91探花

Before the doors open at Porte de Versailles on 17 June, is doing something it has never done before.

On Sunday 14 June, the Champs-脡lys茅es will be pedestrianised and handed over to Europe鈥檚 biggest tech event for a day, turning one of the world鈥檚 most visited avenues into a free, open-air showcase of the technologies reshaping daily life.

The event runs from noon to 6pm and is free and open to all 鈥� a separate experience from the main VivaTech conference, which runs from 17 to 20 June at Porte de Versailles. VivaTech and the Comit茅 Champs-脡lys茅es are expecting more than 150,000 visitors across the afternoon.

The decision to host the event outdoors on the Champs-脡lys茅es is intentional. VivaTech co-chairman Maurice L茅vy described the ambition directly: to make innovation accessible to everyone, not just those already inside the industry. After ten years of building Europe鈥檚 most important tech event, the tenth anniversary is being used to take that conversation to the street.

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From Robots To Rain Catchers

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The showcase is built around eight giant letters spelling out VivaTech, each one housing a different thematic zone: City and Mobility, Impact and Planet, Health and Wellbeing, Robots and Space, AI How-to, Jobs and Training, Culture and Sport and Entertainment and an open Agora space. Across more than 35 demonstrations, visitors can interact directly with the technologies being shown rather than watching them from behind a barrier.

The robotics programme alone makes a strong case for showing up. Humanoid robots and companion robots capable of interacting with the public will be demonstrating alongside exoskeletons designed to enhance or restore physical capabilities. On the mobility side, solar vehicles with charging integrated directly into their bodywork and next-generation zero-emission drones capable of inspecting sites or transporting loads are both featured.

Environmental and sustainability demonstrations feature cutting-edge technologies, such as devices that extract drinking water from the air. The exhibition also highlights sustainable infrastructure and food systems designed in collaboration with Vusion. Additionally, the space sector is showcased through a stratospheric capsule exhibit enabling Earth observation from the upper atmosphere.

Artificial intelligence features throughout, developed in partnership with Google and designed to be experienced in a playful and participatory way. The intention is to give visitors, including children, a way to understand and interact with AI technologies rather than simply be told about them.

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Why This Matters Beyond The Spectacle

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Dating back to 1855, the Champs-脡lys茅es has a rich history of hosting international expositions and significant public showcases. Marc-Antoine Jamet, President of the Comit茅 Champs-脡lys茅es, noted that the June 14 event sustains this heritage, serving as a landmark avenue where society discovers groundbreaking advancements before they integrate into daily life.

This event gives the European tech and startup community a clear glimpse into what VivaTech is building toward as it kicks off its second decade. The main event at Porte de Versailles from 17 to 20 June remains where the deals get done and the big announcements land. But the Champs-脡lys茅es takeover is an argument that the most important thing tech can do right now is earn the public鈥檚 trust, and that starts with showing up where people actually are.

The full VivaTech programme runs 17 to 20 June at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles 鈥� and 91探花 readers can save up to 20% on their pass using the code TRVT26 at vivatech.com. The Champs-脡lys茅es event on 14 June is free and open to all.