Conference Program
Our program is currently a work in process and will be updated regularly in the upcoming weeks leading up to this year's edition.
Democratizing Data: Growing Food in a Planet Under Pressure
Climate conditions combined with the current inflation has further exacerbated the food crisis worldwide. Yet, time and tech has proven that data can be a powerful tool in reversing this trend. From climate resilience planning to supply chain analysis, solutions to the data scarcity gap and transition to climate-smart agricultures, require a holistic approach is essential for food security and sustainable development. How can we overcome data scarcity in developing countries to produce high-resolution weather forecasts? How can we ensure open access to this information on-site? How can we improve our agricultural supply chains considering the current climate crisis? How can financial institutions and agritech startups collaborate to bridge the digital divide in agriculture?
How Can Tech Help Us Preserve the Natural Environment?
Climate change and biodiversity loss are inseparable challenges — we cannot address one without tackling the other. Yet for over a decade, ecosystems on land and in water have faced unprecedented pressure, from intensifying wildfires to rising ocean temperatures, driving a steep decline in species and natural habitats. While the tech sector undeniably contributes to environmental strain, from high energy demands to e-waste, it also holds immense potential to drive solutions. From cutting-edge innovations to frugal, nature-inspired technologies, bold initiatives are already reshaping how we protect and restore our planet. This session will spotlight actors and technologies working to preserve biodiversity, sustain ecosystems, and harness tech’s transformative power to safeguard our natural world.
What You’re Looking For: How AI Is Changing Search Engines
For over 25 years, search engines have been our primary gateway to the internet. Today, the emergence of AI-driven search engines has the potential to reshape the search landscape, transforming not only the way we consume content but also how we navigate online. Media traffic and associated revenue models are now under scrutiny, as AI might disrupt traditional ad-based frameworks. Challenges associated with AI-powered search engines have emerged, while AI-applications open new avenues for revenue models. Are we really at a turning point in the evolution of search? What could these changes mean for sales and marketing strategies? How will AI impact the user journey when searching for information?
All-You-Can-Eat: Can You Balance AI’s Appetite for Data & Privacy?
The data privacy diet is a fluctuating one, that varies across time, regions, and adapts to (tech) disruptions. Data has proven to be one of our most valuable assets today – one whose protection varies from a legislation to another. But as regulations grow stricter, a potential data wall might emerge, threatening smaller startups' competitiveness and raising questions about shifting focus to application layers rather than LLMs. From the user perspective, building ethical AI is crucial, as current models may pose significant dangers. Understanding the origins of training data is equally important—where this data comes from directly impacts individual privacy rights. Parallels with the social media industry and its challenges around privacy offer interesting lessons. How can we reconcile increasingly strict privacy regulations with data-hungry business models while avoiding past pitfalls?
Beyond the Glitch: Understanding and Mitigating AI Hallucinations
By 2030, 86% of businesses will be using AI, with its integration already permeating both public and private sectors. A frequently cited challenge that might slow this adoption are "hallucinations", where models generate fabricated or inaccurate outputs, increasing the risk of bias reinforcement and errors in application. One root cause of this phenomenon lies in AI training datasets, which, shaped by human design, inherently replicate biases. As AI becomes more embedded in our professional and personal lives, from education to healthcare, a course correction is needed. What role does AI play in shaping our access to information? Does it mitigate or amplify bias? Who holds the responsibility for addressing these concerns—dataset providers, developers, AI companies, or end users? How can we "fix" and prevent these biases? And could open-source models offer a more diverse and inclusive solution?
AI-Powered Drug Innovation: From Discovery to Development
AI-Powered Drug Innovation: From Discovery to Development The traditional journey of drug discovery and development is long, expensive, and fraught with uncertainty. Today, artificial intelligence is transforming this paradigm, offering the potential to significantly compress timelines across the entire spectrum, from initial target identification through preclinical studies and clinical trials. By enabling sophisticated modeling of biological systems and patient responses with exceptional precision, AI is not only accelerating the identification of promising drug candidates but also optimizing their development pathways. This session will explore what breakthroughs are already reshaping the field—and which are just around the corner. What are the strategic and regulatory hurdles to integrating these tools into an industry built on rigorous validation? And how can we harness the full promise of AI while safeguarding the trust, safety, and ethics that underpin medical innovation?
AI vs. Aging: The Quest for Longevity in the Age of Machine Learning
The long-held human desire to live longer is now being supercharged by artificial intelligence: scientists are leveraging machine learning to sift through massive amounts of data, pinpoint crucial biological processes, and forecast promising ways to intervene. What fresh targets and treatment approaches are emerging from AI's analytical power? How can machine learning speed up the creation and evaluation of therapies designed to slow or even reverse aging? And what are the moral and societal questions that arise as we potentially lengthen human lifespans with these advanced technologies?
Step into Healing: How is AR/VR Rewriting the Rules of Therapy?
AR/VR is moving beyond gaming and entertainment, finding practical applications in healthcare. The mental health crisis post-pandemic also adds urgency. This session explores the burgeoning use of AR/VR in therapeutic applications, including how these technologies are being used to treat mental health conditions (PTSD, anxiety), manage chronic pain, and enhance rehabilitation.
The Quantified Self: Wearables, AI, and the Predictive Power of Personalized Data
We are living in an era where technology allows us to track and understand our bodies in unprecedented detail. Wearable devices generate a wealth of personal data, and when combined with the analytical power of AI, this information can offer profound insights into our health and well-being and empower us to make proactive choices about our lifestyle and care. How is AI transforming the raw data from wearables into actionable health intelligence? What are the latest advancements in using personalized data to predict health trends and optimize individual well-being? And how can we ensure the responsible and ethical use of this intimate information to truly empower individuals on their healthcare journey? We hear from one of the key innovators in this space on the unfolding potential of personalized health data.
Mind Matters: What is Driving the Mental Health App Explosion?
The mental health apps market is projected to grow from $7.5 billion in 2025 to a staggering $24 billion by 2032. This session dives into the trends and levers driving this traction. Beyond increased awareness and de-stigmatization, how are digital health platforms, advanced data analytics, and the seamless integration of teletherapy fundamentally reshaping access and engagement in mental healthcare? What is the potential of AI to deliver truly tailored mental health support? And as the market matures, how are platforms demonstrating tangible outcomes and building trust with users and the broader healthcare ecosystem? We hear from trailblazers in this field on the trends and critical questions defining the next chapter of the mental health app revolution.
Korea's Sustainable Shift : Pioneering Green Trade
As the world accelerates its transition to a sustainable future, South Korea is at the forefront of innovation, driving energy efficiency and green technology across its key industries—shipbuilding, automotive, semiconductors, batteries, and steel. However, achieving a truly sustainable industrial transformation requires bold investments, cross-sector collaboration, and strategic global partnerships. In this session, H.E. Inho Lee, Vice Chair of KITA and former 1st Vice Minister of MOTIE will share insights on South Korea’s role in shaping the future of sustainable industry. He will address the challenges and opportunities ahead, the country’s approach to open innovation, and how global cooperation can accelerate the shift toward greener, more energy-efficient economies.
AI to the Rescue? Re-Charting the Course to Net-Zero Energy
The world's net-zero ambitions are facing significant headwinds. This session examines whether artificial intelligence can provide the much-needed boost to get the energy transition back on track. We'll explore how AI-driven solutions can optimize energy systems, accelerate the adoption of renewables, and potentially offer pathways to more equitable and accessible energy solutions in the global south. Against the backdrop of policy debates, energy sovereignty concerns, and geopolitical risks (like U.S. elections), we'll critically assess AI's potential to overcome current obstacles and ensure a just and sustainable energy future.
Harnessing the Tides: Innovation at the Ocean's Edge
What if we could harness the ocean's predictable currents for sustainable energy? Minesto, a leading marine energy company, is making that a reality. This session provides an exclusive insight into tidal energy's unique promise, as shared by the company's founder. We'll delve into its compelling attributes – cost-effectiveness, reliable predictability, and favorable regulations – and explore its tangible impact through the Faroe Islands project, a compelling example of the technology's practical application and inherent potential.
Decarbonizing Tomorrow: The Role of Carbon Removal Today
Carbon capture is key to net-zero, but the high costs and scalability challenges of technologies like carbon capture remain significant obstacles. This session will explore recent shifts in the field and critical deployment questions: What are the most promising solutions being developed today? What policies and financing models can accelerate adoption? Can "credits" actually drive corporate change? And is carbon capture still a vital piece of the decarbonization puzzle?
The Butterfly Effect: Rethinking AI’s Impact on the Planet and Society
AI models begin in lines of code and run in data centers -but their ripple effects touch ecosystems, economies, and livelihoods across the globe. This talk will explore the hidden environmental and societal costs of AI systems—from the carbon footprint of training large-scale models to the broader consequences of automation, bias, and resource consumption. It will make the case for a more intentional, accountable, and ecologically aware approach to AI development— one where efficiency, ethics, and sustainability are built into AI systems from the start.
Clean By Design: How Can We Create Green(er) AI?
The rapid expansion of AI brings with it a growing environmental burden. To truly harness its potential, we must prioritize sustainability from the ground up. This session delves into the practical solutions for minimizing AI's ecological footprint across its entire lifecycle – and lead to a truly "clean by design" AI ecosystem. From optimizing algorithms and developing energy-efficient hardware to reimagining data center cooling and exploring alternative energy sources, experts will address the critical steps needed to reduce AI's reliance on finite resources and the role of regulatory frameworks and industry initiatives in fostering responsible innovation.
Enterten: the 10 entertainment trends that will shape 2025
The Webedia Group is pleased to invite you to its conference "ENTERTEN: the 10 entertainment trends that will shape 2025". Come and discover our 10 convictions on the trends that are redefining today's entertainment.
Designing Tomorrow with Emotional Intelligence and Neuroscience
What if emotion could guide innovation without words? In this live demo, explore how Neuroscience and HABS Cognitive AI unlock unconscious emotional responses to sensory experiences. A new paradigm emerges, where R&D and marketing teams can access unbiased emotional insights to shape their products with emotional intelligence, clarity, and scientific precision.
From Players to Co-Creators: Harnessing Cross-Media Storytelling to Build Lifelong Fan Communities
Discover the transformative power of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) in community building through an interactive demo of Don’t Nod studio’s Lost Records: Bloom & Rage campaign. Experience how narrative-driven missions, real-time character interactions, and collaborative puzzles turn fans into engaged co-authors-and take part in a mission to join the story yourself.
Game On: From Web3 to Beauty Battles
Jump into two of makemepulse's boldest builds — Dookey Dash (the BAYC game that lit up Web3) and ANRCADE (Estée Lauder’s global gaming hub). Play live, chase the high score, or catch the behind-the-scenes with us. Prizes, pixels, and playful storytelling included.
Founders Discussion - Go-to-Market Playbook: What Founders Got Right (and Wrong)
A successful go-to-market strategy is key to driving growth. Learn how to define your Ideal Customer Profile, choose the right pricing strategy, and pick the best channels for your product. Avoid common mistakes like underpricing or vague messaging, and discover how to build credibility with testimonials, case studies, and early adopters.
Founders Discussion - What Are Investors Looking For?
Looking to raise funds? Understanding the mindset and what investors value can make the difference. During this session, leading investors will share what they except when it comes to key financial metrics, market size and opportunity, business model, exit potential, among others.
Founders Discussion - The Do’s and Don’ts of Fundraising
Fundraising can be one of the most challenging parts of founding a startup—and small missteps can have lasting consequences. In this session, we’ll unpack the key success factors for raising capital efficiently, from preparing investor outreach to avoiding common mistakes during negotiations. Top-tier VC funds will join the discussion to share firsthand insights on what truly drives a successful raise.
Founders Discussion - How Can AI Optimize Customer Acquisition?
AI is transforming how startups acquire customers. From identifying the right audience to refining product-market fit and personalizing outreach, AI can help optimize every step of the process. This session will explore how AI, combined with growth hacking techniques, enables startups to experiment quickly, scale effectively, and maximize their customer impact with fewer resources.
The AI Investment Equation: Balancing Innovation and Risk
As AI continues to transform industries, the potential for investment is enormous. However, with this opportunity comes a need to carefully navigate the associated pitfalls and unknowns. This panel will explore the key risks investors must consider—ranging from regulatory challenges and security concerns to ethical implications. How can investors balance the promise of AI with the need for responsible investment.
Building a Truly Inclusive Ecosystem
In times of uncertainty, prioritizing diversity and inclusion in venture capital is more critical than ever. This panel will explore actionable strategies for General Partners (GPs) to foster diversity within their firms and portfolios, focusing on building inclusive investment strategies, supporting diverse founders post-investment, and setting measurable diversity goals to drive meaningful change. GPs will gain practical insights on how to go beyond funding, expand network access, and provide tailored portfolio support to diverse founders.
Fundraising in 2025
What does it take to raise a fund in 2025? This discussion will revolve around the fundraising landscape in 2025 and what General Partners can expect when raising a fund. This investor panel will explore key insights from experienced Partners on navigating the current landscape, adapting to market shifts, and leveraging innovative approaches to attract and retain investors – a deep dive into what it takes to successfully raise a fund in 2025.
European companies going to the US
As UK and European startups increasingly head to the US in search of better funding and growth opportunities, investors on both sides of the Atlantic face shifting dynamics. This panel will explore key differences in capital access, investor expectations, and scale-up strategies across regions, examine why startups are prioritizing US expansion, and assess how Europe’s slowdown in IPOs and exits is reshaping its startup landscape.
Scaling Deep Tech: Funding Challenges and Opportunities in Europe
This panel will focus on the funding challenges and opportunities faced by Deep Tech startups in Europe, particularly at the scale-up stage. Key perspectives will be shared on topics such as funding requirements specific to the European ecosystem, high-growth technologies and sectors to prioritize for investment, and the types of investors needed to bridge funding gaps. The discussion will also cover strategic considerations for scaling, exit planning, and the regional distribution of funding across Europe, highlighting market-specific gaps.
Investor Reverse Pitch
Top Investors from across the globe pitch live in the studio. Join us to connect with both familiar faces and new voices of the global investment scene. Te Our Investor Reverse Pitch is taking place Wednesday to Friday between 11:55 and 12:35 on Stage of the VivaTech Pitch Studio. Throughout three 30-minute sessions, more than 30 funds will be pitching their investment thesis and presenting their particularities. This session will feature on-stage pitches from leading VCs and CVCs, including BGV, Peak Capital, Samaipata, Vento, Lightrock, Teklas Ventures, 360 Capital, Commerz Ventures and many more.
Female Founder Challenge
The Female Founder Challenge, organized by VivaTech, champions leading startups and breakthrough innovation built by women. Our main objective is to empower women entrepreneurs by facilitating networking opportunities and access to funding through experience-sharing and connecting them with venture capitalists. On stage, the five female founders will have the opportunity to pitch their startups in front of a jury of top decision-makers and investors. Come discover these inspiring founders! 2025 Finalists: - Hormona - Karolina Lofqvist, Founder & CEO - Parallel Carbon - Aranzazu Carmona Orbezo, Co-Founder & CTO - Radiant Matter - Elissa Brunato, Founder & CEO - Verley - Hélène Briand, Co-founder & CTO - Virtuosis AI - Lara Gervaise, Co-founder
Unveiling Startup Genome's 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report
Discover the latest insights shaping the global innovation landscape with the launch of Startup Genome’s Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) 2025. Drawing on over a decade of independent research and policy work, the GSER analyzes data from more than 5 million companies across 350+ innovation ecosystems — making it the most comprehensive research of its kind. Ranking the top 40 global ecosystems, top 100 emerging ecosystems, and detailed regional insights an expanded regional ranking, the GSER 2025 provides expert insights into the global startup landscape, offering a data-driven roadmap for founders, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders. In this session, we’ll reveal the latest rankings, cover global trends and explore the underlying drivers of today’s startup economy. Following the launch presentation, a distinguished panel of global policy makers and ecosystem leaders will share their interpretation of global trends and their impact on startups, ecosystem and economic development and related policy around the world.
I Want You: Solving the Tech Talent Paradox
It's like watching the industry pump the brakes and floor the accelerator at the same time. In the tech world many companies are downsizing. Those same companies, and many more, have also entered a fierce race to snag top talent in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence. In this complex landscape, how can professionals position themselves to be the talent that tech companies are vying for? How is AI transforming the job market and the skills required? And how will this paradox impact innovation in the long term?
Unicorn Hunting: Unveiling What Makes Startup Value Soar
Amid sky-high valuations making the headlines, it's crucial to uncover what truly propels a company's value to soar. Factors like genuine growth potential, innovative revenue models, and a clear pathway to profitability can set a startup apart in a saturated market. What convinces investors to stake millions on unprofitable ventures? How can entrepreneurs build sustainable models that not only draw investment but also deliver real value? And as valuations fluctuate, how can we discern between true innovation and fleeting hype?
The 3 W’s of Quantum: Who’s Ahead, What’s It About, and Why Should You Care?
Imagine a computer so powerful it can unravel complex problems that stump today's fastest supercomputers—a technology that could redefine industries and revolutionize the way we live and work. Quantum computing is edging closer to reality, promising breakthroughs in areas like cryptography, drug discovery, and financial modeling. Researchers and nations are investing heavily, racing to unlock its potential and gain a competitive edge. But what exactly is quantum computing, and why is it generating such excitement now? And how might it impact your industry or even your daily life?
Trust Through Security: Reinventing Digital Identity Protection
Digital identity theft poses a direct threat to the very bedrock of our digital society. When identities are compromised, the consequences extend beyond financial losses and data breaches; they erode trust in the technological systems that underpin everything from signing contracts to transferring funds. Securing digital identities is not merely a technical necessity but a fundamental requirement to maintain confidence in the technology and the human interactions it facilitates. Implementing robust strategies—such as multi-factor authentication, biometric verification, and decentralized identity solutions—is imperative. Yet, as cyber threats grow more sophisticated, are these measures sufficient to safeguard our identities? How can we, both as individuals and organizations, stay ahead in the relentless battle against cyber adversaries and reinforce trust in our increasingly connected world?
How Can Companies Navigate the New Age of AI-Powered Cyber Threats?
Companies face a new generation of cyber threats that can cripple operations in an instant. A single breach can cost millions and inflict lasting damage on reputation and customer trust. New threats like AI-powered ransomware, deepfake frauds, and supply chain infiltrations exploit vulnerabilities with unprecedented sophistication. While artificial intelligence can be leveraged for defense, it's a double-edged sword empowering cybercriminals to orchestrate more potent attacks. How can organizations outsmart cyber foes who are constantly adapting? And what cutting-edge solutions can counteract the malicious uses of AI?