What to Expect in This Article:
🧭 VivaTech 2025 highlights and record-breaking stats
🧭 The rise of AI and key technologies featured
🧭 Overview of major themes: AI, sustainability, global collaboration, inclusion
🧭 Notable speakers and corporate involvement
🧭 Novable’s approach to startup scouting at the event
🧭 Strategic partnership reveal with Yumana
🧭 The Lectra x Novable collaboration case study
🧭 Insights from onsite interactions and media coverage from Libre Eco
🧭 Reflections on the future direction of innovation
The VivaTech 2025, held at Paris’s Expo Porte de Versailles, was a monumental celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship. With over 180,000 attendees, 450+ speakers, and 14,000 startups, it became Europe’s premier technology gathering showcasing the future of global innovation. It was incredible to witness firsthand the event’s transformative impact, groundbreaking AI demonstrations, startup showcases, and unprecedented networking opportunities.
Here’s a recap of the highlights from VivaTech 2025.
VivaTech 2025 was dominated by artificial intelligence, with Jensen Huang from NVIDIA delivering a spectacular keynote, unveiling Mistral Compute, a groundbreaking European AI infrastructure. This pivotal announcement was complemented by insights from tech luminaries including Yann LeCun from Meta, Fidji Simo from Instacart and OpenAI, and Joe Tsai from Alibaba, who shared perspectives on AI’s role in commerce and global innovation. The presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and Clara Chappaz, France’s Minister Delegate for Digital Affairs, underscored government commitment to technological advancement.
The event’s investment activity was intense, with 3,600 prominent investors including Accel, KKR, Lightspeed, and GV (Google Ventures) engaging with more than 14K startups across more than 30 sectors. The exhibition floor showcased AI-driven innovations from emerging companies like Unitree, Buddyo, Vrai AI, and Next, captivating the attendees.
VivaTech 2025 showcased several key themes that defined the innovation landscape:
🦾 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning dominated discussions across all sectors, with practical applications demonstrated in healthcare, finance, retail, and automation. The Mistral Compute announcement exemplified Europe’s growing AI infrastructure capabilities.
♻️ Sustainability and Climate Tech took center stage with initiatives like the Impact Bridge and recognition of companies like Verley in biotechnology and regenerative agriculture solutions, emphasizing technology’s role in environmental challenges.
💡 Global Collaboration and Cross-Border Innovation was evident through Canada’s country of honor status, 171 nationalities represented, and diverse pavilions from the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia, highlighting the interconnected nature of modern innovation.
📈 Venture Capital and Investment Trends shaped many conversations, with 3,600 investors actively engaging startups and exploring new models of corporate-startup collaboration beyond traditional funding approaches.
🫂 Inclusion and Diversity in Tech was celebrated through dedicated awards and initiatives, recognizing female founders, underrepresented communities, and emerging markets’ contributions to global innovation.
VivaTech 2025 delivered unprecedented engagement metrics:
The event featured over 300 announcements and launches, many showcasing AI-driven solutions across diverse fields, including healthcare, fintech, sustainability, and robotics. Key sectors represented included Robotics and Industrial Automation, FinTech, Blockchain and Web3, Mobility and Smart Cities, and HealthTech and Biotech.
At Novable, we focus on connecting corporates with the right startup partners, and VivaTech 2025 provided an exceptional platform for meaningful engagement. Our team had insightful conversations with corporate leaders about the latest venturing trends, exploring how established companies are adapting their innovation strategies to work with startups more effectively. These discussions reinforced our belief that collaboration between corporates and emerging companies is essential for a thriving innovation landscape. Or better yet, let us rephrase it closer to reality – there is no other way in the long-run to survive.
According to Libre Eco’s coverage, “Everyone walking through VivaTech’s aisles is a scout looking for innovation,” with our challenge being “to convince them in 2-3 minutes that Novable can help them innovate faster and more efficiently.” The publication noted how our team took a proactive approach, directly engaging with innovation leaders from major corporations, which Olivier Beaujean described as “what works best.”
Libre Eco also highlighted that VivaTech 2025 provided the perfect backdrop for Novable to officially announce our strategic partnership with French company Yumana. As Laurent Kinet, CEO of Novable, explained to the publication: “We met a year ago and realized our activities were highly complementary with clear business synergies.” The report detailed how Yumana, co-founded by entrepreneur Céline Degreef, has developed a software platform that enables large corporations to manage their internal innovation projects, supporting “intrapreneurs” with expert guidance – creating what Libre Eco described as “a clear win-win” collaboration with Novable’s external startup scouting capabilities.
The event highlighted how Novable’s role in facilitating these connections becomes increasingly critical as the startup ecosystem evolves. From AI-driven solutions to sustainability initiatives, the breadth of innovation at VivaTech demonstrated the diverse opportunities available when the right partnerships are formed. Our conversations revealed how corporates are actively seeking new ways to engage with startups, moving beyond traditional investment models to create more integrated collaboration frameworks and resolve their complex solutions.
VivaTech 2025 not only reflected the current state of technology but also set ambitious goals for the future. As we look toward the 10th anniversary edition (and our 4th edition), the event serves as a reminder of technology’s potential to drive positive change through strategic partnerships. The convergence of AI innovation, global collaboration, and purpose-driven technology established VivaTech as more than just a tech conference, it became a catalyst for the future of innovation itself, where platforms like Novable play a crucial role of a “navigator”, connecting the dots between visionary startups and forward-thinking corporations.
During VivaTech 2025, one of the most compelling narratives of innovation emerged through the strategic partnership between Lectra and Novable, highlighting the power of targeted startup scouting. Their collaboration demonstrated a sophisticated approach to identifying and engaging with emerging technologies that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The partnership between Lectra and Novable exemplified the event’s core theme of strategic collaboration. Through an iterative and precise scouting process, they successfully identified and refined a portfolio of fifteen startups that aligned closely with Lectra’s strategic objectives. This methodical approach went beyond traditional startup screening, leveraging Novable’s expertise in uncovering hidden technological gems.
At VivaTech 2025, the Lectra-Novable team emphasized the irreplaceable value of face-to-face interactions. While digital tools are crucial, the event reinforced that personal connections remain at the heart of meaningful innovation partnerships.
For more details about this partnership, view the full interview below:
As VivaTech 2025 demonstrated, the future of innovation is not just about technological advancement, but about creating meaningful connections, fostering collaborative ecosystems, and addressing global challenges through strategic partnerships. If you would like to learn more on how to strengthen your partnerships strategically, book a complementary consultation below and find your solutions for innovation challenges!
