At its press conference on 17 March 2022, VivaTech announced its intention to become a low-carbon event. To support this initiative, it has joined forces with the EDF Group, the event's official "low carbon partner", and the expertise of its two start-ups Urbanomy and Acteon Farm.
Urbanomy
This start-up emerged from EDF Pulse Incubation and has been a Group subsidiary since 2020, was created to tackle the century's biggest challenge of decarbonisation by capitalising on R&D modelling tools and EDF's local support. The decarbonisation consultancy is helping Vivatech to analyse its carbon footprint and implement a concrete action plan. The aim is to avoid and reduce the event's greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible throughout its life cycle (setting up, running the event and taking down), and to make this ambition a long-term one by helping the event to comply with the criteria of the ISO 20121 standard for responsible events for the organisation of its 2023 edition.
Acteon Farm
Actéon Farm, for its part, supports companies committed to a decarbonisation strategy to make a climate contribution. Currently being incubated by EDF Pulse Incubation, it has selected a reforestation project in the Marne region of France to create carbon sinks to match the residual CO₂ emissions of VivaTech. 12,000 trees which are better adapted to climate change will help to restore the Chêne à la Vierge national forest, which has been awarded the "forêt d'exception" label.
EDF sponsors the Low Carbon Park
In addition to supporting VivaTech with its low carbon strategy, the EDF Group is sponsoring the Low Carbon Park, dedicated to decarbonisation, which is making its debut at VivaTech and exhibiting the innovative solutions of a dozen French and international start-ups.
These include four of our portfolio companies, which reflect our presence across the entire range of decarbonisation activities:
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Measurement
Carbon footprint measurement with Persefoni, an American start-up in which EDF Pulse Ventures invested in 2021.
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Consulting
Decarbonisation consulting with Urbanomy, an EDF subsidiary.
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Reduction
Reducing CO₂ emissions with Enerbrain, an Italian start-up in which EDF Pulse Ventures invested in 2021.
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Climate contribution
Climate contribution with Acteon Farm, currently being incubated by EDF Pulse Incubation.
EDF Pulse Design innovations in the spotlight
Two innovations developed by EDF Pulse Design are also on display in the Low Carbon Park at VivaTech:
Up Data solar
A fully autonomous mini data center equipped with photovoltaic panels and other exclusively recycled materials capable of continuously powering an autonomous module which can host a website and an intranet, store data, create a Wi-Fi network and power a 5G relay antenna.
The miroir connecté
It shows users the energy consumption of their home. Depending on the distance from the device, users can see the volume of CO₂ generated by their energy use and the quality of the air in their home.
