Photo credit: Viva Technology 2024
VivaTech concluded two weeks ago, but the buzz is still hanging around in the VivaTech headquarters. During the event, we interviewed numerous startups and heard their fascinating stories and groundbreaking ideas.
Our editors selected the ten most innovative startups from different parts of the world. From AI applications to healthcare solutions, each innovation has the potential to make a significant impact on its industry and beyond.
Let’s dive in.
Aectual presenting on LVMH's stand. Photo credit: Viva Technology 2024
Aectual
Hans Vermeulen, Co-founder and CEO of Aectual, founded the company in 2017. Aectual uses waste materials and large-scale 3D printers to create circular interiors and brand experiences for clients like Nike, BMW, and Tiffany & Co. Based in Amsterdam, the company offers digital generative models for seamless custom designs.
Vermeulen attended VivaTech for the first time as a contender for this year’s LVMH Innovation Award and ended up winning in the category for Sustainability and Greentech. The startup’s CEO aimed to connect with LVMH Group maisons and expand Aectual's network. “One word [for VivaTech] is massive. We love doing big things. I hope to come back next year and maybe 3D print some of the booths!”
Wingcopter team. Photo credit: Viva Technology 2024
Wingcopter
German drone delivery company, Wingcopter, specializes in transportation of medical supplies to remote areas. Founded in 2017, they’ve already grown to a team of 150, including almost 80 engineers. Initially, they relied on bootstrapping until securing venture capital funding, totaling around 100 million euros.
Thomas Dreiling, the Communications Manager at Wingcopter, shared about their journey exhibiting in the Smart City & Mobility Park at VivaTech. "This is our first time at VivaTech, and it's been fantastic. Our goal is to scale globally, and VivaTech has been instrumental in networking and boosting visibility. It's been exhausting but incredibly productive. We're here seeking more investors, partners, and customers. We're eager to see where these connections lead and hope to return in the future!”
Scentronix team. Photo credit: Scentronix
Scentronix
Frederik Duerinck, founder and CEO of Scentronix, develops algorithmic perfumery under the brand Every Human. Duerinck started Scentronix in 2018 by re-mortgaging his house and securing initial investments from Silicon Valley and IFF. Despite facing financial challenges and the impact of COVID-19, the company began generating revenue two years ago and is now rapidly expanding globally.
At VivaTech, Scentronix exhibited for the first time. Frederik highlighted the team's passion and the shared experiences among startup founders as key takeaways from the event. “There are so many startups that have fantastic ideas here. There are so many jewels to find and four days is almost too short to discover all that VivaTech has.”
Bhout team. Photo credit: Viva Technology 2024
Bhout
Salvador Barros, Head of Growth at Bhout, introduced the company's innovative product at VivaTech: the world's first intelligent boxing bag designed to gamify fitness and keep people physically active longer. This debut at VivaTech garnered substantial user feedback and media attention.
Bhout was founded in 2019, originating from Lisbon with its fitness boutique concept, and plans to expand in Iberia and potentially enter the U.S. market. The company started with seven employees and now has twenty, having faced challenges in raising funds and product development but remaining optimistic about scaling. “VivaTech for us was very important for the first feedback from users. It’s also a lot about brand exposure, visibility, and media. The first day we had already 15 media passing by. It’s been way beyond our expectations."
Artpoint team. Photo credit: Viva Technology 2024
Artpoint
Founded in 2019 by digital art enthusiasts Laurie Bonin and Julie Corver, Artpoint aims to democratize digital art in public spaces. Their model supports digital artists by enhancing visibility and creating new revenue streams. Initially, educating people about the benefits of digital art was challenging.
Vienna Kim, the Artistic Manager at Artpoint, marked her third visit to VivaTech, where the startup consistently showcases its innovative services. Vienna shared a success story about partnering with Les 4 Temps, a Parisian shopping center, to install artistic content on an anamorphic screen, an opportunity that came from a meeting at last year’s VivaTech. “VivaTech is hands down one of the most important events for ArtPoint. We really do put so much preparation into VivaTech every single year. As there is a very important market here, we need to stand out from the competition.”
Pollen team. Photo credit: Elie Mezaltarim
Pollen
Pollen, a French startup, was founded in 2022 by Julie Ranty, and has a special place in our hearts as she was the former Managing Director of VivaTech! Pollen specializes in delivering expert-led training sessions to help today’s talents grow and learn constantly. With small groups, Pollen is changing the way employees upskill and learn new skills, all within one day sessions.
Robin Monchauzou, Head of Sales at Pollen shared how VivaTech has been a game-changer for their visibility and business development. “VivaTech is a great opportunity to develop your notoriety. It's also a really unique place to meet everybody in the ecosystem at the same time.”
Xydrobe's stand. Photo credit: Viva Technology 2024
Xydrobe
Nelloid Lloyd Malcolm is the Co-founder, and CEO of Xydrobe, an immersive advertising network, which creates multi-sensory VR spaces for brands to showcase their content. Based in the UK, Xydrobe partners with notable brands like Harrods to offer unique VR experiences. The startup has experienced significant growth since its founding in 2022, including the recent launch of a 20-person VR cinema. Nelloid emphasizes that VR provides a powerful, engaging experience without requiring consumers to invest in expensive equipment.
Attending VivaTech for the first time, she praised the event for offering valuable networking opportunities and generating significant leads. “I wouldn't be surprised if VivaTech made up the majority of our sales this year, to be honest.” Nelloid envisions expanding Xydrobe’s network globally and sees immersive media as essential for future advertising.
Triplet team. Photo credit: Viva Techology 2024
Triplet
Jake Dongwha Shin is the CEO of Triplet, a startup from South Korea that provides AI solutions for offline stores. The company began eight years ago when Jake, leveraging his experience in analyzing online user behavior, recognized the need for similar analysis in physical stores. Triplet integrates their AI with clients' CCTV systems to analyze customer behavior, including movement, age, gender, and product preferences. This data enables clients to enhance service, products, displays, and marketing strategies and primarily serves fashion and retail brands.
Jake envisions Triplet becoming a leading data company for offline data, comparable to Google. He found attending events like VivaTech valuable for connecting with luxury brands, which could lead to future collaborations. “There are so many good companies attending this year. You meet the most powerful brands and retailers in Europe.”
Pave Motors team. Photo credit: Viva Techology 2024
Pave Motors
Nicolaus Nagel is the Co-founder of Pave Motors, an electric motorbike manufacturer based in Brooklyn. Founded in 2019, Pave Motors aims to bridge the gap between e-bikes and e-motorbikes by creating lightweight yet exhilarating vehicles. Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, they have successfully transitioned their concept into production, with plans for expansion across the US and Europe in the coming years.
At VivaTech, Nicolaus loved getting to interact with potential clients and appreciated the positive feedback he received. “Attending VivaTech really gave us the confidence that the bikes fit super well into France and Europe overall.”
Primaa team. Photo credit: Viva Techology 2024
Primaa
Fanny Sockeel is the CEO of Primaa, a startup operating in oncology. Founded six years ago, Primaa focuses on developing tools to assist pathologists in cancer diagnosis. Their journey has involved collaboration between doctors, mathematicians, and business experts, resulting in tailored solutions for pathologists. The startup hopes to continue expanding its tools to cover various organs and leveraging AI to predict disease progression.
This was Fanny’s first time at VivaTech and she explained how the event played a crucial role in connecting Primaa with policymakers and generating public interest in their solution. “It was so amazing to meet everybody here, especially with politicians because we want to show them what we do and they can help us get reimbursed for our tools and so on.”
Join the Next Wave of Innovation!
These ten startups are just a few of the exciting companies that attended VivaTech this year. We can’t wait to see how these innovators will continue in their startup journey and hope to see them back next year!
Mark your calendars for the next edition of VivaTech. Join us from June 11-14, 2025 in Paris and let's continue to shape the future of tech together.