Mathieu Merian (SKEMA 2022), Engineer of the Possibles

DIY is in his genes

This story begins in a workshop somewhere between Nice and Sainte-Maxime, in the south-east of France. As a child, Mathieu would sneak off after school to visit his grandfather Gérard, an engineer and an inventor in his spare time. Amidst cluttered workbenches and the smell of machined metal, he learned to wield a soldering iron, assemble circuits, tinker with lamps and build Morse code communication systems. This fascination with making things stayed with him into adulthood.

But by adolescence, making objects was no longer enough. He wanted to go further, to give shape to more complex ideas. One night, while watching a report on the 8 o'clock news, he discovered 3D printing. It was a revelation. For Christmas, he asked his parents for spare parts to build his own machine. he knocked on the door of a 3D-printer manufacturer in Nice for his first internship. For two months, he immersed himself in filaments, materials and modelling software. The learning curve was steep, but he also discovered a world that fascinated him as much as technology: entrepreneurship.

Giving volume to ideas

At 17, Mathieu founded his first company, My3D. His value proposition: to enable people to prototype their ideas using 3D printing. He quickly realised the potential of his tool in the medical field. He made a prosthetic arm for a family friend who was an amputee, then, during the COVID crisis, he joined a collective of makers in France’s Var region to produce thousands of face shields and other protective equipment for healthcare workers.

But 3D printing has even more to offer. In 2020, a friend suffering from multiple sclerosis told Mathieu about his dream of one day being able to walk again. And then it hit him: an exoskeleton costs €250,000, putting it out of reach for most patients. Mathieu set himself a crazy challenge: to build the first 3D printed exoskeleton at a much lower price. From this, Somanity was born: a start-up with the ambition of making mobility accessible to all.

From family workshop to space

Now incubated by the European Space Agency, Somanity is reaching even further beyond medical rehabilitation. The company is exploring industrial and space applications, and Mathieu now leads a team that continues to grow. Somanity’s first medical exoskeleton is in the process of being certified, and the next version could revolutionise the daily lives of people living with disabilities.

SKEMA has played a key role in Mathieu’s journey. It was during an entrepreneurship course that the first prototype saw the light of day, and thanks to his student-entrepreneur status he was able to continue his studies while pursuing his entrepreneurial endeavours. Today, he regularly gives talks to inspire the younger generation. His ambition goes beyond business success: he wants to redefine the social impact of technology.

Inventing a more humane future

Mathieu has a long-term vision. He has divided the development of his business into two main areas:

• Somanity Motion, specialized in the distribution of industrial exoskeletons designed to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and reduce the physical strain of work. These solutions are designed for demanding sectors such as logistics, industry, and construction, where they help prevent lower back pain and injuries related to repetitive physical efforts.
• Somanity is also developing medical exoskeletons aimed at restoring mobility for people with disabilities. Through advanced technologies, these devices enable users to walk again and regain independence, offering a true alternative to wheelchairs for individuals with motor impairments.

Behind the tech enthusiast lies a humanist. For him, innovation only makes sense if it improves the lives of others. And while 3D printing has provided him with an endless playground, it is people who guide each of his projects.