Julie Ranty emphasizes the importance of ambition in scaling Viva Technology from its inception. "We were reaching for the stars right from the beginning," she said, reflecting on the initial goal to make VivaTech a global event. This ambition attracted top-tier speakers, companies, and innovations, helping to establish VivaTech as the largest European Tech event. Starting with 40,000 attendees in 2016, Viva Technology now hosts over 150,000 participants.

One of the crucial strategies for VivaTech's success was making it an international event. Julie highlighted, "Tech is a very global ecosystem," which necessitated attracting international investors and participants. She also discussed how AI is becoming a driving force in the French Tech ecosystem, thanks to initiatives like Station F and policies from French President Emmanuel Macron. This global and AI-focused approach significantly contributed to VivaTech's rapid growth.

After seven years of leading VivaTech, Julie decided to start her own venture. "I wanted to start my own company and go on the other side of the fence," she explains. This transition was driven by her passion for education and helping people understand and adapt to the rapidly changing world. Pollen, her new company, focuses on providing live, cohort-based training to ensure impactful learning experiences.

Julie underscores the importance of continuous learning, especially in the fast-evolving tech industry. "Skills have a very short lifespan now," she notes, emphasizing that ongoing education is crucial. Pollen offers courses in both hard skills, like AI and sales methodologies, and essential soft skills. "Empathy, critical thinking, and creativity are crucial to differentiate yourself from machines," she says, highlighting the increasing relevance of these skills.

Pollen's unique approach targets companies, offering them the opportunity to distribute learning credits to their employees as a perk. This B2B model differentiates Pollen from other education platforms. As Julie explains, "we co-create trainings with our partners to match their business goals." By focusing on the needs of both startups and large corporations, Pollen ensures that its training programs are relevant, actionable, and highly impactful.

Julie's journey from managing a leading Tech event to founding an innovative education platform showcases her visionary leadership and commitment to continuous learning. As she continues to develop Pollen, it's clear that her contributions to the tech and education sectors will remain significant.

Find Julie on:

• LinkedIn: Julie Ranty
• Twitter/X: @JulieRanty

Find Ben on:

• LinkedIn: Ben Costantini
• Twitter/X: @bencostantini

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