Thanks to the academic partnership between VivaTech and De Vinci Higher Education, ESILV students, lecturers and alumni enjoyed privileged access to the 2026 edition of the event. Through technology watch, meetings with companies and participation in the 100+100 initiative, this presence provided an opportunity to explore major developments in engineering professions.
VivaTech brought together start-ups, major corporations, research laboratories, investors and higher education institutions in Paris to discuss the innovations transforming the sectors of artificial intelligence, healthcare, industry, cyber security and quantum technologies. On this occasion, the Pôle Léonard de Vinci was among the event’s academic partners.
An academic partnership to facilitate access to VivaTech
The partnership between VivaTech and the Pôle Léonard de Vinci enabled the entire community across the group’s four schools to benefit from access to the exhibition.
A total of 615 passes were made available: 600 student passes, granting access to all four days of the event, as well as 15 Attendee passes for teaching staff and alumni, including the networking opportunities offered by the organisers.
An academic partnership to facilitate access to VivaTech
An immersion in the innovations showcased at VivaTech
Over the four days of the event, several ESILV lecturers visited the various exhibition areas to meet innovators and keep abreast of technological developments in their fields of expertise.
According to Cécile Frankart, Deputy Director of ESILV, around fifteen lecturers took part in the event, sometimes accompanied by their students, to visit the stands and talk to the exhibiting companies.
Liz SENGSAVANG and Nirintsoa Randriamitandrina, ESILV students at Vivatech
Among the demonstrations that caught their attention was IBM’s presentation of components of a quantum computer, offering a glimpse into current advances in this field, which is still largely confined to research and major industrial players.
Visitors were also able to explore applications of artificial intelligence, robotics, medical technologies, cyber security and quantum computing through demonstrations and discussions with the companies in attendance.
The 100+100 initiative: discussions on careers in technology
In addition to visiting the exhibition, Cécile Frankart took part in the 100+100 initiative, organised to mark VivaTech’s tenth anniversary.
She participated both in her capacity as Deputy Director of ESILV and as a member of the board of directors of the association Elles bougent, which works to promote gender diversity in scientific and technical education and careers.
The 100+100 initiative: discussions on careers in technology
The initiative brought together 100 young women and 100 female mentors from the tech sector for a series of speed-meeting sessions, followed by a conference focusing on the role of women in technology careers. Twelve mentors from ‘Elles bougent’ took part in the event to support the participants as they reflected on their career choices and professional paths.
“I went there mainly for the 100+100 initiative: 100 young women and 100 role models coming together to discuss careers in engineering and technology, in the presence of committed political figures. It was an event rich in shared insights and new perspectives, organised to mark the 10th anniversary of VivaTech.”
During the discussions, several young women shared their questions regarding careers in healthcare, entrepreneurship and the industrial sector. Cécile Frankart spoke in particular with a student interested in the medical sector, outlining the opportunities offered by biomedical engineering, health data and technologies designed to support patients.
Discussions also covered international career paths, starting a business and the professional opportunities available within the industry, both regionally and across Europe. For the participants, these meetings provided an opportunity to engage directly with female professionals from various technology sectors.
A trade fair at the crossroads of research, industry and education
The afternoon continued with a tour of the exhibition areas at VivaTech. The participants in the 100+100 initiative discovered the innovations showcased by the companies and met several partners of Elles bougent who were attending the event.
For the engineering students at ESILV, attending VivaTech complements their course studies by immersing them in an environment where companies, start-ups, researchers and higher education institutions come together.
The demonstrations, talks and discussions provide an opportunity to observe the evolution of technologies that are transforming engineering professions in fields such as artificial intelligence, digital health, robotics and quantum technologies.
This post was last modified on 10 July 2026 7:27 pm