LVMH strengthens support for innovation at Viva Technology 2018
Paris, May 22, 2018
LVMH reaffirms its support for innovation by partnering with Viva Technology Paris for the third consecutive year. This year’s edition is set for May 24-26. As both co-organizer via Groupe Les Echos and a top-level partner of Viva Technology, the world leader in luxury is expanding its involvement in the event, which perfectly illustrates LVMH’s commitment to innovations that bring together digital expertise, savoir-faire, technology and heritage.
Viva Technology is a key component in a broad ecosystem developed by LVMH for several years to identify and source startups during the show, while strengthening the Group’s internal open innovation initiative DARE (Disrupt, Act, Risk to be an Entrepreneur). This ecosystem also includes the new “Maison des Startups” program launched by LVMH in April 2018 at the Station F incubator to accelerate the development of its startup partners.
“LVMH’s Maisons would not have thrived for centuries, as many of them have, without continually innovating. This culture of innovation creates a natural affinity between our Group and startups, which both provide a source of innovations for our Maisons and benefit from the unique excellence of the LVMH ecosystem,” notes Bernard Arnault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LVMH.
As a major partner of Viva Technology, LVMH has designed a 500-square-meter Luxury Lab this year, conceived around a beehive theme to welcome 30 startups from around the world, selected from more than 800 applicants. Much more than simply a space dedicated to startups, the Luxury Lab creates a unique dynamic thanks to a virtuous circle of emulation when these many diverse talents come together and at the same time discover the latest innovations from LVMH Maisons.
The 30 startups selected as finalists will also be competing for the second LVMH Innovation Award, the winner of which will be announced on May 25 at 10 am in the main auditorium. Bernard Arnault will present the Award to the startup with the most innovative solution for the luxury industry. The winner will then benefit from a one-year partnership with the LVMH Group to develop its solution and its expertise.
Heuritech, the winner of the 2017 LVMH Innovation Award, recently joined the LVMH Maison des Startups at Station F, where it is working closely with LVMH Maisons to develop applications of its image recognition system. In addition to bringing Heuritech greater international visibility and increased market credibility, this partnership is emblematic of fruitful collaborations between the LVMH Group and its Maisons.
Throughout Viva Technology LVMH Maisons will also showcase their innovation strategies with a focus on digital transformation (including Céline and Hennessy) and customer experience (Benefit and Guerlain), along with experience feedback from collaboration with startups (MH Lab 78, Ruinart and others). The agenda will also feature workshops and presentations by experts in key areas that engage with the digital transformation.
During the general public day LVMH will host a series of youth workshops led by its Maisons. The Group is also taking part in initiatives such as “Une chance pour chaque jeune” (“Opportunities for all young people”) and organizing mentoring sessions for young people as part of a program led by the youth outreach association “Nos Quartiers ont des Talents” (“Talent from the Neighborhood”).
