Fairmat wins first BoostUp! France startup competition

On Friday, 8 December, EIT Manufacturing was watching out for the most promising ideas on fostering circular economy for the industry. Ten startups reduced their distinctive methods to three-minute presentations during the BoostUp! FRANCE 2023 – Circular Economy event at Station F in Paris. The first national edition of this startup competition drew 80 representatives of the innovation ecosystem to praise the winners: Fairmat, Trinov and Neolitik. These three French startups will be benefited from visibility, valuable contacts and awards.

EIT Manufacturing, the largest innovation and knowledge community in manufacturing in Europe, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, has been represented by its CEO, Caroline Viarouge, and its Business Creation Director, Kevin Lenehan, who kicked off the event together, setting the tone for a day of exploration, collaboration and sustainable innovation. Caroline Viarouge stressed the importance of the events’ topic: “Circular Economy is a cornerstone of green manufacturing. EIT Manufacturing supports and stimulates innovation accelerating sustainable growth. The BoostUp event in France is the opportunity to bring together visionary minds to fuel innovation and build a future-proof industry for a more resilient Europe.”

“EIT Manufacturing bridges the gap between potential and achievement”, added Kevin Lenehan. “Our commitment at French and European levels is to cultivate an environment where relations between startups and corporates thrive, translating innovative ideas into impactful solutions for the industry.”

Attractive framework programme featured Jean-Marc Boursier as keynote

The attending entrepreneurs, corporates, investors, tech enthusiasts, and visionaries were inspired by Jean-Marc Boursier, Chairman of the Insitut National de l’Économie Circulaire. He praised Circular Economy as “the solution to combine economic growth, protection of the planet’s natural resources and a much more inclusive society”. His lecture offered insightful perspectives on redesigning industry to solve resource constraints through circular solutions. He thanked EIT Manufacturing for “offering a unique opportunity to French startups specializing in circular economy to go international and accelerate their business development in Europe.

EIT Manufacturing representatives Antoni Pijoan, Caroline Viarouge, Jérémie Dalibot and Kevin Lenehan with keynote speaker Jean-Marc Boursier, Chairman of the Insitut National de l’Économie Circulaire (in the middle).

As an entertaining expert panel brought together industry titans such as Schneider Electric and Saint-Gobain with visionary startups such as Kheoos and Goodfloow, the time before the jury deliberation announcement sped by. Practical examples highlighted how the combination of corporate experience and entrepreneurial ingenuity produces a more sustainable industrial landscape.

Trophies and awards for the top 3 startups

Three lucky winners at the BoostUp! FRANCE 2023 startup competition (from left to right): third prize for Marc Dib, Founder of Neolitik, second prize for Dan Dassier, Founder of Trinov, and first prize for Matis Veniant, Sustainability Project Manager at Fairmat.

Fairmat was the winner, taking home 7,000€ for its second-generation carbon fiber composites. This French deeptech recycles, designs and provides low-impact carbon fiber parts and tech-driven industrial solutions for a more circular future.

Second-placed Trinov was awarded 5,000€: They use IoT, APIs, and artificial intelligence to assist manufacturers in reducing waste at the source and optimising waste management as a new processable resource in a variety of processes and circular economy chains.

Another 3,000€ cheque was given to Neolitik for the development of EcoLithe, an innovative construction material alternative. It is built entirely of recycled materials, is completely recyclable, and requires no water to be manufactured.

The event, that has been actively supported by Impulse Partners, concluded with a vibrant networking lunch, providing attendees with the opportunity to connect, share ideas and forge meaningful partnerships. This week the matchmaking platform still enables follow-up contacts and facilitates connections between like-minded professionals.