On September 26, 2024, Huawei's Digital InPulse program stopped in Tourcoing, in the heart of the European Metropolis of Lille, for its third stop of the year. Organized at Plaine Images, a leading European site for the creative and cultural industries, the event highlighted 7 start-ups from the Lille region and northern France, with a focus on digital transformation in the culture, tourism, media and entertainment sectors. Click & Live and Wakatoon, 2 innovative start-ups, won first and second prize respectively, highlighting their contribution to the reinvention of the creative industries and their potential to shape the future of the sector.
A program dedicated to local start-ups and digital transformation
Launched in 2014 by Huawei in partnership with the Comité Richelieu, the Digital InPulse program has established itself as an innovation accelerator for French start-ups. Each year, this program stops in several cities in France, offering young shoots the opportunity to present their projects and access technological, financial and commercial resources.
In 2024, the program focuses on start-ups whose solutions meet the needs of digital transformation in specific areas such as culture, entertainment, media and tourism. After Paris and Lyon, Digital InPulse has set up shop in Lille, at Plaine Images, a center of excellence located in Tourcoing and dedicated to the creative industries.
7 start-ups from the region have been selected to present their innovative solutions to a jury of experts in innovation and digital technology.
The 2024 winners: Click & Live and Wakatoon
Click & Live, a start-up based in Tourcoing, has risen to the top spot thanks to its platform designed to support artists in managing their careers. By facilitating the connection between artists and event organizers. The platform allows artists to apply for service offers and organizers to find the right talent for their events.
In addition to this connection feature, Click & Live also offers tools to manage the entire administrative part: creating contracts, generating quotes and invoices, managing communication elements. With a grant of €30,000, Click & Live not only benefits from significant financial support, but also from the recognition of a growing ecosystem.
This prize will allow the start-up to continue to develop its services and increase its impact on artists looking for new opportunities.
In second place, Wakatoon won over the jury with its animated coloring concept. This application allows children to transform their coloring pages into real cartoons, thus mixing the physical and digital worlds in a fun way. Wakatoon's ambition is to revolutionize the experience of children's shows on streaming platforms by making them interactive, while limiting the time spent in front of screens.
This innovative project earned Wakatoon financial support of €20,000, as well as an opportunity for international development.
A unique opportunity for internationalization
One of the great assets of the Digital InPulse program is the opportunity it offers the winning start-ups to develop internationally. Click & Live and Wakatoon will benefit from a business trip to Shenzhen and Hong Kong, organized with the support of the France China and France Hong Kong Chambers of Commerce and Industry. This trip will allow the start-ups to confront their solutions with the Asian market, explore new growth opportunities, and establish strategic partnerships.
Huawei, as a global technology player, provides its global network to facilitate the internationalization of participating start-ups. This opening to markets such as China or Hong Kong is a real boon for these young companies, allowing them to test their products and services on a global scale.
A jury of experts to support innovation
This Lille edition was marked by the presence of a jury of professionals and experts from the sector, including:
- Jean Delalandre: General Delegate of the Richelieu Committee;
- Anne-Claire Wang: Head of Digital InPulse at Huawei France;
- Romain Deffrenne: President of Reyouzz and Alumni Digital InPulse 2022;
- Laurent Tricart: Director of Innovation and Partnerships at La Plaine Images.
These experts praised the quality of the projects presented, particularly those of Click & Live and Wakatoon, for their ability to meet the current challenges of the creative industries sector while integrating cutting-edge technologies such as interactive digital technology and automated career management.
The importance of digital transformation in the cultural sector
The winners of this edition perfectly embody the spirit of Digital InPulse: innovation, impact and digital transformation. At a time when the cultural and creative industries are undergoing major changes, the adoption of digital technologies has become essential to meet the new expectations of consumers and professionals in the sector.
Click & Live addresses a crucial need: the career management of artists in a context where the digitalization of creative professions is booming. By facilitating the connection between artists and organizers, and by automating administrative processes, Click & Live helps to make opportunities in the culture and entertainment sector more fluid and accessible.
For its part, Wakatoon offers an innovative interactive experience for children. In a world where technology captivates from a very young age, Wakatoon's idea of combining physical activity (colouring) and digital activity (cartoon) brings a new dimension to the use of screens by the youngest, by favouring interaction rather than passivity.
Lille: an ecosystem conducive to innovation
The choice of Lille for this stage of the Digital InPulse programme is not insignificant. The Hauts-de-France region, and more particularly the Lille metropolis, is positioning itself as a key territory for digital innovation and creative industries. La Plaine Images, which hosted this edition, is a concrete example of the technological and cultural effervescence of the region.
After Lille, Digital InPulse continued its innovation tour of France with a final stop in Strasbourg on October 17. This fourth and final stop closed a year rich in meetings, discoveries and opportunities for French start-ups wishing to develop internationally.
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