Day 2 at VivaTech | techUK member delegation to Paris

Day 2 at VivaTech was just as lively and busy as the first. The delegation was in high spirits after yesterday’s boat party, and took today as an opportunity to explore both VivaTech Halls 1 and 2 to further business development for their own companies. It was great to see members of the delegation even helping one another by passing on the contacts of tech leaders that they had met throughout the first day. 

In the afternoon, the techUK delegation visited a buzzing British Embassy Stand for a drinks reception and to hear from Deputy Ambassador of the United Kingdom in France Theo Rycroft. 

Spotted Elsewhere… 

There were a number of interesting panels throughout the second day. 

Elon Musk addressed the Dome Stage at the end of the day, where some of the delegation listened to the Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, The Boring Company and X (formally Twitter) Chief. Musk spoke about the opportunities and challenges of AI, the way that he believes Neuralink will change the world, the journey of Tesla, his views on President Biden’s 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs, and his experience taking over X. 

Stage 2 saw a panel on ‘Fostering European Innovation: A Discussion on Open Collaboration’ with representatives from Meta, French incubator Station F, Fringuant, and Scaleway. The panel spoke about the strengths of the French tech sector, notably the strong talent coming from universities that specialise in the deep tech space, the openness of the economy, and the support given by incubators like Station F. The excitement for AI adoption can also be found within the French Government, with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal recently announcing the ‘Albert’ AI assistant for administrative workers to help simplify and speed up bureaucratic processes in the public service. The panel discussed the importance of getting European AI regulation right, specifically ensuring that public trust in AI remains high - so that public adoption of B2C AI products remains commensurately high - but also ensuring that regulation does not stifle investment into the European AI sector. 

On stage 3, a panel on ‘What does democratic tech look like?’ discussed areas of how the opportunities and problems that technology can create in the democratic societies. Taiwan’s Digital Minister spoke on the panel about how technology can be viewed as a way of seeing the world in a more complete and full way. However the panel agreed that as the consumption of information has shifted much more towards digital means. The panel discussed the need for digital skills but also public literacy ensure the democratic process is not disrupted negatively through technology. Sonja Solomon, from the Centre for Media Technology and Democracy, spoke about the importance of tech companies funding programmes around inclusion and greater communication between those working in the social justice and technology spheres. 

Stage 4 featured a (literal) insight into the mind of one of France's most successful serial entrepreneurs. For a session entitled ‘Inside the mind of an Entrepreneur: how do leaders make decisions?’, neuroscience Professor Steven Laureys put a cognitive device on the forehead of BlaBlaCar founder Fred Mazzella, and demonstrated how his cognitive activity changed throughout the panel. Professor Laureys spoke of the importance of neurodiversity in both the individual and collective entrepreneurial journey, stating that cognitive flexibility - the ability to combine confidence, adaptability and awareness in entrepreneurial endeavours is key. 

If you would like to attend future delegations including Washington DC or India, please contact Sabina Ciofu and Daniel Clarke. 

Daniel Clarke

Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade, techUK

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Daniel Clarke

Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade, techUK

Dan joined techUK as a Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade in March 2023.

Before techUK, Dan worked for data and consulting company GlobalData as an analyst of tech and geopolitics. He has also worked in public affairs, political polling, and has written freelance for the New Statesman and Investment Monitor.

Dan has a degree in MSc International Public Policy from University College London, and a BA Geography degree from the University of Sussex.

Outside of work, Dan is a big fan of football, cooking, going to see live music, and reading about international affairs. 

Email:

[email protected]