With thousands of startups, investors, and tech leaders gathering in Paris, planning your schedule can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve personally curated this list of ten high-value sessions at VivaTech 2026. These picks move past the hype to deliver real, practical value. Whether you’re looking to scale your startup, understand the actual business impact of AI, or expand into new global markets, these hand-picked discussions are where the most important conversations will happen.
Day 1: June 17th
Opening Ceremony
- When: 9:15 AM
- Where: VivaTech Theater (Hall 7.3)
- Who: Maurice Lévy (Emeritus Chairman, Publicis Groupe) & Bernard Arnault (Chairman & CEO, LVMH)
To mark the opening of VivaTech’s 10th edition, Maurice Levy and Bernard Arnault take to the stage to reflect on a decade of technical transformation and the opportunities that lie ahead. Combining film, live remarks, and a look back at the vision that gave birth to Europe’s largest tech event, this opening ceremony sets the stage for four days of innovation, entrepreneurship, and global dialogue.
From Pre-Seed to Series A: Inside the Investor’s Mind
- When: 10:00 AM
- Where: Founder’s Arena (Hall 7.2)
- Who: Valerie Bures (Head of DACH Region, XAnge), Sofia Dahoune (Partner, daphni), & Jeremy Navon (Founder, Pitch My Startup)
Moving from pre-seed to Series A is more than just raising the next round, it’s proving you’re ready to scale. In this session, investors share exactly what they expect at each stage: early traction signals, team and founder fit, product-market validation, revenue and unit economics, and a credible growth path. Whether you’re closing your first check or preparing a larger raise, you’ll leave with a clearer view of how investors really assess your startup and how to position yourself for the next step.
Powering Europe’s Green Industrial Renaissance in the Age of AI
- When: 12:00 PM
- Where: VivaTech Theater (Hall 7.3)
- Who: François Provost (CEO, Renault Group), Lei Zhang (Founder & CEO, Envision), Slawomir Krupa (Director General, Societe Generale), & Francine Lacqua (Editor-at-Large Anchor, Bloomberg TV)
A heavyweight panel featuring top executives and journalists, this session will tackle how Europe can build a sustainable industrial future while using the power of artificial intelligence. Expect a sharp look at the intersection of green tech, energy, and global competitiveness.
Free, Open, and Common: New Paths to Sovereignty
- When: 2:00 PM
- Where: Sovereignty Arena (Hall 7.3)
- Who: Luca Belli (Professor, Fundação Getulio Vargas Law School), Roberto Di Cosmo (Founder & CEO, Software Heritage), Adriana Groh (Managing Director, Sovereign Tech Agency), Henri Verdier (Director General, Fondation Inria), & Meredith Whittaker (President, Signal)
At a time when key technologies are concentrated in the hands of a few global actors, sovereignty is most often thought of in terms of competition between powers. But what if it could be built differently? From digital commons - code, data, open infrastructures, etc. - emerges an approach of shared digital sovereignty, more collective, more interoperable, and more sustainable, as an alternative to the logic of rivalry.
Day 2: June 18th
From Lab to Market with PhysicsX, Aqemia & Quobly
- When: 10:45 AM
- Where: Founder’s Arena (Hall 7.2)
- Who: Jacomo Corbo (Co-founder & CEO, PhysicsX), Maximilien Levesque (Co-founder & CEO, Aqemia), Mylena Pierremont (Founder, Connected Circles), & Maud Vinet (Co-founder & CEO, Quobly)
The path from research to market is rarely straightforward. In this session, founders share how they navigated the gap between lab and commercial reality: securing early funding, finding first customers, meeting regulatory requirements, and building a team that bridges science and business. A grounded look at the realities of deep tech commercialization, told by those who’ve been through it.
Speak the World: AI and the End of the Language Barrier
- When: 12:40 PM
- Where: Purple Stage (Hall 7.3)
- Who: Jarek Kutylowski (Founder & CEO, DeepL) & Chris O’Brien (Founder/Editor, The French Tech Journal)
Language has long been a barrier technology promised to break but never quite did. Now it’s actually happening. From high-precision translation to real-time voice interpretation, language AI is progressing fast enough to enable use cases beyond office productivity: more inclusive access to information, genuine multilingual collaboration, or democratic participation across languages. What does it take to build AI that works across spoken language, not just text? How do you preserve nuance, tone, and intent at scale? And when the barrier falls, who benefits the most and why? DeepL CEO and Co-founder Jarek Kutylowski speaks on the state of language AI, where it’s heading, and what it means for organization, institutions, and individuals.
Staying Ahead at Global Scale: What Still Matters?
- When: 3:10 PM
- Where: Stage One (Hall 7.2)
- Who: Glenn Fogel (CEO, Booking) & Amy Thomson (TMT Team Leader EMEA, Bloomberg)
How do you keep evolving when you already operate at global reach? In this conversation, Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking, reflects on the ever-evolving challenge of continued innovation, from building a global platform to navigating a new wave of AI-driven change. As technology reshapes how people discover, choose, and trust, where does competitive advantage come from and how will the company fuel growth for itself and across the wider economy?
Day 3: June 19th
Is AI Making Us Worse at Being Human? Who Thinks, Who Decides, and Who Thrives in the Age of AI
- When: 9:55 AM
- Where: Black Stage (Hall 7.3)
- Who: Moira Gilchrist (Chief Global Communications Officer, Philip Morris International), André König (CEO, Global Quantum Intelligence), Ana Rold (Founder & CEO, Diplomatic Courier), & Tahera Zamanzada (Executive Advisor on AI Strategy, SAP)
As artificial intelligence takes on more cognitive work, from writing and analysis to decision-making, the role of the human mind is shifting. Those who know how to work with AI effectively are accelerating and compounding their advantage. But most are defaulting to more passive use, relying on systems that optimize for speed and fluency, not depth or judgement. At the same time, the conditions of the digital age (constant information, instant answers, and algorithmic shortcuts) are reshaping attention, critical thinking, and our ability to reason independently. This raises a deeper, more consequential question, not just about what AI can do, but what happens to us as we use it.
Cracking the Asian Market: Culture & Compliance
- When: 10:00 AM
- Where: Founder’s Arena (Hall 7.2)
- Who: Chloé Duval (Deputy CFO, Descartes Underwriting), Benoît Legros (VP EMEA & Asia, Shift Technology), & Sally Yan (Executive Board Member, Drivetide Capital AG)
Asia represents enormous opportunity, as well as some of the most complex market dynamics in the world. This session breaks down what it really takes to enter and succeed in key Asian markets: navigating cultural nuances, adapting your product and messaging, understanding local regulatory frameworks, and building the right partnerships on the ground. Hear from founders and operators who have done it, and learn what you should never underestimate.
The New Trade Routes
- When: 2:00 PM
- Where: Future of Industries Arena (Hall 7.3)
- Who: Vijay Sundaram (CSO, Zoho Corporation)
This presentation will explore the changes in our society across three major areas. This session will discuss the impact of technology on consumer behavior and consumption, the implications for control and sovereignty, and the impact of these advances on consumer value.
With more than 400 conference sessions taking place across VivaTech 2026, choosing where to spend your time matters. These ten sessions won't cover everything, but they'll put you in the room for some of the most important conversations happening in technology today. Plan your schedule early, secure your spot, and make the most of your week in Paris.
