DETROIT – Smart Factory, a French business accelerator program, is coming to Detroit on Nov. 15 where the tour will showcase eight French start-up companies that will pitch their products and business to Detroit-area companies in the hopes of finding collaborators, vendors, investors and potential customers.
Michigan is the only U.S. stop on the tour, which also visits Toronto on November 19-21. The eight companies have been carefully vetted through a juried selection process and have spent months honing their vision and pitch, including a business boot camp in Paris.
The event is hosted by The French American Chamber of Commerce – Michigan Chapter, along with Business France – the French Trade Commission – and Automation Alley brings the Smart Factory Connection Tour.
The French companies participating in the Smart Factory event include:
- AKEOPLUS – specializes in mechanics, smart robotics
- ALPHA-3i – software publisher for the manufacturing industry
- Apix Analytics – develops and commercializes multigas analyzers for industrial & environmental applications
- CAI Labs – deep tech – develops photonic solutions to increase the capacity of existing optical fibers
- Expert Teleportation – smartglass software publisher
- InfoDream – quality control software developer for the manufacturing industry
- Scortex – deploys artificial intelligence for automation of complex visual inspection for quality control
- Ubudu – creates indoor location solutions to improve industrial performance
Representatives from global leaders in automotive manufacturing, consumer technology and other innovators are expected to attend the event. In addition, Joey Lanius, Managing Director Industrial, Rail & Travel Practice, Accenture, will present a session on “Digital Transformation in Manufacturing.”
Smart Factory takes place on the heels of Automation Alley’s Integr8 I The Industry 4.0 Conference, a global conference focused on the eight technologies currently disrupting the manufacturing industry, brings hundreds of the world’s industry thought leaders in advanced materials and additive manufacturing, robotics, cybersecurity and beyond to Detroit.
“Detroit is a global hub of manufacturing innovation and opportunity. The Smart Factory Connection Tour offers the opportunity for manufacturers to connect with eight of France’s most promising start-ups to encourage growth within their firms,” said Laurence Grelet, Head of Industry & Cleantech, North America, Business France.
The Smart Factory Connection Tour Detroit event is open to the public and will take place Thursday, November 15, 8 – 11 a.m. at Automation Alley – 2675 Bellingham, Troy, MI. To register or learn more about the event, visit: www.faccmi.org.
