During French President Emmanuel Macron’s meeting with President Trump this week in Washington, technology has surely played a big role in the conversation. It is, after all, a cornerstone for both the U.S. and French economic growth policies.
When I first met Macron at the Consumer Technology Association’s CEO Summit in Paris in 2014, and ever since, I’ve been impressed with his pro-innovation stance. As French minister of economy, industry, and digital affairs from 2014 to 2016, Macron actively promoted French innovation, traveling to CES in Las Vegas twice and even speaking on a panel about global innovation.
Macron’s election last May with 66 percent of the vote shows that the French people see economic growth as essential to the future of their country. And as president, Macron has emphasized economic growth and flexibility as he formed the centrist platform of his new political party.
We were thrilled to see French economic growth reflected in a strong French presence at CES 2018. About 340 French companies exhibited this year, including more than 280 companies in Eureka Park, the area of the show floor dedicated to startups. And French startups at CES have a track record of success: More than a half-dozen French companies have graduated from Eureka Park and are now exhibiting in other areas of the show.
France’s participation at CES has ramped up quickly during Macron’s tenure. Between 2013 and 2017, the number of French attendees at CES grew nearly eightfold. And French participation at CES should continue to grow in light of Macron’s proposal to make France “the startup nation.”
The French presence at CES reflects the infrastructure for innovation at home. La French Tech creates an ecosystem of support for startups and small businesses that brings together influence and expertise from developers, tech experts, investors, government agencies, engineers, and more.
And entrepreneurs around the world are invited to compete for a French Tech Ticket to settle in France, with an offer of dedicated workspace, a quick visa process, and access to startups for a 12-month period at one of France’s 41 partner incubators.
France also has a new home base for its own entrepreneurs. Last summer, Macron helped launch Station F, a massive startup incubator housed in an unused train station in Paris. The incubator is the pet project of Xavier Niel, “the godfather of French tech.” Former President Francois Hollande has even been working at Station F part time in recent months.
France nurtures new companies and looks to the bigger picture by strategically developing smart city technology. The European Commission has identified 31 smart cities in France, and France leads all other European countries for research and development and experiments in smart grids. For example, Angers gained French Tech recognition as France’s top city for “Internet of Things” expertise. The city has developed an “Internet of Things” campus and accelerator with business support systems. Millions of public and private dollars have flowed to the city to accelerate business development, and that growth is propelling French tech to global success as a few Angevine and French firms open new offices in Angers’ American sister city Austin, Tex.
Macron is proving himself a worthy leader in his first term. The country’s unemployment rate has dropped below nine percent for the first time in nearly nine years. Job creation is speeding up, and market morale has improved. But it is uncertain whether these improvements will continue. Now Macron must thread his way between government rules and market flexibility to allow French companies to thrive, both in his country and in the EU. Macron still faces obstacles, but France’s commitment to innovation has matured. Under Macron, this commitment to the startup nation has and will continue to grow.
France’s smart and far-sighted approach to innovation both encourages and challenges the U.S. tech scene. Since our countries are in the midst of remarkable growth in innovation, I’m eager to see what comes of Macron’s conversation with Trump. Let’s hope France and the United States will not only cement our friendship with this visit but also deepen our partnership with France as we explore new ways to develop innovation together.
Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association CTA, the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,200 consumer technology companies, and author of the New York Times best-selling books, “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses” and “The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream.” Connect with him on Twitter: @GaryShapiro.
