June 2026
Technovator was represented at VivaTech Paris 2026 by Nadejda Ciobanu, as part of Moldova’s delegation supported by EU4Innovation East. VivaTech is one of the most important global events dedicated to technology, startups, and deeptech.
For Technovator, the event was much more than a tech expo. It was an opportunity to understand how mature innovation ecosystems work and to identify what can be adapted for Moldova.
Among the highlights was the “Incubate the Future” workshop, focused on the future of incubators, startup and corporate collaboration, internationalization, the use of artificial intelligence in entrepreneurial support programs, and new financing mechanisms for globally ambitious startups. Víctor Mulas, Chief Innovation Officer at Cambridge Innovation Center, spoke about building ecosystems that actually work, not through isolated projects, but through well-connected mechanisms between research, entrepreneurship, investment, and the public sector.
At the Startup Germany pavilion, Technovator saw deeptech in action, including systems that produce water from air and smart exoskeletons for industry and healthcare. At the Italy pavilion, a conversation with Federico Novembrini illustrated the Triple Helix model in practice, focused on technology transfer and turning research into impactful businesses. A session with Agnieszka Chłąd from the European Innovation Council (EIC) addressed how Moldovan researchers can more effectively access European innovation grants. Additional deeptech demonstrations covered artificial intelligence for cancer diagnostics, advanced robotics, sustainable mobility, and space technologies.
The event also brought a personal moment: a reunion with Ömer Hantal, a partner from the Business Innovation Summit 2025, a reminder of how connected the global innovation community is.
One of the most anticipated moments of the event was a conversation featuring Jeff Bezos on stage alongside astronaut Michael Massimino and David Limp, CEO of Amazon Devices & Services. Bezos‘s message was simple: there has never been a better time to be an entrepreneur and build a company. On artificial intelligence, he offered a balanced perspective, noting that it accelerates knowledge and execution but cannot replace experience, judgment, creativity, and human talent, and that true maturity will come when AI is no longer a novelty but is naturally embedded in products that generate real value.
The key lesson Technovator brings home from VivaTech is that there is no universal model for an innovation ecosystem. Germany, France, and Italy each rely on their own mechanisms, but share one common denominator: turning research and ideas into companies with real impact. For Moldova, the challenge is not to copy these models, but to build its own science-to-business pathway, with solid bridges between universities, industry, investors, and public authorities.
At Technovator, that is exactly the work underway. VivaTech Paris 2026 provided not only inspiration, but new contacts, partnerships, and perspectives to keep moving forward.
