Innovative setting up projects labelled at Vivatech

Provence Promotion has awarded several "Invest in Provence" labels

In the halls of Vivatech, dedicated to technological innovations, Provence Promotion is making a lot of contacts! This 6th edition is characterized by its intention to be ever more international, an opportunity for the agency to reach French and foreign targets and to invite growing start-ups to come and discover Provence. A member of the jury for the pitch competition organized by the French-speaking community My Global Village, nine start-ups will win a personalized "learning expedition" by tomorrow.

Provence Promotion has also awarded the "Invest in Provence" label to 5 companies that have chosen to set up in the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis. The SNCF 574 Sud lab as well as 4 start-ups Drivata, Cynoia, Winshot and Bako Motors were rewarded for the development of their innovative activities from Marseille.

Wednesday, June 15, was an important day at Vivatech to promote the attractiveness of the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolis.

With the focus on future mobility, Provence Promotion organized two events to present innovative initiatives in the fields of digital technology and transportation.

With the future construction of the new Marseille-Nice line and the underground development of the Gare Saint-Charles in Marseille, the metropolis is getting ready to welcome the largest railway project in Europe. 

Lab "574 Sud" of the SNCF group in Marseille

SNCF Réseau's Digital Department has opened "574 Sud" in Marseille in the emblematic Belle de Mai Media Center in the heart of the Euroméditerranée area in October 2021. Like the other five labs in the network, its name refers to the world rail speed record of 574.8 km/h.

Dedicated to innovators, this digital house has the mission of accelerating the SNCF group's digital transformation, with the particularity in the South of hosting start-ups and talents from outside the group who work on digital issues related to the railways: energy, the circular economy, materials, industrial engineering, etc.

Provence Promotion, which has promoted the project in the innovative ecosystem of Aix-Marseille, has seized the opportunity of Vivatech to promote this new hybrid space of 750m2 between co-working space, showroom and experimentation space.

On the SNCF stand, Philippe Stéfanini, Managing Director of Provence, alongside Arnaud Mercier, Vice-President of Innovation for the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolitan area, presented the "Invest in Provence" label to Julien Nicolas, Managing Director of the SNCF Group's Digital Division, and Thien Than Trong, Managing Director of the SNCF Réseau's Digital Division, in the presence of Dominique Damide and Annick Labat, co-leaders of "574 Sud".

With the creation of a BIM Lab (Building Information Modeling), the SNCF wishes to work in the South around innovations for the construction site of the Marseille-Nice high-speed line, for which the financing protocol for the first two phases was acted upon on February 28, 2022, for an estimated cost of €3.5 billion. The first stage of innovation will be the HPMV project - High Performance Marseille-Ventimiglia - to modernize this part of the rail network.

Focus on 4 start-ups that came to scale in Provence

Four start-ups from Canada and Tunisia were honored at the stand of the ZEBOX accelerator-incubator, CMA CGM's innovation support structure.

Their founders received the "Invest in Provence" label for having chosen to deploy their growth strategy in the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolitan area. Accompanied by Provence Promotion on various aspects related to their installation in Provence (search for financing, structures, partners etc...), their projects is to conquer Europe and the international market with their innovative solutions.

In the presence of David Layani, President and CEO of the Onepoint Group, the event highlighted the innovations of Drivata, Cynoia, Whinshot and Bako Motors, the latter three of which are being accelerated within the public metropolitan gas pedal M.

In the mobility, logistics and transport sector, more and more start-ups are offering their applications. Aix-Marseille-Provence, a major port and logistics metropolis (France's leading port and Europe's second largest), offers an ideal environment for experimenting with their sustainable and responsible solutions.

• Drivata, founded by Thomas Engler and Frederic Buhr, is a SaaS platform for mobile drivers that collects information in real time to optimize road safety and responsible eco-driving in companies. Using a smartphone, the tool analyzes the data generated on a daily basis and delivers three scores, including one on eco-driving, which indicates how much fuel can be saved by adapting one's speed and driving habits.

For start-ups of Tunisian origin, the choice of Aix-Marseille corresponds to a strategic geographical position at the crossroads of European and African markets and to the quality of the territory's R&D ecosystem.

• Cynoia, launched by Nassreddine Riahi and Skander Essid, is an application that centralizes the flow of communication of companies. Mailing, chat, messaging, management tools are accessible through a single interface to optimize the productivity of teams.

• Winshot, the web and mobile application imagined by Walid Mzoughi with 4 computer engineer friends, digitalizes the operational processes of distribution networks in retail. Field merchandising is automated. The tool adapts in real time the marketing mix of the articles referenced in points of sale.

• Bako Motors, a German-Tunisian start-up in greentech, currently looking for premises in the territory, will also receive a label. Its concept, a tricycle equipped with electric battery supported by solar panel to ensure in particular the deliveries of the last mile.

Provence and digital technologies

Historically fertile in terms of R&D in the digital sector (semiconductor, IoT, security, ...), the territory has taken the momentum of the French Tech since 2014.

With a community of very active players and a dense network of places dedicated to start-ups, the territory offers all the assets for the development of innovative technological solutions. The connection infrastructures even position the region as the 7th largest international data exchange hub!

Attracted by this ecosystem and this European center of excellence, Provence Promotion supports dozens of start-ups every year that choose to set up in Provence. In 2021, the agency has successfully completed 23 projects in the digital economy and more than a dozen projects in other sectors such as the environment, lifestyle, maritime or health.

Diplomatic meetings and international delegations

Finally, Vivatech was the opportunity for Provence Promotion to meet Jawed Ashraf, the Indian Ambassador to France, during a lunch debate, and to attend the speech of the Minister of Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, in the presence of CEOs from the CAC40 and CEOs of large Indian groups present for the occasion.

Ashwini Vaishnaw encouraged European digital players to get involved in the large digital platforms being developed in India for payments, health, and transport and encouraged French and Indian start-ups to set up cross-border operations, which Provence Promotion is facilitating by supporting the development of Indian digital players in France such as Infosys in Marseille.

As part of Quebec's participation in Vivatech, Provence Promotion was also able to meet with Lucie Lescours, Minister Delegate for the Economy and Hubert Bolduc, President of Investment during an evening organized by the new Delegate General of Quebec in Paris, Michèle Boisvert.