Hello Tomorrow 2024: feedback from Inria students and engineers

Hello Tomorrow: the accelerator of technological and scientific entrepreneurship

The creation of Hello Tomorrow

In 2011, two doctors and agricultural engineers graduated from AgroParisTech founded Hello Tomorrow, an organization which aims to accelerate the development of tomorrow’s technologies by supporting innovative startups in the fields of science:

• Arnaud de la Tour, doctor in Industrial Economics from the Paris School of Mines
• Xavier Duportet, doctor in synthetic biology at Paris Diderot University (Paris VII) and at INRIA, also founder of the startup Eligo Bioscience

Both had shared a common vision: that of building bridges between the world of science and that of business through technological entrepreneurship. Hello Tomorrow became international very quickly thanks to the mobilization of doctoral students, then subsequently became institutionalized.

The Global Submit

Global Submit is an iconic event that celebrates technological innovation and entrepreneurship on an international scale. Founded on the conviction that scientific and technological advances are crucial to meeting current societal challenges, it brings together thousands of players in the innovation ecosystem each year, from startups to investors, including researchers and large groups. .

For Inria Startup Studio, the opportunity to participate in this event represents a key moment to highlight our program as an essential incubator for startup projects. The show offers a unique platform to exchange ideas, establish strategic partnerships but also to discover the latest trends in innovation.

Hello Tomorrow addresses a multitude of themes at the heart of contemporary technological issues. By participating, Inria Startup Studio contributes to placing French innovation at the center of the global technology scene.

Inria doctoral students and research engineers

For Inria, it is essential to encourage the participation of doctoral students and engineers interested in the subject, from all centers and all disciplines. Thus, around twenty of them had the opportunity to participate in a learning expedition on March 21 and 22, 2024, accompanied by the startup managers, Céline Duclos and Grégoire Maurice. We asked them a few questions to get their thoughts on the event.

Why come to Global Submit?

“To meet startups and ask about their backgrounds in order to understand whether their projects come from research or not.”

“I came to learn about what others have done, the lessons they have learned along the way, and the best practices in their daily professional lives. I expected to have contacts and meet a few people.”

“I attended the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit because I want to create my startup. I was looking to learn from the experiences of others, especially those who have already achieved success. It was my first time at such an event. My goal was to find practical advice and meet people who pursue the same goals as me.”

“Out of curiosity, to know the current trends in deeptech startups. Particularly if/how natural language processing is applied in these sectors.”

“I want to make contacts and mentally immerse myself in the startup world. It was the first time for me to go to such an event. My expectations were to meet good people, to be inspired and to learn more about currently trending problems and issues.”

Are your expectations met?

“Initially, I found that there were not enough startups around AI fields (contrary to the number of projects we hear about), but ultimately I had some good surprises in areas that I liked. a little less interesting, and therefore to obtain feedback from various circles.”

“Visiting the LEX show was a positive and enriching experience. I was captivated by the diversity and quality of the exchanges I was able to have. Observing startups that are more advanced in their development has motivated me a lot and offers a real perspective on the possibilities of development for my project.”

“It was an incredible experience, full of information and discoveries. I’m glad I went! […] I actually had interesting meetings with different founders. I particularly enjoyed the discovery of Qarnot.”

“Yes, I learned a lot, especially a lot of practical advice from investors. […] I met a lot of interesting people: on the one hand, other Inria doctoral students, and on the other hand, industrialists via the networking app.”

What to remember from the learning expedition and the show?

“Event rich in interaction and discovery. I recommend it to any other doctoral student with the ambition of continuing their path in industry, having in mind that it is possible to set up your startup around an idea is something important in my opinion.”

“It was an exceptional experience to immerse yourself in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, discover the latest innovations and expand your network. I would definitely recommend her to other doctoral students, especially those who are considering starting or getting involved in innovative projects.”

“We need to define concrete goals! It’s a great event and we can learn a lot from it. For example [to do during the show]:

• Brainstorm 10 startup ideas that match a topic discussed on the internship frontier;
• Evaluate a pitch session, classify them and compare them to the jury’s responses;
• Get 10 LinkedIn contacts;
• Talk to 15 strangers.”

“I learned about what is widely considered deeptech (topics on climate change, health and energy transition). I would advise any doctoral student wanting to commercialize their research to consider going for it.”

“Yes, I highly recommend it to PhD students, especially those who have a curiosity for entrepreneurship. I have retained these 3 tips for creating startups:

1. Do not fall in love with your product (do not be too perfectionist in the technical part but deliver the product to customers as quickly as possible for validation)
2. Don’t try to do everything alone (have a co-founder who complements you, take advantage of incubators/accelerators, etc.)
3. Don’t give up!”

A desire to undertake?

“For now, I’m going to start a thesis project. If everything goes well, and the academic path does not convince me, then perhaps I will think about starting a business.”

“Currently, I am focusing on my thesis and developing my skills. My experience at LEX reinforced my desire to become an entrepreneur and provided me with valuable tools to get started. I plan to launch a project that combines technological innovation and social impact, drawing, among other things, on the knowledge and contacts acquired at the show.”

“I really want to start a business (already before this event) but I’m not thinking directly after the thesis.”

Thank you to the Inria doctoral students and research engineers for taking the time to answer our questions. To discover our program, click here!