This 2026 edition of VivaTech demonstrated the unique ability of Institut Polytechnique de Paris to bridge research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry. The success of our startups, the commitment of our interdisciplinary centers, and the signing of new strategic partnerships bear witness to the growing contribution of our Institute to the major technological, industrial, and societal challenges facing France and Europe.
VivaTech 2026 Review: Institut Polytechnique de Paris Confirms its Role as a Driving Force for Technological and Entrepreneurial Innovation
29 Jun. 2026
Against a backdrop of intense international technological competition, Institut Polytechnique de Paris leveraged VivaTech 2026 to demonstrate the strategic role of academic research in innovation, deep-tech startup creation, and the reinforcement of European scientific and technological sovereignty. With 27 startups, five incubators, and four interdisciplinary centers mobilized, IP Paris highlighted the richness and diversity of its innovation ecosystem, built alongside its six member schools.
This edition was marked by several structuring highlights for IP Paris: the signature of a cooperation agreement with the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) of Montreal, the conclusion of a partnership with the startup AMI Labs, and the entry of Danone into the IP Paris Connexion program. It was also marked by a visit from Philippe Baptiste, Minister of Higher Education and Research, to the IP Paris booth, reflecting the interest in the Institute's initiatives and excellence. Other highlights of this edition included a Learning Expedition bringing together the directors of IP Paris member schools to explore major global innovation trends, as well as the showcasing of six IP Paris startups holding the Tech for Change label. The event concluded with the victory of the startup Tinental at the Startup Germany Challenge Pitch, illustrating the dynamism of the innovation ecosystem and the entrepreneurial excellence of IP Paris, which brings together six major French engineering schools: École polytechnique, ENSTA, École nationale des ponts et chaussées (ENPC), ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris, and Télécom SudParis.
Over four days, startups, researchers, students, faculty, industrial and institutional partners gathered around a common goal: to demonstrate the capacity of Institut Polytechnique de Paris to transform scientific excellence into high-impact economic, industrial, and societal innovations, alongside the world's leading companies.
A Showcase of Entrepreneurial and Scientific Excellence at Institut Polytechnique de Paris
Throughout the exhibition, startups from the incubators (X-UP, ENSTARTUPS, Ponts Alumni, Télécom Paris Incubator, IMT Starter) and/or founded by alumni of the Institute presented their innovations in strategic fields such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, energy, cybersecurity, and industry.
This year, six IP Paris startups were honored with the Tech for Change label, which recognizes innovations addressing major environmental and societal challenges. This recognition bears witness to the capacity of entrepreneurs supported by the Institute to develop positive-impact technologies.
From the very first day, several young companies had the opportunity to present their innovations to major corporations and key innovation players. The startups Draft & Goal and Lprint notably pitched to representatives from Schneider Electric and WILCO. The startup HEDI presented its technologies to delegations from Société Générale and AXA, while GREEN-GRAPH had the opportunity to present its solutions to Sanofi teams. These meetings helped foster exchanges with industrial partners capable of accelerating the development and deployment of these innovations.
Among the highlights of the exhibition, Alizée Mesnard, a student at École polytechnique and Télécom SudParis, represented the Institute's entrepreneurial ecosystem during the final of the Next Startupper Award with her startup ShiftElec, incubated at IMT Starter.
This momentum continued throughout the event with technological demonstrations, investor meetings, and numerous pitches organized at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris booth.
Interdisciplinary Centers at the Heart of Major Contemporary Challenges
VivaTech 2026 was also an opportunity for IP Paris to showcase its interdisciplinary centers, true accelerators of research and innovation at the crossroads of disciplines.
The Hi! PARIS center, created with HEC Paris, led the second day of the exhibition through a series of demonstrations dedicated to advancements in artificial intelligence and data science. Visitors discovered projects illustrating the potential of AI serving research, business, and society.
A panel dedicated to HealthTech highlighted the work of the Engineering for Health (E4H) interdisciplinary center alongside the startup Vair. Meanwhile, the Energy for Climate (E4C) Center showcased work carried out to address the challenges of the energy and climate transition.
New Strategic Partnerships to Strengthen the Impact of IP Paris
This 2026 edition was also marked by several major institutional advancements.
On Thursday, June 18, IP Paris signed a strategic academic partnership with the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) of Montreal, thereby strengthening its international cooperation and exchanges between the two institutions in the fields of education, research, and innovation.
IP Paris also concluded a structuring partnership with the startup AMI Labs, in the presence of two of its founders, Yann LeCun and Laurent Solly, alongside Thierry Coulhon, President of IP Paris, Jamal Atif, Vice-President for Research and Innovation, and Vincent Rapp, Director of the Hi! PARIS center.
Finally, the signing of Danone's entry into the IP Paris Connexion program strengthened the ties between the Institute and major corporations committed to technological, industrial, and societal transformations.
Training the Future Players of Innovation
True to its educational mission, Institut Polytechnique de Paris also enabled its students to discover the international innovation ecosystem through a dedicated Learning Expedition. Around fifteen students from the six member schools met with startups, support structures, investors, and public innovation bodies (Inria, La mission French Tech, Deeptech France).
The event also concluded with a remarkable distinction for the startup Tinental, which won the final of the Startup Germany Challenge Pitch organized during VivaTech, once again illustrating the entrepreneurial excellence driven by IP Paris.
Through this participation, Institut Polytechnique de Paris confirms its ambition: to accelerate the emergence of tomorrow's technologies, strengthen European scientific and technological sovereignty, and train the talents who will build the innovations of the future.
Press Contact
MadameMonsieur Agency:
Stéphanie Masson – 06 84 65 17 34 – smasson@madamemonsieur.agency
Julia Blachon – 06 78 35 10 49 – jblachon@madamemonsieur.agency
For all press inquiries, please copy Christine Lascombe - presse@ip-paris.fr