store.
Give us your feedback!
September 2023
In Preparation…
The Interactive 4D team has some great surprises in store for you for the month of October!
A new game update is in the works, running faster (especially during year transitions), along with a new game session bringing two major new features:
- Individualized PERs (Price Earning Ratios) for each competitor, better matching economic realities;
- The ability to buy back your shares! This will allow you to test for yourself the benefit and impact of a share buyback on the price and profitability of your shares. In the meantime, be sure to review Xavier Fontanet’s lesson on this topical subject in Chapter 11 (Growing thanks to the stock market)!
August 2023
New Lesson on Share Buybacks
Xavier Fontanet’s lesson on share buybacks has been added to Chapter 11 (Growing thanks to the stock market). Discover in this video the principles and objectives of the share buyback mechanism, which is often criticized but rarely explained clearly.
May 23, 2023
Awards Ceremony for the Strathena – Intermines Challenge
On the occasion of the annual cocktail event of Intermines, the alumni association of the three Mines engineering schools (Paris, Nancy, Saint-Étienne), Xavier Fontanet and Alexis Lacapelle, director of Interactive 4D, announced the winners of the Strathena challenge. The event took place at the Hôtel de l’Industrie in Paris and also provided an opportunity to hear from Philippe Knoche, CEO of Orano, and Jean Arthuis, former Minister of Economy and Finance and former Member of the European Parliament. Congratulations to all challenge participants!
April 28, May 26, 2023
Strathena at L’Oréal
Young executives from the L’Oréal Group attended a corporate strategy course with Xavier Fontanet on April 28, 2023.
This course took place at L’Oréal’s premises in Clichy and was broadcast online for participants unable to travel. Participants received access to the Strathena platform to follow the courses, check their knowledge through quizzes and practice with the game. An internal challenge was launched to reward the best players which gave rise to a second session on the 26th May 2023 during which the results of the challenge were announced.
April 5, 2023
Strathena at the École des Mines
The alumni association of the three engineering schools of Mines (Paris, Nancy, Saint Etienne) organized a conference entitled “Humanism and strategy” presented by Xavier Fontanet and structured around the Strathena platform.
This course began with an introductory session led by Xavier Fontanet on April 5, 2023 at the École des Mines de Paris and online for participants unable to travel to Paris. Participants were given access to the Strathena platform to follow the courses, check their knowledge through quizzes, and participate in a strategy competition using the serious game. Participants with the highest score will be awarded a prize at the annual Mines cocktail party on May 23.
February 10, 2023
Strathena at school
The Parisian school Concordia chose the Strathena platform and Xavier Fontanet for its business strategy teaching to CM2 students.
The students played in groups of two or three students and then brilliantly explained their strategy to Xavier Fontanet. Well done, young people!
June 24, 2022
Uploading of a new version of the game on this site , on Google Play and on the App Store. This new version is essentially a graphical overhaul of the game with the addition of more colorful icons and visuals. Some improvements to the game’s operation have also been made and an English version has been added.
However, there are still some visual imperfections on the iOS version that will be corrected in the coming days. Thank you for your patience!
August 26, 2021
Video editorial by Christine Kerdellant, editorial director of L’Usine Nouvelle
Excerpt:
Brittany, California of the circular economy?
Can Brittany be to the agricultural circular economy what California is to tech? Yes, if we are to believe a dissertation written by Olivier Berthouloux and Guillaume Letur, produced under the leadership of the former head of Essilor, Xavier Fontanet, as part of the B5 school, a sort of ENA that trains future Breton leaders at the Saint-Exupéry high school in Rennes. By working on the strategy game Strathena, invented by Interactive 4D and Xavier Fontanet, they have built a dizzying strategy for Brittany.
March 2021
The start-up Share chooses Strathena platform and Xavier Fontanet for his teaching of business strategy to students from TOGO.
Share is an innovative start-up (sponsored by Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister), at the crossroads of education and consulting, which runs a leadership programme to transform brilliant university students into “Do Well Do Good” leaders.
October 31, 2020
Publication of a new score calculation method in the Strathena game.
Your score in the game is calculated year after year and represents the evaluation of your decisions, from the point of view of your shareholders.
It is now calculated by totaling:
- The unit price of your shares.
- The annual average dividends that you have paid to your shareholders for each share since the first year of the game.
The rankings have been reset to zero to take into account this new calculation method.
New score formula
Until this date, the score was calculated differently, by totaling:
-
- The value of your company, equal to 15 times your profits.
- The cumulative dividends that you have paid to your shareholders since the first year of the game.
- Your cash position at the end of the year
and by deducting from this total your level of indebtedness.
Old score formula
If you play on the Android or iOS app, don’t forget to update it to play with this new formula.
July 10, 2020
Publication of a new bankruptcies calculation in the Strathena game.
Your banker now grants you an overdraft authorization which is communicated to you at the start of the game. If your cash deficit exceeds the authorized limit, your banker will block your accounts and your company will be declared insolvent, which will immediately lead you to bankruptcy (game over).
(In games played up to this date, exceeding a loss/total assets ratio resulted in bankruptcy).
June 20, 2020
Live on App Store of a new version of the Strathena game for iPad and iPhone benefiting, as for the versions for computers and Android tablets, from a better fluidity and the possibility of adding information messages during the game.
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June 15, 2020
Posted on Google Play of a new version of the Strathena game for tablets and Android smartphone benefiting from better fluidity of interactions and the possibility of displaying information messages during the game.
May 20, 2020
A new version of the Strathena computer game has been released. The The connection frequency with the server has been optimized to reduce the slowness of interactions affecting certain screens and allow for better fluidity of the game. A feature allowing the display of information messages during the game has also been added. ;
May 3, 2020
Publication of a questions / answers space reserved for subscribers. Subscribers can contact us send their questions about the course or the game via a dedicated form. Xavier Fontanet answers a selection questionson this siteand in the ‘BFM Strategy show.
April 18, 2020
New course
Added in chapter 4 for our subscribers from the video of the broadcast of 03/10/2020 on segmentation in the automotive sector.
April 13, 2020
Published by Le Figaro of an article on the launch of the game BFM.
April 10, 2020
Launch of the BFM 2020 game
In partnership with BFM Business, a new season of the Strathena game is launched! Take advantage of these times of confinement to train yourself in business strategy thanks to the BFM Stratégie show, quizzes and the Strathena game.
July 2019
Launch of the BFM 2019 competition
Following the success of the summer 2018 competition, Interactive 4D and Xavier Fontanet are once again teaming up with BFM Business to launch a new competition this summer based on Strathena, the serious game for training in business strategy.
The competition is offered from July 15 to September 15, 2019 on the strathena.fr website and the Strathena mobile application, which can be downloaded from the Apple Store and Google Play. The competition is completely free and open to all.
Once registered, players follow the videos of the main BFM Stratégie programs and test their understanding of the course using quizzes before playing three game sessions of increasing difficulty.
June 22, 2019
Interview with the finalists of the high school competition on BFM Business
In partnership with Interactive 4D, LIBSCO, the educational freedom fair, launched in February 2019 a major competition open to all high school students in Première, regardless of their high school: public, private, general or professional.
Following the final held in public at the LIBSCO show on Saturday, April 6, 2019 in Paris, the two first-year finalist classes were invited to present their strategies during the BFM Stratégie show on 06/22/2020.
April 6, 2019
High school competition final
In partnership with Interactive 4D, LIBSCO, the educational freedom fair, launched a major competition open to all high school students in Première, regardless of their high school: public, private, general or vocational.
The two best Première classes from the qualification phase were selected for the final. Their teams competed in the final, which was held in public at the LIBSCO show on Saturday, April 6, 2019 in Paris.
April 5, 2019
Publication by the magazine “L’éco” of an interview with Xavier Fontanet on business strategy
February 6, 2019
Launch of the high school competition
In partnership with Interactive 4D, LIBSCO, the trade fair educational freedom, organizes a major competition open to all high school students in Première, regardless of or their high school: public, private, general or professional.
The key for participating high school students and finalists:
• a live final at the LIBSCO show for the 4 teams of finalists,
• an invitation to the set of the show “BFM Strategy” hosted by Xavier Fontanet on the BFM Business channel.
• a “Golden Strategist” (Silver or Bronze) certificate to be used in Parcoursup,
• … and a real knowledge of business strategy.
December 8, 2018
Broadcast of the BFM Stratégie program on BFM Business with the 3 winners of the BFM Stratégie competition. Congratulations to all three and thank you to all the participants!
December 4, 2018
Launch of the Strathena mobile application
In addition to the strathena.fr website, the MOOC and the serious game for training in business strategy by Xavier Fontanet and Interactive 4D are now available on the App Store for iPad and on Google Play for Android tablets.
Videos, a quiz and a session of the game are available for free access. An advanced level of the course and game is also offered by subscription.
September 2018
Article from Entreprendre magazine
Interview with Xavier Fontanet in < strong>The Entreprendre magazine< /a> and presentation of the BFM Stratégie competition organized with BFM Business and Interactive 4D.
July 30, 2018
Article from Figaro Economie
Interview with Xavier Fontanet and Frédéric Simottel, in Le Figaro Economie and presentation of the BFM Stratégie competition organized with BFM Business and Interactive 4D.
July 2018
Con Launch BFM 2018 course
In partnership with BFM Business, Interactive 4D and Xavier Fontanet are launching a competition around Strathena, the first serious game for training in business strategy. The competition is offered in July and August on the strathena.fr website. It is completely free and open to all audiences.
April 2018
Launch of the Strathena game
Interactive 4D and Xavier Fontanet are launching Strathena, the first serious game for training in business strategy.
The game is available in three formats:
. In single-player mode, players can play independently against companies run by artificial intelligence. This mode is suitable for distance learning programs.
. In multiplayer mode, the game allows a trainer to lead a strategy course by having players play against each other. Each player drives the strategy of a company in competition with those run by the other players. This mode is intended for training organizations and educational institutions. Different levels of difficulty allow it to be adapted to the level of learners, from secondary schools to business schools.
. In simulation mode, the game allows you to automatically compare different strategies to assess their relevance. This mode is mainly intended for companies and strategy consulting firms.
Former Chairman of Essilor and director of large international groups, Xavier Fontanet is now a professor of strategy at HEC, columnist for the newspaper Les Echos and host of the BFM Stratégie show with Frédéric Simottel on BFM Business.
