Bonjour, Viva Technologists!
Here in Paris, it’s time for the fourth annual Viva Technology event—VivaTech, to those in the know. Over the next three days, 100,000 people will gather to “explore transformational ideas on a global scale,” as the organizers put it. In other words, it’s a really big tech conference.
What makes VivaTech different from other big tech conferences, though, is its distinctly European saveur. With prominent backing from the French state, an explicit aim of the event is to “help more European unicorns emerge.” Squeezed between the established Silicon Valley titans and the growing might of Asian tech giants, Europe has long struggled to shepherd many home-grown beasts to sufficient size in the modern tech barnyard—er, economy. To this end, some 9,000 startups are descending on Paris to showcase their wares at VivaTech, looking to raise funds or partner up with the bevy of big companies that are here to see the latest that Europe’s tech scene has to offer.
This daily email from Quartz is your guide to the goings on at VivaTech, whether you’re at the rendezvous or following from afar. Your correspondents at the Porte de Versailles expo center for the next few days are the London-based duo of editor Jason Karaian and reporter John Detrixhe. Send us your tips and term sheets.
It will be partly cloudy in the City of Lights today, with a high of 17°C (63°F). Allons-y!
Setting the scene
Stuck in the middle with vous. VivaTech is all about European innovation, but it takes place against the backdrop of the increasingly acrimonious trade war between the US and China that is rippling through Europe. Chinese telecom equipment group Huawei is a prominent target of the Trump administration’s ire, effectively banned from selling its gear in America and seeing customers around the world come under pressure to drop contracts for fear of retaliation against their American operations.
Huawei execs are prominent at Vivatech—deputy chairman Ken Hu and European president Vincent Pang both appear on the program today—and will be trying to convince buyers and partners that it’s safe to do business with the Shenzhen-based firm. Meanwhile, Huawei’s rivals in Europe, the US, and elsewhere may use Trump’s attack on the telecom group as leverage to push their less politically charged kit.
But what does this matter to the masses of startups scrounging for angel investments and seed rounds? Any company with dreams of scaling up will, eventually, be forced to reckon with geopolitics of one sort or another. With the world’s great powers now squaring off over the fundamental building blocks of the digital economy—data privacy, 5G networks, and the like—it’s not something that founders can afford to ignore.
What to watch for today
Emmanuel Macron takes a stroll. The French president will arrive at VivaTech first thing and spend a few hours perusing the halls, inspecting several of the country’s startups, and, precisely at 10:45am, will bump into Alibaba founder Jack Ma along the way. Macron, who pledged to make France a “startup nation,” appears on the main stage at 11:30am, followed directly by Ma of China, a country that has a much better claim to calling itself a startup nation.
Heavy hitters. Other bigwigs on the main stage include IBM CEO Ginni Rometty and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau in the morning. Later, Citroën and BlaBlaCar execs will discuss “The Future of Mobility” (and Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt will pitch electric scooters). Former US secretary of state John Kerry—the closest thing to a US political official on the main program—will close out the day.
Best of the rest. Holly Ridings, NASA’s first woman chief flight director, is on Stage X in the morning. In the afternoon, there’s a panel on “Building the United Tech of Europe” (it’s going so well with the political union, after all). We’re looking forward to cringeworthy anecdotes when venture capitalists confess their “Untold Failure Stories” on the Startup Stage. At the CEO Forum, the EU Prize for Women Innovators will see four lucky founders, from a shortlist of 12, split €350,000 in cash.
Marketers-look-away-now session of the day: “Will AI Replace Your CMO?”
And now for something completely different: “The Empathic Car,” “The End of Plastic in the 21st Century?,” and “Becoming the Bisqueen.”
Party planner. Tonight, the crowds will flock to the Viva Party, put on by mega-incubator Station F. Held at La Felicità, “Europe’s largest restaurant,” the soirée promises live music and plentiful Italian food. If you don’t have an invite, a trawl of Eventbrite listings will reveal more VivaTech-linked events. Also, you’re in Paris, so there are plenty of other things to do.
Chart interlude
Like everywhere else in Europe, French tech companies are deeply underfunded relative to the US.
News from around the world
Austria banned headscarves in primary schools. Members of parliament approved the measure, which had been proposed by the country’s right-wing government. The wording of the law does not explicitly target Muslims, but representatives from the center-right and far-right parties of the governing coalition have made clear that it is aimed at the Islamic headscarf.
Tens of thousands protested against Jair Bolsonaro. The far-right president faced his first mass demonstrations since taking office in January, as students and teachers across Brazil rallied against sharp cuts to the education budget.
Alabama’s governor signed a near-total abortion ban into law. The bill was passed in the state senate less than 24 hours earlier, and is the most restrictive anti-abortion measure in the US since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. It criminalizes abortions at any stage of a pregnancy, with an exemption if the mother’s life is threatened, but not in cases of rape or incest.
Matters of debate
Restrictive abortion laws come at a cost… to men. Paternity is expensive, and, in many places, mandatory.
“Healthy” food products are missing the point. Many plant-based alternatives hailed as miracles contain GMOs that could prove dangerous.
Snakebites are the world’s biggest hidden health crisis. Most victims don’t have access to treatment, and one person dies from a bite every four minutes.
Surprising discoveries
Archeologists are horrified by plans for an international Machu Picchu airport. Critics say the multi-billion-dollar construction would destroy the already fragile Inca citadel.
Driverless trucks hit Sweden’s roads. Swedish transport startup Einride says that autonomous trucks save it 60% on operating costs.
Uber will let you mute your driver. A new “Quiet Mode” lets riders send a clear signal that now is not the time for idle chatter.
Our best wishes for an inspiring day. Please send any news, tips, bistro suggestions, and tariff exemptions to us, Jason and John. The best way to keep up with the news while you’re on the go this week is the Quartz app for iPhone and Android.