French technology in the limelight as Paris says 'Hello Tomorrow'

The Hello Tomorrow Global summit, which was recently held in Paris, saw startups from all over the world showcase their technologies in sectors ranging from clean mobility to quantum computing. French startups were at the forefront in presenting innovative solutions.

The Grenoble-based startup Inocel has developed a compact fuel cell which can generate 300 kilowatt of power. “It is very compact for the power density that it provides. And it is super modular so we can integrate it into systems ranging from 300 kilowatts up to 3 megawatt. It is also responsive, reaching its maximum power in less than 1.5 seconds,” Jessica Horn of Inocel said.

Marseille-based Iadys has developed a remotely operated electric robot for cleaning waste and oil from water surfaces. Called Jellyfishbot, it is equipped with a detachable net, a lidar, a sonar and water cooled batteries. According to Cyril Castello of Iadys, the robot is ideal for cleaning waste in ports, marinas as well as sheltered water bodies. 

One of the healthcare startups that stood out at the event was the recently founded V4cure which is developing drugs from animal toxins to treat cardio-renal diseases. According to the startup founder Dr Nicolas Gilles, they have identified a particular toxin extracted from the venom of the African Mamba which will be used to develop a new drug for treating kidney disease.

The French startup Sweetch Energy was the winner of this edition's grand prize. The Rennes-based startup has developed a technology for  producing large-scale, 100 percent clean electricity using osmosis, a biological force driven by the salinity difference between fresh and salt water.