Photo credit: Carbon Hub
VivaTech isn't just a stage but a catalyst that propels startups to succeed. So it’s no surprise that startup success stories are our favorite kind of stories.
We delve into the transformative tales of three startup alumni, each of whom is leaving their mark on the tech sector. Let’s unravel the narratives of Facil’iti, Notpla, and Billiv.
Adapting a website with Facil’iti. Photo credit: Facil’iti
Facil’iti: Revolutionizing Web Accessibility
If you’re reading this article without needing to adapt your screen, you aren’t part of the one-quarter of the world’s population who has trouble reading screens. In an era where digital presence is non-negotiable, startup Facil’iti is making browsing the web more accessible.
Facil’iti is a UX personalization solution that adapts the display of a website for people who have a vision, mobility, or cognitive issues. We interviewed Yves Cornu, Managing Director of Facil’iti, to learn more about the solution.
“We found that according to the World Health Organization, a quarter of the world's population has problems due to age, disease, or disability. And just by adapting the way a website is displayed, we can help them.”
“We came to VivaTech for the first time in 2018 as part of the TF1 lab. The company was only 6 months old, but we won an award as startup of the year. And we’ve been coming to the event every year since.”
Fans of competition, the startup applied for a Tech for Good award at VivaTech two years ago and walked away as winners. This moment got the VivaTech team’s attention and sparked a collaboration for our very own website.
Try it out for yourself: click the red icon of a paper boat on the top right-hand corner of our website. Parkinson’s Disease Mode enlarges and spaces clickable areas, Senior Mode increases text size and changes font, and Photosensitive Epilepsy Mode stops animated content. Facil’iti’s tool is an innovative way to allow even more internet users to access information on the web. Even if you don’t have a vision impairment you can change the website to night mode or visual fatigue saver.
Always continuing to innovate, Facil’iti launched just this year a new app, specifically designed for children with dyslexia. “We are still in the discussion process with French and international companies from Brazil and Japan, but we got a lot of contacts at this year’s VivaTech. We have always had great leads here,” concluded Cornu.
We’re delighted to be able to work with the Facil’iti team and encourage their journey toward making the internet an inclusive space where no one is left behind.
Attendee trying Notpla’s Ooho bubble. Photo credit: VivaTech
Notpla: Transforming the Narrative Around Packaging
Plastic is a worldwide problem. Thanks to Notpla, seaweed might be the solution. First-time startup participant at VivaTech 2023, Notpla caught the attention of attendees with their mission to replace single-use plastic through innovative material solutions derived from seaweed.
Under the oceans, there are abundant forests of seaweed. It grows quickly and needs no freshwater, land, or fertilizer. What’s more, it naturally captures carbon and makes the surrounding waters less acidic. No wonder Notpla chose to harness this super plant to combat our plastics problem.
The startup has created solutions for packaging foods, drinks, care products, and more. While some are edible, some compostable, and some dissolve in water, they all disintegrate into nature without any harmful traces. Our attendees were especially enamored by their Ooho edible bubbles pictured above.
Niall Russell, Head of Marketing at Notpla shared insights into their achievements at VivaTech. “Receiving tours with VIP groups from global brands was a real highlight for us, being able to pitch Notpla and our plastic-free solutions to the people who are willing and able to make change on a big scale,” Russell told us.
“We found the event to be a great experience for connecting with some key industry figures,” he continued. “We were able to connect with a handful of great decision makers in consumer brands who we're still in conversation with, exploring ways to reduce plastic across their businesses' packaging through our Innovation Lab.”
We can’t wait to see just how far this innovative plastic-free startup will take the seaweed game.
The Billiv team at VivaTech 2023. Photo credit: VivaTech
Billiv: Redefining Digital Transactions
Say goodbye to unwanted receipts. French startup Billiv has created a sustainable way to receive your receipts from purchases without having to sign up or give any contact information.
Many e-receipt options already exist, the most frequent being a simple email. While this option gets rid of paper waste, customers must give up their data in exchange for this service. Thanks to Billiv you pay like you normally would, scan a QR code to receive the receipt on your phone, and that’s it!
Billiv ventured into the halls of VivaTech in 2022 for the first time. This year, we interviewed Nicolas Guinot, Head of Sales at Guinot, to find out about their experience.
“Last year we had the chance to meet some amazing companies like McDonalds, Clarins, and others that allowed us to understand the market and then improve our solution. This allowed us to sign some important contracts just after VivaTech last year,” Guinot shared.
The French waste reduction law, in effect in August 2023, put an end to businesses automatically printing receipts for customers. With the aim of limiting waste, numerous corporate companies were interested in finding a new way of managing these transactions in a better way.
When asked about their return to VivaTech for the second year, Nicolas highlighted the unparalleled visibility the event offers. “There are more and more competitors that do what we do. So being at VivaTech is important to show to others that we are present in the ecosystem and to show what we’re able to do and obviously to search for leads for potential customers,” Guinot explained to us.
In a landscape where digital transactions are evolving, Billiv is entering the game and making a lasting impact on the future of sustainable and efficient financial transactions.
New Frontiers
Through the lens of Facil’iti, Notpla, and Billiv, we've glimpsed into the future of technology—where inclusivity, sustainability, and efficiency converge to shape new frontiers in their respective sectors.
Are you a startup innovating in a new way? Want to spark your own VivaStory? Pre-register for VivaTech 2024!