Deadline Date: September 28, 2026
Applications are now open for the AI Startup Challenge to connect applied AI startups with Europe’s largest business district through a deeply embedded corporate innovation ecosystem.
The focus areas include applied artificial intelligence for real business challenges across real estate, insurance, finance, industry, mobility, human resources, and enterprise automation, with priorities centered on enterprise deployment readiness, measurable impact in professional environments, and integration with corporate workflows and data systems.
The initiative is designed to address the structural disconnect between corporates and startups by placing innovation directly within La Défense, enabling startups to collaborate closely with decision-makers in finance, real estate, insurance, and industrial sectors. The ecosystem emphasizes daily proximity between founders, investors, and large enterprises to accelerate practical AI adoption and scalable deployment.
They are seeking startups and scale-ups developing applied AI solutions that solve concrete enterprise problems, with expectations that solutions demonstrate real-world value and are close to or ready for deployment. Applicants may range from pre-seed to Series B stages and should have validated use cases or early traction in professional settings.
Winners of the challenge receive six months of complimentary membership at the House of AI campus in Paris La Défense, providing access to workspace, community engagement, and direct connection with corporate and investor networks within the business district.
Finalists are also granted fast-track entry into the resident ecosystem of the campus with similar access benefits. Eligibility Criteria include startups incorporated less than eight years ago and organizations with fewer than 100 employees.
For more information, visit VivaTech.
