Bilans d’évènement
La French Tech Seoul Celebrated a Decade of Innovation during Tech4Good Tour 2023!
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La French Tech Marks 10th Anniversary, Fostering French Startups on a Global Stage
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Celebrating a Decade of Industrial Excellence: La French Tech Seoul Explores the Future of Korea’s Tech Industry in Collaboration with France
2023 marked the 10th anniversary of La French Tech. For the occasion, French Tech hubs around the world celebrated this important milestone. In Seoul, a grand celebration was organized at the launch of the Tech4Good Tour 2023 on November 6th at the Novotel Ambassador Hotel Dongdaemun, a day filled with innovation, networking, and inspiring presentations.
Established in France in 2013, the French Tech Mission is a government-backed startup initiative with a global presence in over 100 cities. French Tech Seoul joined this worldwide network in 2016, actively fostering French tech companies and promoting their entry into the thriving Korean ecosystem.
The celebration kicked off with opening speeches from notable figures, including Mr. David-Pierre Jalicon, President of FKCCI, H.E. Mr. Philippe Bertoux, French Ambassador to Korea, and Nicolas Mercier and Etienne Gautheron, co-Presidents of French Tech Seoul. The morning featured insightful panel discussions led by 10 guest speakers, experts in their fields. Topics ranged from Korea's role in the Asian tech ecosystem to French-Korean collaboration in tech, alongside a presentation by Business France highlighting investment opportunities in France. The networking lunch provided a lively platform for guests to delve deeper into the panel topics and engage in elevating discussions. The afternoon sessions covered diverse themes, including the ecological challenges of electric mobility, the deregulation of new technologies, the hydrogen industry, and the stakes of autonomous mobility and AI.
Marking the global 10th anniversary of French Tech, the French Tech Seoul board orchestrated 10 significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with key players in Korea's tech and innovation scene. Partnerships included COMEUP, VivaTech, Korea Accelerator Association (KAA), Global Digital Innovation Network, The Garrison, The Executive Centre, HYU Holdings, FKCCI, and Afterwork Seoul, illustrating a strong commitment to bolstering collaboration with La French Tech Seoul and more globally French tech companies. The day culminated in a press conference, amplifying the significance of the event within the French-Korean community and reaching a wider audience.
Etienne Gautheron, co-president of La French Tech Seoul, expressed his enthusiasm for the 10-year legacy of La French Tech, saying, “This special week marks a decade of global French Tech innovation and the significant impact of our Seoul community in bridging French and Korean tech ecosystems. Through insightful panel discussions and strategic MoUs, we’re not only commemorating past successes but also paving the way for future collaborations. La French Tech Seoul eagerly anticipates shaping tech ecosystems in Korea, France, and beyond.”
Fully integrated into the business and tech ecosystem in Korea, French Tech Seoul has grown steadily over the years, boasting 476 members today, including 149 French and Korean companies. Notably, in 2023, French Tech Seoul has been actively participating in the ICC Korea committee alongside the French Institute, Business France, and the FKCCI (French Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry). A significant milestone was the signing of a MoU to formalize collaboration with the FKCCI, the first one signed between a French CCI and a French tech community worldwide, attended by the French Minister of Digital Transition and Telecommunications, Jean-Noël Barrot.
As a testament of the growing Franco-Korean tech collaboration, South Korea was honored as the Guest of Honor at VivaTech 2023, Europe's biggest startup and tech event. During this event, the South Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups visited France, highlighting the importance of this partnership on a global scale.
With nearly 30 unicorns in its ecosystem which account for $4.5 billion in funding during the first half of 2022, La French Tech has made substantial strides in the past decade, demonstrating the immense potential of the tech and startup landscape in France and internationally.
Nicolas Mercier, co-president of French Tech Seoul, expressed, "The 10-year anniversary event reflects upon a decade of remarkable achievements and success of technology and innovation shared between two of the world's most advanced economies."
This anniversary celebration was followed by the highly anticipated Tech4Good Tour 2023, organized in partnership with FKCCI. Tech4Good Tour 2023 was a unique week-long event with a clear objective: to introduce the vibrant Korean tech startup ecosystem to a delegation of French startups in Deep or Green Tech industries. Punctuated by targeted B2B meetings, insightful conferences, panel discussions, and site visits, and connecting participants to key players including startups, investors, incubators and institutions, the Tech4Good Tour enabled French tech startups to gain an extensive overview of the Korean market and to better understand its opportunities and regulatory framework. The week culminated with the Tech4Good Summit held on Friday, November 10th, during the COMEUP 2023 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, allowing participants to present their company during a speech contest at the world's most startup-led festival.
This event was made possible thanks to the support of our sponsors and partners: Accor, Asiance, Embassy of France in South Korea, Business France, FKCCI, La French Tech, and Viva Technology.
