The News

Tech tour seeks 'Best of French' emerging technology companies

17/02/2009

Call for Applications – March 15, 2009

Geneva, February 17, 2009 - The European Tech Tour will be coming to France on May 13-15, 2009 to meet the most promising French start-ups and early stage technology companies. Applicants registering at www.techtour.com will compete to become one of the 25 successful finalists invited to present their business expansion plans to representatives from the global venture capital world. Finalists will receive advice from these venture capital experts, enjoy numerous networking opportunities and benefit from local media coverage during the Tech Tour.

The European Tech Tour Association was established in 1998 with the aim of providing a dedicated and independent platform for the most promising high tech emerging companies. The French Tech Tour 2009 is the Association’s 20th tech tour. Entries are being sought from companies from across the technology spectrum, including internet security, ‘clean tech’, wireless technology, Web 2.0 applications, medical devices and nanotech.

Jean-Pierre Brulard, President of the French Tech Tour 2009, said: "People, companies, economies who are successful play an active role in the creation of their own reality. The crisis is a chance for France to innovate. The French Tech Tour is an outstanding opportunity for innovative technology companies to change their destiny. It is a chance for Global technology and investment leaders to share their experience with Entrepreneurs. More than ever, for all attendants, the Tech Tour in the Spring in Paris is a critical proof point to revitalize the Industry and concretely demonstrate our confidence in the future."

Selection criteria for finalists
Finalists are assessed and identified by the committee based on six key points:
1. Uniqueness of the technology
2. Solid business model
3. Vision
4. Capability to execute the business plan
5. Targeting relevant markets
6. Quality of management team and track record

Benefits for finalists
The 25 finalists will each have a twenty minute slot to present their business plans to sixty senior partners, vice presidents and CEOs from the global venture capital and technology industry and receive their advice and feedback. In addition, they will benefit from:

• Potential opportunities to secure funding
• Extensive networking with the sixty representatives
• Networking with up to 300 professionals from the local technology and venture capital community
• Local and international media exposure

Francois Lainée, Vice President of the French Tech Tour 2009, said: “These days, with the economic and financial crisis shaping a very uncertain environment, there is an increased premium in establishing close relations with strategic business partners and/or sources of financing. The Tech Tour is just the ideal platform to offer this to selected companies.” This year’s French Tech Tour is presided over by Jean-Pierre Brulard, formerly with Business Object. The Selection Committee is presided this year by Francois Lainée of Auriga Partners. Daniel Kahn of Kahn & Associates is the Chairman of the Advisory Board and will work together with Nicolas von Bülow of Clipperton, who is Vice President of Sponsoring for the 2009 edition.

• The Selection Committee French TT 2009:
• Marcos Battisti, Intel
• Jean-Michel Beghin, Rotschild
• Jean-Stéphane Bonneton, Iris Capital Management
• Jean-Pierre Brulard
• Denis Champenois, Innovacom
• Frédéric Charcosset, PWC
• Philippe Collombel, Partech
• Mathieu de la Rochefoucauld, SGAM
• Thomas Delalande, Siparex
• Fred Destin, Atlas Venture
• Geoffroy Dubus, GIMV
• Philippe Gire, Elaia Partners
• Benoit Grossmann, AGF Private Equity
• Stéphanie Hajjar, SFR Development
• Valery Huot, CDC Entreprises Innovation
• Francois Lainée, Auriga Partners
• Nicolas Landrin, I-Source Gestion
• Xavier Lorphelin, Serena Capital
• Salman Malik
• Yann Mauchamp, Mutual Benefits
• Baruk Pilo, Vadis Ventures
• Olivier Protard
• Bernard-Louis Roques, Truffle Venture
• Jean Schmitt, Sofinnova
• Thomas Serval, Microsoft
• Francois Tison, 360 Capital Partners
• Nicolas von Bülow, Clipperton

 

The Advisory Board French TT 2009 :

• Jacques Clay, President French TT 2005
• Daniel Kahn, Kahn & Associates, Co-President French TT 05 & Chairman Advisory Board 09

About The European Tech Tour Association
The European Tech Tour Association (ETT) was founded in Geneva in 1998 in response to the growing interest in emerging technology companies in various European regions. It has successfully organised 29 Tech Tours across Europe, Israel, Russia and India. ETT is an independent, not-forprofit organization composed of key contributors to the high-technology industry. The association recognizes that continued prosperity in Europe lies in its ability to transform today's innovative projects into tomorrow's global technology leaders.

Its goal is to promote European entrepreneurship and provide a platform for entrepreneurs and investors to meet, ideally leading to funding or facilitation of high technology companies looking to expand internationally. The ETT looks to identify unique and innovative projects that have the potential to impact the European technology landscape. It focuses on introducing selected companies to a unique circle of top-ranking global investors, corporations and advisors with the aim of bringing more transparency to Europe's regional market segments and building stronger relationships between members and regions. The Association organizes 3-4 country specific tours per year to identify the best emerging companies in a geographical region, as well as 1-2 vertical industry events to capture the most innovative European companies in a specific industry segment such as Semiconductor, Cleantech, Medtech and Web & Mobility.

For further information, please go to www.techtour.com
Thanks to the Tech Tour partners & sponsors for their generous support: (as of February 17.)