VIVATECH

ST DIGITAL PARTICIPATES IN VIVATECH 2023 WITH ITS CLIENTS

The 7th edition of the Vivatech trade show in Paris, held from 14 to 17 June 2023, was an opportunity for our clients to discover the latest technological innovations, conferences, workshops, demos and to meet the key players of the digital ecosystem shaping the future of humanity. More than ●150,000 visitors from ● 174 countries at the Porte de Versailles ● 405,000 online visitors and more than ●900 million visitors reached on social media ● 11,400 startups ● 2,800 exhibitors ● +450 speakers. Record edition with:
➡️ 6.6 billion impressions
➡️ 8.4 million interactions
➡️ More than 230K posts published... Several innovative solutions were presented in various fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, mobility, health and education
Our clients were able to attend inspiring conferences, participate in interactive workshops, test innovative products and exchange with experts from different fields. They also had the opportunity to present their projects and solutions during pitches to potential investors and strategic partners.

Discover some revolutionary innovations and inspiring speeches during the 3 days of the event.

Capsix robotics has developed a generic technology that allows any body care practitioner to record their care gestures and replay them indefinitely using a technological tool.

Athos revolutionises climbing with its 3D-printed, custom-made shoes. Designed to optimise performance and comfort, the shoes are the first of their kind. Through foot scanning and individual customisation, the mission is to create the perfect shoe for each user.

"Making France a champion of AI" , Emmanuel Macron.
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, walked through the aisles of VivaTech before heading to Stage One to speak about the AI landscape in France.

Considering that France is lagging behind in the race to develop AI, the French president announced that the country would invest an additional 500 million euros in AI to move "much faster and stronger". "The worst scenario would be a Europe that invests much less [in AI development] than the Americans and the Chinese, and that starts by creating regulation. This scenario is possible, but it is not one I would support", he noted.

"We must simultaneously accelerate research, innovation and the creation of a powerful ecosystem while participating in regulation whose scope of application must be as broad as possible."

Maurice Levy, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Publicis Groupe, asked: "I must ask you the question we all want answered. Are you evil or a genius?" Laughing, Musk replied: "You can be an evil genius..."

"Focus on something you are personally passionate about", shared Musk. "It doesn't have to be high technology, but you have to love it. It is difficult to assess what others will love, but if you absolutely cannot wait for your product to reach the market, you are heading in the right direction. "

"We are living in the most interesting of times. Say that an AI armageddon occurs. I think I would still want to be alive at that moment to witness it. I mean, I hope it's not me who causes it..." Elon Musk.

On the 2nd day of the VIVATECH exhibition, ST DIGITAL hosted a conference during which several speakers highlighted the issues below for the attention of African digital infrastructure stakeholders. 

• Are digital infrastructures ready for the significant changes brought about by the evolving regulatory framework for electronic data management?
• At a time of resurgent international diplomatic tensions, how can African states ensure their cyber sovereignty?
• Are energy costs and internet costs obstacles to the development of digital ecosystems in French-speaking Africa?
• Are African digital infrastructures and ecosystems ready for the new waves of innovation around Artificial Intelligence, cryptocurrency, the Web, and satellite internet?

The Vivatech trade show also brought together several African countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroun, Sénégal, Burkina Faso... who presented their innovations and solutions to address the challenges of tomorrow. Among them, a Cameroonian made a sensation by winning a prestigious award. Waspito, winner of the healthtech category, is a Cameroonian start-up that connects patients and doctors for instant video consultations via its mobile application available on iOS and Android. This revolutionary device aims to improve access to cardiac care in rural areas of Africa, where specialists are scarce. It was thus able to benefit from increased visibility and personalised support to develop its project. The Vivatech trade show was an opportunity to highlight the dynamism and creativity of African entrepreneurs, who are contributing to advancing tech in the service of humanity.

Vivatech has become an unmissable event for the many African startups that made the trip. Hence the need to create synergies, explains Amadou Coulibaly, Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Communication and the Digital Economy.

"We have sociocultural realities that differ from those of other continents. We believe that African countries resemble each other in a certain way, and one of the objectives of digital transformation is to improve the lives of populations. From this perspective, Côte d'Ivoire has launched a trade show, the SACEN, the African Startup and Digital Economy Salon. We are now in our second edition; it is a show that is growing and we hope it can become the Vivatech of the African continent"! highlighted Amadou Coulibaly, Côte d'Ivoire's Minister of Communication and the Digital Economy. 

A first this year, a pavilion entirely dedicated to the future of sport. A future that will be written in Africa, and more particularly in Sénégal, the host country of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

The highlight of the day was the eagerly awaited address by Nigerian philanthropist and afro-capitalist Tony Elumelu, who came to extol the virtues of African entrepreneurship.

"To succeed, you must embrace technology. You must adopt technology to survive. If you do not adopt technology, your business is destined to fail. And as entrepreneurs, we should be building businesses to last. Some of us are here today because we built our businesses to last, and even to outlast us. So we can do a great many things. Technology is a catalyst. We now see in real life that this is the way forward. And I believe that platforms like Vivatech are very important. But what I also say is that technology must not only serve the good — it must serve everyone" he explained.

We are proud to have supported our clients throughout this journey and to have contributed to their success. We thank them for their trust and collaboration. We look forward to seeing them next year at the upcoming Vivatech trade show!