Deadline Date: March 23, 2026
PwC France & Maghreb is inviting startups to participate in a challenge aimed at accelerating operational innovation and driving measurable impact across industries.
The focus areas of this initiative include optimizing operations through product development, manufacturing, logistics, and process automation; strengthening resilience with disruption forecasting, flow optimization, risk anticipation, and cyber protection; accelerating digitalization and data-driven performance using AI, predictive analytics, real-time dashboards, and generative AI; embedding sustainability into operational processes to reduce carbon footprint and optimize energy or water consumption; and adapting to new challenges with agility by shifting business focus and enhancing workforce efficiency.
The challenge targets startups that can deliver pragmatic and scalable solutions capable of unlocking new sources of value, building resilience, enabling sustainable growth, and thriving amid constant transformation. Participants are expected to provide solutions that deliver measurable operational impact, are applicable across multiple industries and functions, integrate seamlessly with existing systems and processes, demonstrate both technological and business model innovation, and support responsible growth and ESG objectives.
This competition is industry-agnostic, focusing on innovations that enhance operational performance in sectors such as industrial services, aerospace and defense, automotive, energy and utilities, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and agrifood. Selection criteria prioritize a strong value proposition aligned with the challenge topics, regulatory compliance and security, business potential with PwC’s business lines or clients’ needs, geographic presence in EMEA or the US, maturity level at post-MVP stage with at least two existing clients, and technological innovation. Eligible startups must have been incorporated less than eight years ago and employ fewer than 100 people, with both deep tech and low tech solutions considered.
This challenge represents a strategic opportunity for startups to collaborate with PwC and its clients to shape the next decade of operational excellence, digital transformation, and sustainable growth across multiple sectors.
For more information, visit VivaTech.
