2018 VivaTech conference kicks off

France

The VivaTech start-up technology summit kicked off on Thursday in the French capital, Paris with several global tech leaders in attendance.

The three day event will see executives from some of the world’s largest tech companies discuss the positive impact of technology and innovation to the society.

Digital Africa Initiative launched

In the opening ceremony, French President Emmanuel Macron, announced that France is going to invest some public money in the most promising African startups.

To this end, Digital Africa was launched to financially assist entrepreneurs across the African continent.

“I call on all African entrepreneurs, from all countries of the continent to join this Digital Africa initiative, and to join the platform. And I hope that France will be able, in the image of what we have done for our ecosystem with BPI France, to take its share of the financing of the development of African ecosystems,” said the French leader.

Africanews at 2018 Viva Tech conference

Africanews journalist attending the conference says:

“Energy, ideas and a hyper-connected youth can only mean that potential in Africa is undeniable. What is missing today in the development of African start-ups is access to funding. Hence the importance of initiatives such as the French Development Agency.which will release 65 million euros in order to invest in selected startups on the Digital Africa platform.”

#VivaTech

What would it take to have a Silicon Valley like ecosystem in #Africa?

Z. George of Sbootcamp, AaronQFu of MESTAfrica and charlieg_b of Seedstars talk to our editor in chief nathaliewakam1

Theme: 'New valleys : creating ecosystems in emerging economies' pic.twitter.com/coDUpmMjQ9

— africanews (@africanews) May 25, 2018

Kagame praises Africa’s techpreneurs

President Macron also invited his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame to the event and according to him, emerging start up firms in Africa have the potential of becoming world class companies.

This is what he said:

“They have the talent they already have an innovative mind and now they are turning into this, to the level of business …so I think all they need to do is to get a few means to support them so that they can keep climbing the ladder.”

80,000 visitors are expected to attend the conference for about 1,800 “start-ups” from across the world. The summit will also play host to more than 300 guest speakers including Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg.