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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Recorded live at VivaTech 2024 in Paris, we sat down with Paola Telfer, founder and CEO of Sens.ai. Sens.ai is at the forefront of mental wellness technology, using innovative AI solutions to transform how we approach mental health. This interview highlights Paola's journey, her groundbreaking product, and the future of mental wellness technology.

Paola Telfer's journey into mental wellness technology began with a personal crisis following a motor vehicle accident. She saw gaps in the market regarding mental health solutions and decided to bridge these gaps. “I realized that there were subtle levels of mind in your subconscious that were difficult to access precisely,” she explains. This realization led to the development of Sens.ai, aiming to make these transformative tools accessible to more people.

One of the core components of Sens.ai is its neurofeedback technology. Users wear a headset and use a mobile app that transforms their biological signals, like heart rate and brain waves, into music and visuals. Paola shares, "It's like a mirror for your mind, guiding you to deeper states of consciousness where you can rewire your stories." This technology allows users to engage in deep mental exercises that can rewire their brains for better mental health.

While neurofeedback devices have existed in the medical space, Sens.ai aims to make this technology consumer-friendly. Paola emphasizes, "We wanted to redesign the electrodes entirely to make it super easy to use, with no paste in your hair, and seconds to get the signal going." This user-centric approach ensures that the technology is accessible and effective for everyday use.

Sens.ai incorporates advanced AI to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of its mental wellness technology. Paola highlights the importance of a clean data set for applying AI effectively. "We had to make sure the integrity of the data set was absolutely critical," she notes. AI not only improves the precision of neurofeedback but also personalizes the user experience by adapting to individual needs.

Looking ahead, Sens.ai aims to expand its reach and impact. The company is raising a $20 million Series A to scale its operations. Additionally, Sens.ai is exploring group coherence, where multiple users can synchronize their brainwaves and heart coherence for enhanced group dynamics. On ethics, Paola stresses the importance of transparency and simplicity in handling user data. “Your data should never harm you,” she assures, emphasizing the company’s commitment to privacy and ethical AI use.

Find Paola on:

• LinkedIn: Paola Telfer
• Twitter/X: @Paola Telfer

Find Ben on:

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

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X for more cool stories from the people we catch during the best Tech events!

Recorded live at VivaTech 2024 in Paris, this podcast episode features Dr. Olivia Lesslar. She is a leading expert in integrating technology and medicine. Dr. Lesslar shares her journey from traditional medicine to the tech industry, highlighting her work in psychoneuroimmunology - the term used to describe the interactions between one's emotional state, nervous system function, and immune system - and medical innovation.

Dr. Olivia Lesslar began her medical career in Australia, where she trained as a medical doctor. Her interest in unconventional areas of medicine, such as the "tail ends of the bell curve," set her apart early on. "I was interested in the tail ends of the bell curve because that's where you're going to find innovation," she explains. This curiosity led her to explore lifestyle and functional medicine, eventually drawing her toward psychoneuroimmunology.

Psychoneuroimmunology, which intersects psychology, behavioral sciences, the nervous system, immunology, and hormones, became a focal point for Dr. Lesslar. She describes it as "the hard science behind the soft science of mind-body medicine." This field resonated with her holistic approach to patient care, where she considered emotional and psychological factors alongside physical symptoms.

Dr. Lesslar's transition into the tech industry was serendipitous. Her unique perspective on problem-solving aligned well with tech entrepreneurs. "I look at problems differently, and funny enough, tech entrepreneurs look at problems differently," she shares. This alignment led to her involvement with various tech ventures, including an accidental venture partner role with Sustainable Alpha and her position as science director for Sens.ai.

Although new to AI, Dr. Lesslar quickly saw its potential in healthcare. Surrounded by experts, she delved into AI's applications in medical practice. She highlights, "AI has been really helpful in trying to aggregate and distill all that information in a way that's palatable to practitioners and patients alike." Her ability to bridge medical knowledge with tech innovation became a valuable asset in her career.

Today, Dr. Lesslar continues to innovate at the intersection of medicine and technology. Her work spans multiple companies and projects, all aimed at improving patient care through advanced medical technologies and holistic approaches. Reflecting on her journey, she emphasizes the importance of integrating diverse expertise to drive meaningful progress in healthcare.

Find Olivia on:

• LinkedIn: Dr. Olivia Lesslar
• Twitter/X: @DrOliviaLesslar

Find Ben on:

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

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X for more cool stories from the people we catch during the best Tech events!

As CEO, Nathalie Birocheau begins by introducing IRCAM, a renowned French institution founded 40 years ago by Pierre Boulez. "Ircam was created to imagine a place where musicians, composers, scientists, and engineers could work together to invent the future of music," Nathalie explains. This innovative environment has been instrumental in advancing audio technology and contemporary music.

To bridge the gap between research and market needs, in 2020 Nathalie co-founded Ircam Amplify - a spin-off for the commercialization of IRCAM's audio innovations. "Ircam Amplify is a private company focused on creating innovative products and services inspired by Ircam's expertise." Consequently, the goal is to develop market-centric solutions that address real-world problems in the audio industry. Moreover, by leveraging Ircam's extensive knowledge and experience, Ircam Amplify aims to deliver practical and impactful advancements in audio technology.

Under Nathalie's leadership, Ircam Amplify continues to develop various audio technologies for the music industry. "We've created solutions for tagging music catalogs, verifying track quality, and detecting undeclared covers." One notable innovation is a tool that shortens music tracks while preserving artistic intent, making them suitable for radio play.

Ircam Amplify collaborates with leading brands like Louis Vuitton, seamlessly integrating audio technology into their products. As Nathalie explains, "we are the sound partner for Louis Vuitton's connected objects, ensuring a holistic approach to audio that enhances the user experience." Furthermore, this partnership shows how audio innovation can elevate brand desirability and product differentiation. As a result, the collaboration showcases the potential of advanced audio solutions. It also highlights the importance of sound in creating a compelling consumer experience.

Nathalie discusses the development of an AI-generated music detector, responding to the influx of AI-created content. "Our algorithm can detect tracks created by AI, providing transparency for consumers and tools for the music industry to manage their catalogs." This innovation highlights the need for transparency and quality in the evolving landscape of music technology.

Find Nathalie on:

• LinkedIn: Nathalie Birocheau
• Twitter/X: @NBirocheau

Find Ben on:

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

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Be sure to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X for more cool stories from the people we catch during the best Tech events!

Omid Ekhlasi began his career as a journalist before transitioning into marketing. This background equipped him with a unique perspective on storytelling and audience engagement. He explains, "My background is in journalism, and I went into marketing, which helped me understand the different stages of company building."

Omid's journey took a pivotal turn when he joined a venture studio that focused on building and investing in startups. He worked closely with founders, helping them transition from R&D to a commercial focus. As Omid recalls, "over the years, I got the opportunity to work very closely with founders and learn about the challenges of building a company."

Seeing the need for more networking opportunities for entrepreneurs in Sweden back in 2014, Omid founded Techarenan - an international platform for innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability bringing together entrepreneurs, business leaders, experts, investors, decision makers and politicians. "We started out with a very small entrepreneurship competition because we thought, how could we bring entrepreneurs together?" This initial competition quickly grew under Omid's leadership, expanding to include investors, media, and policymakers, and eventually evolving to a larger, more impactful event called The Tech Arena.

The Tech Arena's initial success led to rapid expansion. Four years after founding Techarenan, Omid and his team made the strategic decision to focus solely on growing The Tech Arena event. "In 2018, we saw that this was getting bigger, and we needed to make a decision. So, we incorporated the company and built a small team to take The Tech Arena to the next level."

When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world in 2020, of course The Tech Arena encountered substantial difficulties. Fortunately, they managed to rise above these challenges and became even more robust. Thanks to Omid's focused leadership during those difficult years, The Tech Arena is now becoming a significant player on the international stage. "We decided to create this event in Sweden and make it the biggest Tech event in Scandinavia," he says. By emphasizing Tech event leadership, The Tech Arena aims to attract even more international participants and continue fostering a strong community of entrepreneurs.

Adrienne Jan shared her career trajectory, starting from Orange to becoming Scaleway's Chief Product Officer. Her journey took her from France to California and back, working with startups and major companies like AEG. She emphasized the importance of international experience, saying, "Go work abroad. It gives you a lot of interesting insights on cultural differences and how they also affect the way our products are used."

Adrienne highlighted the significance of her diverse team at Scaleway. The team consists of product managers, designers, tech writers, product marketers, and UX researchers. She explained, "Product managers are in charge of implementing the product strategy and working with the engineering team to build the product." She stressed the importance of each role in creating successful products.

One of Adrienne's notable achievements at Scaleway was tripling the velocity of product development. She explained that this rapid development is crucial for competing with major American cloud providers. "We're going to probably launch 30 new products this year," she stated, emphasizing the need for speed and efficiency in bringing products to market.

Adrienne discussed Scaleway's partnership with the French AI company H, providing a supercomputer of GPUs for training large AI models. She noted the importance of European innovation, stating, "Not all of AI is American or Chinese. There's a lot of opportunity for Europe to have a strong positioning with great engineers and a lot of innovation."

Adrienne is optimistic about AI's role in product management, believing it will automate routine tasks and allow for more focus on creativity and innovation. She advised future product managers to be pragmatic and take risks, saying, "Our job is creating products, and that requires human intelligence in terms of strategy and positioning."

Céline Farcet's journey at L'Oréal R&I exemplifies a profound evolution in corporate innovation, transitioning from material science to spearheading tech partnerships.

She shifted her focus from academia to startup collaborations, particularly in Deep Tech, to enhance L'Oréal's innovation pipeline. "I was super curious about it," Farcet explains, highlighting her proactive move towards more open and collaborative innovation models.

This strategic shift in tech partnering strategies underscores L'Oréal's commitment to integrating sustainable technology and deep tech collaboration into their corporate fabric.

The scope of Farcet's role at L'Oréal is truly global. Her activity spans across the U.S., Israel, Asia, and Europe.

This international strategy allows L'Oréal to "scan globally all the innovations that could come from the ecosystem of startups."

This ensures that only the most fitting advancements are chosen, aligning with their strategic challenges. Such global scanning is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving cosmetics sector.

Farcet shares insights into some exciting projects, such as L'Oréal's acquisition of Lactobio. This Danish microbiome startup (the microbiome is the community of microorganisms, such as fungi, bacteria and viruses, that exists in a particular environment) is part of L'Oréal's portfolio alongside Gjosa, a Swiss company. Gjosa developed a low-flow showerhead in partnership with L'Oréal.

These examples highlight L'Oréal's dedication to diversifying its technology base and enhancing sustainability efforts. Furthermore, they reflect L'Oréal's strategic approach to improving product offerings through innovative external collaborations.

Participation in events like Hello Tomorrow is crucial for Farcet and her team.

These events help them identify and integrate cutting-edge technologies. "It's not enough to just meet [startups]," Farcet explains.

She emphasizes the importance of conducting meticulous technical due diligence. This process determines the potential cosmetic value of new technologies. Consequently, this thorough vetting ensures that only the most promising innovations meet L'Oréal's rigorous selection criteria.

Farcet is particularly excited about the role of sustainable technologies in meeting L'Oréal's future goals.

The 'L'Oréal for the Future' program aims to transform L’Oréal’s activity by taking into
account the complete value chain (upstream and downstream) by 2030. One of the commitments leads to increase in the incorporation of bio-based ingredients through sustainable processes without increasing
land use.

This ambitious plan requires continuous innovation and effective partnerships, leveraging both to maintain a balance between growth and sustainability.