Photo credit: VivaTech
VivaTech 2022 was a blur! We still can’t believe that it’s already over. One of our favorite parts (among so many…) was the amount of innovations present! From new carbon capture tools and flexible solar panels to personal eVTOLs and plants that create energy, visitors and exhibitors alike had the pleasure of discovering over 300 innovations for themselves. Since we obviously don’t have the time to describe every single one of these innovations (as much as we would like to), our editor’s made a short list of our favorites.
Roaming the fields, you might find… robot buggies
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Greeting everyone at the front and center of VivaTech at Google’s stand was Mineral’s plant buggy, a four-wheeled vehicle that rolls through fields of crops to inspect them up close. It uses AI and machine learning models to measure detailed traits, identify weeds, and predict outcomes. The buggy gathers data that helps growers make better decisions for yield production, reducing both their costs and environmental impact of food production – which is important for our growing population.
The Jetsons might feel more at home with this futuristic aircraft
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Do you ever feel like taking off sometimes Really, just taking off in your own personal aircraft While getting out of the city on something other than four wheels might seem like science fiction, Jetson, a Swedish company, is trying to help you out. Their personal electric aircraft has a race car-inspired Spaceframe safety cell design, which of course makes it look super fly (wink, wink). With its eight electric motors, this eVTOL offers a more sustainable and faster option compared to traditional aircraft. Maybe one day having your pilot’s license will be just as common as a driver’s license.
Become a polyglot – no studying required
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With VivaTech being such an international event, there are bound to be some language and communication barriers; and this is the reality for many businesses around the world that work internationally. One startup, Waverly Labs, has been developing solutions that cut down these barriers and help people communicate easier. They presented a few of their solutions (which support over 20 languages!) at VivaTech this year: Subtitles, a two-sided screen providing real-time translations to each person on either side, which is ideal for customer service interactions, as well as Ambassador, an over-the-ear interpretation device that provides translations in real-time for professionals and travelers alike.
Soaking up the sun
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Solar panels are great, but some spaces are just not designed for mounting huge rectangular panels. But instead of adapting our buildings to fit solar panels, it might be time to update our solar panels. Welcome HeliaTek, a German startup changing how solar panels can be adapted for any surface. They have developed an ultralight, flexible solar film that can easily attach to glass, concrete, or metal, and can even be installed vertically on the facade of a building to get the max amount of sunlight available. These “sticker”-like panels will soon be soaking up the sun in cities all over!
Breath easier with better bike wheels
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Tired of getting blasted with black smoke from exhaust pipes while pedaling in the city Us too. But we found an innovation at VivaTech that might improve air quality on the roads, with just the energy of our pedaling feet! GoRolloe, a startup from London, is designing air purifying hardware that attaches to bike wheels and filters air in polluted areas, just by using wind and the kinetic energy of pedaling. A solution that can lead us to breathing better on the streets!
A body scan a day keeps the doctor away
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We normally love surprises, except when it comes to our health. Many people don’t have easy access to healthcare, which means it’s hard to find abnormalities if you don’t check on your health on a regular basis. In the light of creating wider and more regular access to healthcare checks, the French startup Bodyo, created AiPod smart health kiosks. Anyone can enter the pod, and check 26 vitals in just 6 minutes, including body composition, respiratory rate, blood pressure, metabolism and more. Their solution can be placed in busy areas like shopping centers or go on the road with their healthcare mobility solution – a van that brings their innovation anywhere roads will take it!
Creating water solutions from thin air
Photo credit: Kumulus Water
One billion people don’t have access to clean water in the world and if we could create water out of thin air by a snap of our fingers, I’m sure we all would. Well… creating water from thin air, while not necessarily at the snap of our fingers, is actually possible. Kumulus Water has created a solution that will revolutionize water collection in areas where clean drinking water is not easily accessible. Their Kumulus-1 is an Atmospheric Water Generator that produces 20 to 30 liters of healthy drinking water per day through condensation. Enough daily water for a few families! Kumulus Water also won an award as the number one start up addressing water problems for the pitch contest Eau-pération Planète.
NFTs can clean the seas
Photo credit: Aquaverse
NFTs have been all the buzz lately and it’s hard to know if they’re worth the hype. Will they be worth anything in a few years, are they bad for the environment, what do I do with an NFT There’s one startup that’s putting all those doubts to rest. Aquaverse, a French startup, has a mission to create an NFT ecosystem that gives back to the planet. They have already achieved carbon neutral production of their first NFT collection “The Guardians”. Investors of these NFTs directly help Aquaverse’s sea sponge project, which clean the oceans and naturally filter water. Aquaverse also won Best Digital Reinvented Space award at VivaTech’s Tech Elections.
Space Tech might just save you a trip to the mechanic
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Flat tires may become a thing of the past if The Smart Tire Company has a say. NASA has been developing tires for use on Mars and the moon for decades, but what if we brought that technology down to earth and used it here$7 The Ohio based startup used this NASA technology to develop airless tires for multiple mobility solutions. Their tires can’t go flat, are ultra durable and never have to be replaced. So now you can leave the jack at home for your next road trip!
Mobility floating on clouds
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For the first time outside of Japan, Mercari came to present their revolutionary scooter, Poimo, at VivaTech. A space-saving and energy-efficient mobility solution, Poimo was born from a partnership between Japanese research and development organization Mercari and the University of Tokyo. Their inflatable mobility solutions are ultra lightweight when deflated so they can be carried around – no worries about finding parking again – but are also customizable, low-cost, and sustainable.
The flyest computer around
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What if you could use your computer like you always do, but consume 75% less energy while doing so$8 That’s what Pentaform allows you to do with their AbacusBasic, a personal computer that’s been compressed to the size of just a keyboard and made from recycled plastics. What makes it so versatile is that you can connect it to any display - desktop, flat screen, or your old tube TV from 2003. The UK startup’s belief is that great technology should not cost the people nor the planet – which is why the price is less than 120€ (!)
And that’s just scratching the surface…
These are just a handful of the inspiring innovations that we were able to see for ourselves at VivaTech this year. If you want to check out all the innovations that were present, you can still access our digital platform here – many are even modeled in 3D!
Stay tuned to read about the top sessions we listened to at VivaTech 2022!