🚀 Impact, Not Illusion. They Finally Said It.

AI: Impact, Not Illusion.
It took ten years and 200,000 visitors for Europe's biggest tech event to name the thing founders have been navigating since day one: the gap between the demo and the deal. 🔥

For a long time, VivaTech was a festival of futures.
You walked the halls and saw what the world could look like: humanoid robots, connected lenses, brain-computer interfaces. Spectacular. And largely disconnected from the reality of building a company. The stage was for visionaries. The startups were the “décor”.

Something shifted this year.
Not in the keynotes but in the conversations happening one floor below. The question that kept coming up wasn’t “what does your AI do?” It was “where is it deployed, and what does it cost to run?” Corporates arrived with use cases, not curiosity. Investors asked about margins before they asked about models. The post-hype era has a different texture: Less WOW, more ROI. Founders will take it.

At the HEC Paris Incubation & Acceleration Center, we’ve watched our founders navigate two very different VivaTechs: the one on stage, and the one in the aisles.
We ran into more people from our ecosystem than this newsletter can hold, but a few of them are worth the spotlight below!

Organized by HUB Institute and BALISTIKART, the event combines strategic discussions and practical insights for leaders navigating AI transformation in luxury. Incubateur HEC Paris is proud to be a partner of the event.

📍 MAISON. A VERSO, Paris 9e
📅 July 1, 2026

🎟️ Register here.
⚠️ Accreditation requests remain subject to organizer approval.

Breaking into a new market is never easy.
Building the right network, understanding local dynamics, finding partners, and securing customers can take months, sometimes years.

The IndiaAI created to help ambitious AI startups fast-track that journey.

Whether your goal is to validate your product internationally, establish a presence in Europe, or connect with key stakeholders in the AI ecosystem, this accelerator provides a unique platform to scale your ambitions beyond borders.

📅 Applications close on June 28, 2026 (23:59 CET).

👉 Apply here!

HEC Paris announced the launch of LIFT (Laboratory for Innovation in the Future & Transformation of Work), developed alongside the Région Île-de-France, Hi! PARIS, Accenture and Google. The initiative will explore how AI is transforming organizations, skills, productivity and business models, while a new research Chair will strengthen scientific research on AI, innovation and the future of work. 👉 Read more

Co-hosted by Creative Destruction Lab (CDL-Paris) and Hi! PARIS, this VivaTech session brought together experts from D11Z Ventures, JEDI, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Neurobus to discuss the growing role of Physical AI in defense, dual use technologies and Europe’s strategic capabilities.
👉 Read more

Through partnerships with KOSME, JETRO and IndiaAI, we welcomed six startups from South Korea, Japan and India for the Global Pitch Showcase. Japan’s Asilla won the Jury Prize for its AI powered security technology, while Korea’s KIMU STUDIO received the Public Prize for its inclusive design and AI driven experiences.
👉 Read more

Five startups from the HEC Challenge+ program pitched before a jury of intellectual property experts. Beams won first prize for its real time tumor detection technology, while WHEELMOVE was recognized for its patented electric assistance system designed to expand mobility for wheelchair users. 👉 Read more

Startups from X-HEC Entrepreneurs and HEC Startup Launchpad pitched their ventures before a jury of investors and industry leaders. Regorus won the Jury Prize for its platform automating succession case management for notaries, while Fleuret AI received the Audience Prize for its AI powered offensive cybersecurity solution.
👉 Read more

At the Women Entrepreneurs 4 Good pitching session, Ainembabazi Cathybert, founder of PearlOxy Uganda Limited, received the Jury Prize, while Phionah Nagaba, founder of Jukye BananaPak, was awarded the Public Prize. Their recognition highlighted the impact of solutions developed by women entrepreneurs addressing real world challenges. 👉 Read more

200+ applications, one stage at VivaTech. The 6th edition of the we are_challenges dedicated to innovation in cultural and creative industries just named its laureates.

Two winners with HEC roots: MatchTune, reinventing music synchronization between artists, brands and content creators, and Oly Platform, helping fashion professionals automate product distribution across marketplaces. 👉 Read more

”99% of enterprise video is only watched after something goes wrong.”
At VivaTech 2026, Varun Bharti, founder of Awiros and participant of IndiaAI program, shared how Physical AI is helping organizations improve safety and efficiency through real time operational intelligence across aerospace, smart infrastructure and industrial automation. 👉 Watch

“Billions of CCTV cameras are recording 24/7 across the world, that footage is never watched, never understood, and never acted upon. We're changing that.”
Jitendra Purohit, Co-Founder & COO of Daten & Wissen and participant of the IndiaAI program, showcased how its edge AI platform NWarchAI transforms existing CCTV infrastructure into real time systems capable of detecting safety, operational and security risks. 👉 Read more

”AI is no longer a side experiment, it's becoming a core line item”. Umamy AI showcased how AI can help recruiters identify the candidates most likely to succeed in a role, moving beyond traditional CV screening. 👉 Read more

”If you're wondering whose head is in this photo...it’s me!”.
Callendar provides climate intelligence technology helping industries design projects adapted to future climate conditions. The CEO pitched directly to Patrick Pouyanné of TotalEnergies. 👉 Read more

📚 Turn content and knowledge into actionable intelligence
”The hard part of AI video isn't generating it anymore. It's directing it.”
Vikit.ai accelerates new ways for organizations to manage, access, and leverage information with AI.

👉 View the video

🧠 Control technology with the power of human intention
”Neurex is our AI-enabled, non-invasive neural interface platform that transforms neuromuscular signals into intuitive physical and digital control.”
Adstrum transforms muscle signals into intuitive actions.

🍽️ €20M Raised to Accelerate Restaurant Digitalization

Innovorder has raised €20M to expand its platform and pursue strategic acquisitions in the restaurant tech space. By providing an end-to-end suite of tools for ordering payment and operations the company helps restaurants streamline service and fully digitize the customer experience from order to kitchen.

👏 Congratulations to Jérôme Varnier | Olivier LOVERDE | Romain MELLOUL

👉 Learn more

Eledone has raised €1.5M to accelerate the development of its AI-powered platform for B2B commercial transactions. By automating sales order entry directly into ERP systems, Eledone helps companies eliminate repetitive manual tasks, improve operational efficiency, and streamline interactions between clients and suppliers. Compatible with major ERP solutions including SAP, Oracle, Sage, and Odoo, the platform is already delivering significant productivity gains for enterprise customers.

👏 Congratulations to Bruno Heckel | Arno Heckel | Erwan Boullier
👉 Learn more

MSc X-HEC Entrepreneurs arrive on the market with a very specific positioning.
👉 CEO’s right-hand / C-level roles
👉 Venture Capital Analyst
👉 Intrapreneurship missions
👉 High-impact entrepreneurial roles

Daisy helps creative studios manage bookings, payments and operations — all in one place.
👉 Customer Care Manager & Technical specialist (Alternance)
👉 Customer Care Manager & Technical specialist (Internship)

Aquila Systems Japanese healthcare startup optimizing hospital workflows, now expanding into Europe.
👉 Business Development Intern – Internship

VetAlly AI that saves vets up to 2 hours a day on admin, so they can focus on patients.
👉 CEO’s Right-hand – Internship
👉 Product & Tech Engineer - Internship

PredCo AI-driven compliance and process efficiency for manufacturing enterprises.
👉 Sales / Bizdev – Internship

Lowpital Design thinking initiative connecting patients and healthcare professionals to innovate for hospitals.
👉 Learning Innovation Builder (GenAI)
👉 CEO’s right-hand - Internship

Yolo B2E platform supporting working mothers and caregivers by reducing their mental load.
👉 CEO’s Right-Hand person - Sales & Growth

Buddy is the startup that simplifies the administrative .
👉 Social Media Manager - Internship
👉 CEO’s right-hand

Mon Cab Flexible medical space rentals.
👉 CMO’s right-hand intern
👉 Sales / Business Development intern

Eledone automates the processing of B2B quotes and sales orders.
👉 Business Developer intern

Paradigme Platform for second-hand fashion
👉 Customer Success Manager AI & second hand on permanent contract

SkyReve is an all-in-one POS and QR ordering solution designed for restaurants and hospitality businesses.
👉 France Market Development Intern

Wilo is building a trusted AI companion designed to support the mental well-being of young people.
👉 Founding Engineer

That is the argument made by Max Tegmark, MIT physicist and chairman of the Future of Life Institute. In a recent interview, he pointed out that while restaurants, pharmaceuticals and other industries must comply with strict safety standards before releasing products, AI companies face few binding regulations despite developing technologies with potentially huge consequences.

What’s most surprising: Tegmark doesn’t blame AI executives. He blames governments, which have failed to put in place the guardrails that have long regulated other powerful industries. The question isn’t whether innovation should continue, but whether society can create the safety standards needed to ensure it develops responsibly.

The debate is no longer about what AI can do, but who should be responsible when it goes wrong.

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”
Alan Kay
Computer scientist