VivaTech 2025: A Glimpse into the Future of Innovation
Last week, Dataworks attended VivaTech – one of Europe’s biggest and most energetic tech conferences – and I came back buzzing with ideas, insights, and a renewed sense of curiosity.
VivaTech is the kind of event where you can walk five meters and go from a conversation about AI ethics to one about digital twins for personalised medicine, to another on the future of mobility, all before lunch. It’s intense, it’s chaotic, and yes, it’s sometimes a bit of a maze (finding specific companies amidst the sea of booths and people was a challenge!). But it’s also incredibly energising to be surrounded by so many founders, technologists, and curious minds all pushing boundaries in their own ways.
Here are a few highlights and thought-provoking takeaways that stood out:
The Quantum Leap Is Real — and Sooner Than You Think
One of the most captivating discussions was around the future of quantum computing. While it’s often spoken about in theoretical terms, several experts painted a very near-term picture: in the next 2 to 3 years, quantum technologies could (should!) unlock major breakthroughs in fields like:
Battery innovation: enabling longer-lasting, faster-charging batteries
Chemical discovery: finding new compounds for medicine and materials
Sustainable food: engineering new food sources to meet global demands
Personalised medicine: tailoring treatment with unprecedented precision
These aren’t distant dreams anymore. We’re talking about tangible shifts that could redefine industries and lives in the very near future.
Digital Twins: Medicine’s Next Frontier
A medtech CEO spoke about the growing use of digital twins in healthcare; essentially, creating a virtual model of your body to simulate how it would react to specific treatments or drugs. This would allow for more accurate and personalised care, especially in testing for side effects before a drug ever enters your system.
It’s hard to overstate how revolutionary this could be. Think of it as test-driving your treatment on a virtual version of you. It’s another sign that data and simulation are becoming cornerstones of future healthcare.
Rethinking Car Design: It’s About People, Not Panels
Over at the OPMobility booth, I stumbled upon something I didn’t expect to find fascinating: car bumpers.
Turns out, their primary function isn’t to protect the vehicle : it’s to protect pedestrians in the event of a collision. That blew my mind a little. Along those same lines, I was also reminded that cars are now required by law to make noise, particularly electric vehicles, which are so silent they can be a hazard to unaware pedestrians.
It’s a reminder that innovation in mobility isn’t just about autonomy or electrification : it’s also about safety, empathy, and public design thinking.
The Energy of Innovation
If there’s one overarching takeaway from VivaTech, it’s that enthusiasm for data, AI, and innovation is not only alive – it’s thriving. There’s a deep hunger for building things that matter, solving hard problems, and collaborating across borders and disciplines.
Even though it was occasionally hard to navigate the venue or track down specific exhibitors, every conversation, planned or spontaneous, had value. You could feel the pulse of innovation, whether it was in a crowded startup demo area or a quiet conversation on the sidelines.
This kind of event reinforces why I love working in tech and startup ecosystems: it’s the perfect mix of audacity, optimism, and practicality. VivaTech didn’t just showcase cool products, it spotlighted the mindset behind them.
One thing’s clear: the future is closer, and more collaborative than ever.
