Research, innovation and entrepreneurship: the French deeptech thinks big!

In order to raise awareness among students and PhD students about innovation and research without losing sight of business creation, Bpifrance will launch on October 6 the “Deeptech thinks BIG” in Paris and in digital format all over France. Among others, the event aims at changing students and PhD students into the startupers of tomorrow by raising awareness of universities and academic stakeholder about this challenge.

The CDEFI (Conférence des directeurs des écoles françaises d’ingénieurs) is a partner of this event, which is BIG (Bpifrance Inno Génération) event that has been held for seven years. This year, in a continuation to the Deeptech Plan launched by the French government, Bpifrance has designed with entrepreneurs and scientists the operation “La deeptech voit BIG” (Deeptech thinks BIG) that will take the form of a series of conferences about the themes in relation with entrepreneurship and research. 

Building a new world

“It’s your turn to change the world of tomorrow!” This is how Bpifrance invited all students, PhD students, researchers, start-up creators, entrepreneurs and all stakeholders of the ecosystem to “depollute the oceans, revolutionise alimentation and give the sight back to blind people!”

Indeed, according to Bpifrance, “new technologies will gradually help us design new ways of consumption, to eat, to take treatments, to protect our environment, and not in 10 or 20 years, but right new”. So, without waiting and for this purpose that this information session is organised on October 6, both onsite at the Accord Arena in Paris and in live streaming to discover “the range of opportunities for innovation” and meet “those who already kickstarted the trend to build a new world”. 

Science meets innovation

The objective of this event, says the CDEFI is to encourage students and PhD students to participate in the social changes by making “science and innovation meet” and providing “collectively the means to young entrepreneurs to develop innovative products in order to create a new generation of start-ups”.

To make this new generation emerge, the programme of the workday (free registration on the Bpifrance website) plans many speakers from all horizons, including the academic, research and business fields. In addition to the participation of Frédérique Vidal, French Minister for higher education, Sylvie Retailleau, president of the Paris Saclay University, and Antoine Petit, CEO of the CNRS will be present. In addition to them, many presidents or CEOs of young companies, i.e. those who “make the deeptech” are expected for this event.

Deeptech, you said?

“Deeptech is word you’re going to hear a lot”, said the director of innovation at Bpifrance. What does it mean, exactly?

Whether it’s deeptech or deep tech, the term means, according to Bpifrance, “the start-ups offering products or services on the base of innovations and disruption”, with the ambition to “work towards the resolution of the main challenges of the 21^st century” in all industries. The interest for deeptechs, says Bpifrance, is of course global, but as the operator highlights, “France can count on the excellence of its research to shine in this field”. And this “Deeptech thinks BIG” is a testament of that!

To know more 

- Event “La deeptech voit BIG”

- What is deeptech ? 

- CDEFI, a partner of “La deeptech voit BIG”

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