Calling All Startups: Viva Technology Launches Innovation Challenges

PARIS, December 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

For the fourth consecutive year VivaTech is hosting the Open Innovation Challenges to foster cooperation between startups and established companies while increasing business opportunities in global tech. Startups from around the world are invited to apply on the VivaTech internet platform, challenges.vivatechnology.com, with innovative solutions to the Challenges of leading companies in their sectors. Deadline for applications: 15 February 2019. The list of selected startups will be announced in March.

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Among VivaTech's major partners who have confirmed their participation in this year's Challenges: LVMH (who have already launched their Challenge), Orange, AccorHotels, ManpowerGroup, RATP Groupe, Région PACA, Sanofi, Sodexo, and Vinci Energies.

Several thousand startups from around the world are expected to apply this year, but only 1000 or so will be selected. They will win an exhibition space on a Lab hosted by one of VivaTech's major partners, and they will have the opportunity to establish privileged links with the leading companies present during Viva Technology, 16-18 May 2019, at Porte de Versailles in Paris.

According to Julie Ranty and Maxime Baffert, co-Managing Directors of Viva Technology: "Our model of open innovation, pairing startups with established companies, has contributed to VivaTech's success since the beginning."

VivaTech's Lab partners see the Challenges as a source of solutions for their successful business transformation. The solutions involve artificial intelligence; the Internet of Things; virtual and augmented reality; HR and the workplace of the future; and the consumer of the future.

This year, with the Innovation award, the LVMH group is calling for inventive projects to craft the customer experience of tomorrow. Djingo, Orange's smart assistant, is looking for original AI service concepts to transform day-to-day personal and family experiences. Some other themes for the 2019 Challenges: Smart transport in a feel-good city; reducing plastic waste in the Mediterranean; healthy food habits at work and school; disruptive hotel services; artificial intelligence to deliver healthcare content through voice; innovating human-centric solutions for ICT, industry, building construction, energy, urban infrastructure, etc.

And there are three VivaTech Challenges: 

The "Hardware Challenge" will feature pioneering drones, robots, and products in the Discovery Zone. The "Green Tech Challenge" seeks inclusive solutions to key societal and environmental issues of the 21st century. And the "XR & Entertainment Challenge" offers visitors the kind of immersive experiences that make VivaTech so much fun.

Full press release: https://dam.vivatechnology.com/CP-DEC-CHALLENGES-EN.pdf 

Further information available at www.vivatechnology.com and @VivaTech